According to the Bank’s website, the objective of this project is to respond promptly and effectively to an eligible crisis or emergency in the Republic of Congo.

The Republic of Congo Contingent Emergency Response Project (CERP) operationalizes the Rapid Response Option (RRO) under the World Bank's Crisis Preparedness and Response Toolkit (CPRT) to enable a prompt and effective response to eligible crises or emergencies. It is designed to strengthen the country's resilience to recurring shocks.

The project comprises three components. The first, emergency livelihood support to households, delivers cash transfers to disaster-affected populations through the national safety net system and the Single Social Registry, with women designated as preferred recipients in households with children. The second, provision of essential emergency supplies and services, finances the rapid procurement and distribution of critical relief items, including food, water and sanitation materials, medicines, and agricultural inputs. The third, emergency response coordination and management, covers operational expenditures, technical assistance, annual preparedness exercises, and the establishment of supplier framework agreements to accelerate crisis procurement.

The environmental risk remains Substantial because the project is designed for rapid activation and delivery at scale under emergency conditions, including potentially remote locations where logistics are complex and oversight capacity can be constrained. The most significant risks stem from the storage and transportation of fuel, which present the highest potential for pollution incidents, fire, and explosion. These risks are compounded in remote locations where logistics are complex, and oversight capacity may be limited. Other risks include: (i) generation of solid waste, such as packaging, and, where health-related commodities are financed, medical waste streams that require segregation, safe handling, and disposal; (ii) improper storage or handling of chemicals and other supplies in temporary or rehabilitated warehouses, particularly if infrastructure is inadequate; (iii) environmental incidents such as spills, leaks, or fires that may occur if procedures are not followed; (iv) short-term nuisances and construction debris from minor repairs or rehabilitation of existing storage and warehousing facilities (e.g., waterproofing, basic electrical restoration, environmental sealing, pest control); and (v) transport-related impacts including increased emissions and the risk of spills associated with last-mile delivery and the use of equipment and generators. Occupational health and safety (OHS) risks including injuries or accidents if proper safety protocols are not implemented.

The project’s social risk is assessed as Substantial given the operating environment and the nature of the emergency response activities to be financed upon activation. While the CERP primarily supports quick-disbursing expenditures (including emergency cash transfers) and the procurement and distribution of essential supplies and services— thereby avoiding large-scale land acquisition and major civil works—it will operate at speed, at scale, and potentially in remote and crisis-affected areas, where implementation capacity and oversight can be constrained. Social risks may arise from (i) exclusion errors and social tensions linked to rapid beneficiary identification, verification, and targeting of assistance, including for displaced populations, refugees, persons with disabilities, and other vulnerable groups as well as potential culturally differentiated risks where Indigenous Peoples/Sub-Saharan African Historically Underserved Traditional Local Communities may be present in activation areas; (ii) inequitable access to, or elite capture of, emergency goods and services during distribution including risks related to limited access to identification, digital connectivity, language barriers, or reliance on intermediaries in emergency delivery systems; (iii) community health and safety and security risks at distribution points and along transport routes (including crowd management and incidents of theft or diversion); (iv) labor and working condition risks for government staff, contractors, and volunteers involved in warehousing and distribution; and (v) heightened risks of sexual exploitation and abuse and sexual harassment (SEA/SH) in emergency contexts, particularly where temporary shelter arrangements or humanitarian-style assistance are deployed.

Investment type and amount not available at the time of disclosure.

CONTACT POINT - World Bank

Task Team Leader: Moussa Sidibe
Title: Disaster Risk Management Specialist
Email: msidibe3@worldbank.org

ACCESS TO INFORMATION

To submit an information request for project information, you will have to create an account to access the Access to Information request form. You can learn more about this process at: https://www.worldbank.org/en/access-to-information/request-submission

ACCOUNTABILITY MECHANISM OF THE WORLD BANK

The World Bank Inspection Panel is the independent complaint mechanism and fact-finding body for people who believe they are likely to be, or have been, adversely affected by a World Bank-financed project. If you submit a complaint to the Inspection Panel, they may investigate to assess whether the World Bank is following its own policies and procedures for preventing harm to people or the environment. You can contact the Inspection Panel or submit a complaint by emailing ipanel@worldbank.org. Information on how to file a complaint and a complaint request form are available at: https://www.inspectionpanel.org/how-to-file-complaint