World Bank approves US$30 Million for Local Urban Infrastructure Development Project

Contacts

In Washington: Aby Toure (202) 473 8302

akonate@worldbank.org;

In Niamey: Ibrahim Cheick Diop 227-20-735616

idiop@worldbank.org

WASHINGTON, May 29, 2008 – The World Bank Board of Directors today approved an International Development Association (IDA) credit[i]of US$30 million to increase and sustain access of urban residents to basic infrastructure and services, particularly those living in deprived settlements. To achieve this objective, the project will: (i) support capacity development of local governments and other stakeholders in charge of urban development to plan, program, deliver and maintain infrastructure and services in the selected cities; and (ii) finance local infrastructure investments in selected cities (roads and drainage works, water supply, food markets, truck terminals, etc.)

The proposed project, prepared at the request of the Government of Niger, is in line with the strategic orientations of the country’s second Poverty Reduction and Accelerated Growth Strategy Paper (DSDARP 2008-2012), finalized in July 2007 focusing on: (i) increasing financial resources for accelerating growth; (ii) improving human resources and equity in access to basic services; and (iii) promoting a better development framework. 

The project will have three components.

• Capacity building: (estimated cost: US$1.96 million)-- the focus of this component is to build and consolidate management capacities for programming, implementing and managing urban infrastructure and basic services. The component includes: (i) support to the local stakeholders in the targeted cities: Urban Community of Niamey (CUN), Urban Community of Maradi (CUM), the municipalities of Niamey, Dosso and Maradi for improving project implementation; (ii) support to selected central governmental institutions active in the areas of urban management, to strengthen public stakeholders’ capacities in areas of project objectives, beyond the project’s targeted cities; and (iii) support to the private sector, mostly local contractors and consultant firms involved in project implementation.
• Municipal investments for Niamey, Maradi and Dosso. Dosso (estimated cost: US$20.13 million) – the main objective of this component is to upgrade infrastructure to: (a) increase access to basic services in the targeted cities, primarily in low-income settlements.  This includes construction or rehabilitation of roads to facilitate access to and from land-locked settlements; drainage works, water stand-posts, public latrines, health and social facilities, etc.; and (b) construct or rehabilitate infrastructure aimed at boosting local economic development: primary roads, food markets and truck terminals
• Support to implementation, monitoring and evaluation. (estimated cost: US$2.16 million) – this component will provide financing for implementation and monitoring of the project through the National Coordination Bureau (BNC).  It will include financing equipment and operating costs of the BNC (cost shared with Transport Sector Program Support Project); technical and financial audits, support to monitoring and evaluation; and information, education and communication (IEC) for the project.

The remainder of the envelope (around 5.8 million US$) will be assigned to refund the Project Preparation Facility (0.9 million US$) and for the sum worth for the variations of the financial and technical costs of the project (respectively 1.6 and 2.3 million US$).

###

For more information on the World Bank in sub-Saharan Africa visit: www.worldbank.org/afr

For more information on the World Bank in Niger visit: www.worldbank.org/niger

For more information about this project visit:

http://web.worldbank.org/external/projects/main?pagePK=64283627&piPK=73230&theSitePK=382450&menuPK=382484&Projectid=P095949