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Press Release No:2012/302/MENA. DOHA, March 6, 2012 --- The World Bank today launched a regional initiative to improve broadband connectivity in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region by bringing utilities’ fiber optic networks into broadband use. The Bank also announced a new focus on citizen participation in the creation of information and communication technologies (ICT) solutions to development problems, building on the success of the Cairo WaterHackathon.
Broadband Connectivity Initiative
The World Bank’s broadband connectivity initiative will study the potential for developing regional broadband backbone networks in MENA and prepare the ground for new investments. It will use a new approach that leverages already-deployed infrastructure from other utilities, such as electricity, transport or oil and gas. The study is expected to tackle the main bottlenecks to broadband connectivity in the region, in particular providing redundancy (extra capacity) to existing international connectivity and opening alternative backbone networks in domestic markets.
“Worldwide, broadband is becoming an essential infrastructure for innovation, economic growth, and competitiveness,” said Doyle Gallegos, Practice Leader, Connectivity Infrastructure, World Bank. “This World Bank initiative will help increase MENA countries’ capacity to cope with the tremendous predicted increase in broadband traffic and to compete in the 21st century’s global market.”
The MENA region has been actively increasing broadband connections and, as of today, broadband connects over a quarter of MENA households. Broadband traffic in the region is predicted to grow over 100 percent in the next five years, making MENA the fastest growing region in the world with Sub-Saharan Africa.
The World Bank study will cover the region’s international and domestic connectivity and will produce four country case studies focused on utility infrastructure use in Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, and Tunisia. In addition, the World Bank will look at broadband-based applications to increase operational efficiency and competitiveness of utilities, starting with a smart-grid pilot project in Jordan. Findings from these activities will be shared through regional workshops aimed at boosting investment in the region, particularly in utilities’ fiber-optic networks.
The broadband connectivity initiative is part of the World Bank’s Arab World Initiative and is supported by the Public Private Infrastructure Advisory Facility (PPIAF) and the Korean Government. Jointly with InfoDev, the World Bank has also produced the Broadband Strategies Handbook, a tool providing hands-on knowledge of broadband market, technology, and policy action (http://www.infodev.org/en/Publication.1118.html).
Citizen Participation in ICT Solutions
Cairo hosted the first-ever WaterHackathon in October 2011 which brought together Egyptian technologists with water specialists to brainstorm innovative ICT solutions for Egypt’s biggest water challenges. A hackathon in this context is a series of events that source problem statements from citizens, civil society, and development experts; build sectoral and digital literacy for technologists and development practitioners; and allow these partners to collectively identify technical pilot solutions.
“The Cairo WaterHackathon allowed the World Bank to ‘do things differently’ in the aftermath of the Arab Spring and engage local communities interested in shaping the future of their country,”explained Carlo Rossotto, MENA Regional Coordinator, ICT, World Bank. “Based on this success, the World Bank will increasingly use citizen participation in the creation of ICT solutions as a mainstream tool to tackle development challenges.”
The winning solutions at the Cairo WaterHackathon included:
· A mobile and web-based application for more equitable water distribution, enabling farmers to remotely control irrigation (Salt & Rocks team)
· An application for irrigation optimization and water saving in agricultural production, using smart mobile devices to enhance collection of field data (Abu Erdaan team)
· A concept addressing water saving in industrial line production, using data visualization and SMS and web updates on water consumption (Run Time team)
The winning teams continue to develop their ideas. Team Abu Erdaan has managed to develop and beta-test its application and is now shortlisted among the top fifty competitors in Google’s Business Competition in Egypt. As a follow-up, the World Bank is planning a Transport Hackathon in Cairo later this year.
The Cairo WaterHackathon was organized by the World Bank in close collaboration with local partners such as the American University in Cairo, the Desert Development Center, and the Technology Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center.
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Showing posts with label Africa. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Africa. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
World Bank Announces Broadband Connectivity Initiative for Middle East and North Africa, New Focus on Citizen Participation in ICT Solutions
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
West and Central African Air Transport Safety and Security Project
The West and Central African Air Transport Safety and Security Project for Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Guinea, and Mali aims to improve civil aviation authorities' compliance with safety and security standards of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), and enhance the main international airports' compliance with ICAO's security standards.
The extension is consistent with the requirements of OP/BP 13.30 as: (i) the Project's Development Objectives (PDO) continues to be achievable; (ii) the performance of implementing agencies and recipients is satisfactory; and (iii) an action plan has been prepared and agreed with each government to complete the project satisfactorily. The changes do not require any change in the project objective and description.
Accordingly, the package is being processed as a level two restructuring, requiring the Vice President's approval since it involves a cumulative extension of the closing date of more than two years from the original closing date.
Document Date:2011/12/29. Document Type: Project Paper.Report Number: 66152
For more Information about Projects in Burkina Faso, Guinea and Mali see Projects Western Africa
For more Information about Projects in Cameroon see Projects Middle Africa
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Thursday, December 15, 2011
Spending on Public Infrastructure: A Practitioner's Guide
This paper provides a methodological tool to support the collection and preparation of standardized, comprehensive data regarding public spending on infrastructure services that can be rigorously compared across countries. Infrastructure is defined to cover six sectors: irrigation, energy (primarily power), transport, communication, wastewater management, and water supply.
The guide is designed to provide a much richer and more complete measurement of infrastructure spending than the limited highly aggregated data currently available through the IMF Government Financial Statistics.
Originally developed for Africa, the methodology is relevant and readily applicable to any developing country. With the aim of being as comprehensive as possible, the methodology covers central and sub-national government expenditures, non-budgetary vehicles (such as road funds), state-owned enterprises (SOEs), and public-private partnerships (PPPs).
While the methodology focuses on collecting quantitative data on the level and composition of spending, this is complemented with qualitative data that provides the institutional context. Importantly, the methodology allows for cross-classification of infrastructure spending by purpose (power, roads, etc) and by function (operational versus capital spending).
This guide provides practical guidance -- including concepts, definitions, and classifications -- for each of the three stages of work, namely: (i) pre-field, (ii) field, and (iii) back office.
World Bank.Author:Briceno-Garmendia, Cecilia;Sarkodie, Afua.Document Date:2011/12/01.Document Type:Policy Research Working Paper.Report Number: WPS5905.Volume No 1 of 1
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African Mobile Observatory 2011
GSMA Mobile Observatory. The mobile industry in Africa is booming. With over 620 million mobile connections as of September 2011, Africa has overtaken Latin America to become the second largest mobile market in the world, after Asia. Over the past 10 years, the number of mobile connections in Africa has grown an average of 30% per year and is forecast to reach 735 million by the end of 2012.
Fierce competition has driven down prices and increased penetration. Price wars have been common across the continent as operators compete for market share with innovative revenue and pricing options - operators have reduced prices an average of 18% between 2010 and 20112, making mobile connectivity more broadly affordable to the masses. 96% of subscriptions are pre-paid with voice services currently dominating, however the uptake of data services is increasing rapidly. For example in Kenya data revenues, including SMS, have increased at a remarkable 67% CAGR over the last 4 years and now represent 26% of total revenues.
The Mobile Industry in Africa contributes US$56bn to the regional economy, equivalent to 3.5% of total GDP. In particular, the mobile ecosystem is estimated to employ over 5 million Africans and is contributing to bringing mobile services to customers right across the continent. However there remains huge untapped potential - 36% of Africans, within the 25 largest African mobile markets (A25), still have no access to mobile services. Projections indicate that raising the whole region to 100% mobile penetration (see figure 3), could add an additional $35 billion in aggregate GDP to the region, equivalent to a further 2% increase.
This is the first African edition in the GSMA Mobile Observatory series and provides a comprehensive review of the African mobile communications industry. The report focuses on how mobile operators and African governments can work together to continue the remarkable growth story of the African mobile industry. The benefits that mobile services have already brought to hundreds of millions of Africans can be extended to those who have yet to connect. By so doing, the African continent can continue to bring not only communication services, but also improved financial services, healthcare and education to its people and drive an increase in the economic wealth and development.
The mobile industry in Africa is an enabler of economic development far beyond its immediate domain. Mobile operators have driven the emergence of a unique industry in innovative mobile services in Africa. Mobile Value-Added Services have been launched throughout the continent to enable and support agriculture, banking, education, healthcare and gender equality. In particular, the emergence of mobile money transfers and mobile banking puts Africa firmly at the forefront of the global Mobile Money industry. Beyond mobile services, the mobile industry is also contributing to rural electrical distribution with lower carbon emissions and facilitating the work of NGOs across the continent. Many African governments have prioritized ICT policy as a key driver for development
Key issues for future growth
For the mobile industry to continue to serve as a catalyst for growth, sufficient spectrum is needed for the provision of mobile broadband services. African countries have currently allocated considerably less spectrum to mobile services than developing countries in Europe, the Americas and Asia. Allocating the Digital Dividend spectrum to mobile services will enable the mobile industry to accelerate its efforts to bring connectivity and information to large swathes of rural Africa.
African governments are slowly shifting to more transparent ICT regulation, but limited spectrum availability remains a key barrier to sustaining long term growth. The GSMA supports a technology neutral approach to the use of all existing mobile bands; governments in Africa should allow deployment of mobile technologies that can technically co-exist according to what are relevant internationally harmonised bands for their region.
The GSMA encourages governments in the region to establish clear guidelines for spectrum planning, licensing, pricing and re-farming. African governments must clarify future spectrum availability of both the coverage bands (700, 800, and 900 MHz bands) and the capacity bands (1800, 2100, 2300, 2600, and 3500 MHz bands).
Regulation practices must continue to improve to ensure the effective long term development of the mobile sector. 64% of African countries remain in the bottom quartile of the World Economic Forum’s political/regulatory index. GSMA research indicates that total tax intake of governments could be boosted, by reducing mobile specific taxes across Africa.
Universal access has also been promoted by most African governments using taxation schemes, but there is limited transparency around the distribution of funds. By working in partnership, mobile operators and African governments can continue the remarkable growth story of the African mobile industry. The benefits that mobile services have already brought to hundreds of millions of Africans can be extended to those who have yet to connect. By so doing, the African continent can continue to bring not only communication services, but also improved financial services, healthcare and education to its people and drive an increase in the economic wealth and development.
This is the first African edition in the GSMA Mobile Observatory series and provides a comprehensive review of the African mobile communications industry. The report focuses on how mobile operators and African governments can work together to continue the remarkable growth story of the African mobile industry. The benefits that mobile services have already brought to hundreds of millions of Africans can be extended to those who have yet to connect. By so doing, the African continent can continue to bring not only communication services, but also improved financial services, healthcare and education to its people and drive an increase in the economic wealth and development
Monday, December 12, 2011
Promoting Sustainable Energy Access for Africa
Energy access and climate change resilience are intrinsically related. Access to electricity is essential to fulfill basic household needs such as lighting, cooling, heating and access to drinking water and sanitation services. It is also critical to improved productivity, competitiveness and employment, which leads to expanded job opportunities and economic growth. Climate change poses a major development challenge for Africa threatening food and energy security through higher temperatures, extreme events, and changes in rainfall. Energy access is vital for Africa’s development, its achievement of the MDGs, and its resilience to climate shocks and global economic shocks. Climate resilience approaches to energy access development is important for Africa.
Addressing climate resilience is also an opportunity for Africa to leapfrog towards more sustainable energy technologies. For growth to be sustainable, African countries need to build energy systems that are resilient to climate variations. Climate variability is hardly a new factor in the region’s history, but with global warming, Africa’s vulnerability is deepening, making it the most exposed region in the world to the impacts of climate change. To increase countries’ resilience, adaptation and mitigation strategies have to be simultaneously implemented. Adaptation measures can help to reduce the vulnerability of electricity systems to climate change by building capacity, improving information for decision making and integrating climate risks into management and operation decisions. Setting the continent on a sustainable energy production and consumption path is critical to Africa’s development vision while contributing to the global challenge of mitigating GHG emissions. A diversified, greener energy portfolio can boost service reliability and support energy security while lowering the impact on the environment.
Global Context
International community is keen to give renewed attention to Africa’s challenges. The UN General Assembly has designated 2012 as the International Year of Sustainable Energy Access for All. Energy access will be a major theme in the lead-up to Rio+20. In June, the high-level Ministerial Meeting on Energy and Green Industry adopted the “30-30-30” goals. The goals outline a set of three objectives to achieve by 2030: universal energy access, a 40 percent increase in energy efficiency, and a 30 percent share for renewable energy.
New funds have been pledged to further the green growth and associated development objectives of developing countries. In Cancun in December 2010, the Conference of Parties (COP) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) recorded Copenhagen Accord pledges for $30 billion
over three years, expecting to fast-start funding for Africa, least-developed countries, and small island developing states. An additional $100 billion a year was also announced for developing countries by 2020. The African Energy Ministers Conference came at a critical juncture in the wake of these COP pledges and in the lead-up to the December 2011 COP17 in Durban, South Africa. Specifically, the Transitional Committee for the design of the Green Climate Fund (GCF) is currently defining the scope, scale, and areas of prioritization for the intended scale-up of long-term financing for developing countries. Initiatives conceived at the Conference could become points of reference for the GCF or for other climate-related financing initiatives in future.
over three years, expecting to fast-start funding for Africa, least-developed countries, and small island developing states. An additional $100 billion a year was also announced for developing countries by 2020. The African Energy Ministers Conference came at a critical juncture in the wake of these COP pledges and in the lead-up to the December 2011 COP17 in Durban, South Africa. Specifically, the Transitional Committee for the design of the Green Climate Fund (GCF) is currently defining the scope, scale, and areas of prioritization for the intended scale-up of long-term financing for developing countries. Initiatives conceived at the Conference could become points of reference for the GCF or for other climate-related financing initiatives in future.
The African Energy Ministers Conference was an important milestone on the road to Durban. The upcoming COP17 to be held in Durban offers a unique opportunity to highlight Africa’s energy challenges and gain global support to a transformational agenda that will help secure Africa’s energy future in a sustainable manner. The twoday Africa Energy Ministers Conference in Johannesburg facilitated dialogue to reach consensus on the priorities for supporting Africa’s energy development agenda in a resilient manner. Africa’s leaders were presented with an opportunity to share experiences and discuss low carbon strategies to scale up energy access in the continent; investments and concerted actions required to foster regional trade; and climate finance options for Africa’s energy investment priorities.
Africa’s Energy Challenges
Energy access rates are unacceptably low in Africa, affecting human and social development. Only 42 percent of Africans have power in their homes. In Sub-Saharan Africa, the electricity access rate declines to 31 percent, the lowest rate in the world and half the rate of the next lowest region, South Asia. In all, 585 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa are excluded from electricity service, accounting for 40 percent of the worldwide un-served population. Scarcity of power and low access affects the delivery of social service and the quality of life. Without electricity, clinics cannot safely store vaccines, food goes wasted at home and in shops, and children cannot study at night. Lack of electricity exacerbates poverty as it precludes home-based productive activities that are a primary source of livelihoods and local economic development in the poorest countries. For other household energy needs, about 80 percent of people rely on traditional use of solid biomass, far more than in any other region of the world.
Deforestation can be a serious consequence of concentrated biomass use, especially in the outskirts of urban areas. And indoor air pollution resulting from incomplete combustion of solid fuels in traditional stoves is a leading cause of premature mortality and illnesses. Deficient power infrastructure is hindering long-term economic growth in the African continent. The entire installed generation capacity of the continent is 124 gigawatts (GW), of which 94 GW is divided between North African countries and South Africa. The rest of the Sub-Saharan region relies on an installed capacity of only 30 GW, about the same as Norway, a country with less than one percent of Sub-Saharan Africa’s population. In addition, as much as one-quarter of it is now unavailable due to age and poor maintenance. The small scale of most national power systems and the widespread reliance on expensive oil-based generation have made the cost of producing power in Sub-Saharan Africa exceptionally high. More than 30 countries have experienced power shortages over the last few years, which mean substantial losses in foregone sales and damaged equipment. The economic costs of power outages, including the costs of running backup generators and of forgone production, typically range between 1 and 4 percent of GDP. Overall, deficient power infrastructure is weakening the competitiveness of Africa’s firms, holding back economic growth.
Africa needs to scale up energy infrastructure to strengthen energy security and climate resilience. Using 2005 as a baseline, the World Bank estimated that Sub-Saharan Africa needs to add 7 GW of new generation capacity each year through 2015 to meet suppressed demand, keep pace with projected economic growth, and support the rollout of further electrification. Nearly 31 GW of generation projects have been planned for the next 5–7 years in Sub-Saharan Africa. Although not sufficient to fully bridge the region’s energy deficit, this capacity addition is critical progress. Once completed, the additions will double the overall installed capacity of the Sub-Saharan region (excluding South Africa). However, less than 16 GW of additional capacity are currently in pipeline; an additional 15 GW should therefore be prepared, financed and implemented as soon as possible.
A substantial effort in electrification scale-up is needed to reach universal access in the foreseeable future. Expanding access to energy is a social imperative for Africa. Efforts to promote energy access ought to take into consideration rapid urbanization and population growth in Africa. By 2030, nearly half of Africans will be living in urban areas, with the urban population exceeding rural population by 100 million by 2035. At present rates of electrification, only 45 percent of Africans will have electricity in their homes by 2015 and less than 60 percent by 2030. In 2030, 654 million Africans will still lack electricity service, accounting for half of the world’s un-served population. Reaching the goal of universal electricity access by 2030, as put forward by the Advisory Group on Energy and Climate Change set up by the United Nations Secretary-General, would require that 150 million people are added to electricity service by 2015 and 512 million by 2030, including 460 million in Sub-Saharan Africa alone. Cleaner energy solutions will help leapfrog African countries to a more climate-resilient future.
Achieving universal electricity access requires diversified approaches. The scale and nature of the electricity access gap and the locations involved mean that electricity will need to be provided through both centralized and decentralized energy technologies and systems, including grid, mini-grid, and off-grid solutions. Grid extension is often the least-cost option in areas with high population densities, while mini-grid and offgrid solutions are more efficient options to bring electricity into sparsely populated peri-urban and rural areas. Renewable energy technologies are ideally suited to mini-grid and off-grid applications and can help significantly scale up electrification in Africa without major harm to the environment and contribute to greater climate resilience. Facilitating the spread of low-cost and sustainable lighting solutions is critical to meeting basic needs.
Until the energy access gap is closed, millions of people can be taken out of the dark through the wide deployment of off-grid lighting solutions. Today, climate-friendly solar and other lighting products offer a valid alternative to the expensive, inefficient, and polluting lighting sources such as candlelight or kerosene lamps on which a large part of Africa’s population still relies. Access to sustainable cooking and heating solutions is paramount to address the health and environmental threats caused by the use of traditional biomass. The transition to modern fuels should be facilitated using tailored approaches that take into account local constraints such as fuel availability, affordability and existence of distribution channels. Where affordability issues prevail, government interventions should focus on promoting more efficient and sustainable supply of biomass. Equally important is to improve the efficiency at which people burn biomass by facilitating the development and commercialization of improved cook stoves and the accompanying sustainable business models to deliver and service them.
Africa’s Energy Opportunities
Renewable energy can help bridge Africa’s energy deficit and further enhance climate resilience, reconciling several development imperatives. The development of renewable energy sources as part of a diversified portfolio can reduce vulnerability to supply disruptions and market volatility while allowing for a greener energy mix.
Africa’s abundant conventional sources will remain a prominent part of the energy mix. Currently, thermal generation based on fossil fuels dominates energy supply in Africa. This is a result of the relative abundance of conventional energy sources. However, natural gas can serve as a bridge to a more sustainable energy supply and is already playing a critical role in the primary energy portfolios of many developing countries.
Africa’s enormous energy potential can be effectively and sustainably unlocked through the development of regional power trade. Regional power trade is key to Africa’s energy future, as resources tend to be heavily concentrated and most countries have energy systems that are simply too small to efficiently produce power.
Deeping regional power trade will allow for the development of the needed scale and significantly lower power costs, which in turn will spur productivity and competitiveness. Further, trade will put Africa on a less carbon intensive path by allowing the diversification of the energy portfolio at the power pool level. Regional power trade would allow hydropower to provide as much as 48 percent of the continent’s energy needs, displacing as much as 20,000 MW of thermal power in the process and saving 70 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually.
Minister Conference Proceedings Report Road to Durban: Promoting Sustainable Energy Access for Africa. Johannesburg, South Africa.September 15th - 16th, 2011
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Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Rwanda.Third Rural Sector Support Project:Resettlement policy framework
This Resettlement Policy Framework (RPF) is an updated version of Rwandan Rural Support Sector Project Phase 3 which is being financed by the World Bank. The Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources (MINAGRI) is the agency responsible for implementing the Rural Sector Support Project (RSSP), including the provisions of this RPF.
This RPF is to guide RSSP to ensure that the World Bank safeguards Operation Policy 4.12 for involuntary resettlement and national requirements for land acquisition and resettlement are adequately addressed. RSSP should in addition ensure that the relevant capacity and training needs are established in order for the recommended measures to be implemented effectively.
World Bank.Author:Rukazambuga Ntirushwa Daniel.Document Date:2011/11/01.Document Type:Resettlement Plan.Report Number:RP1210.Volume No:1 of 1.
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Rwanda.Third Rural Sector Support Project
Rwanda Government gives priority to agriculture for economic growth. Due to high population and small plot per household, increase in crop production is expected to be achieved through increased productivity rather than expansion of area. Crop productivity is a function of productivity enhancing agricultural technologies and pest management to reduce crop losses in store and fields. In order to achieve this objective, farmers decision making and pest management should target using appropriate and timely pest and disease management tools. The farmers should have a clear understanding of requirements conditions and techniques for producing health plant, pests and diseases status, their survival mechanisms and management methods that are available to make a timely and informed decision.
The development objective of the Rural Sector Support Project III (RSSP-3) is to strengthen the participation of women and men beneficiaries in market-based value chains and increase the agricultural productivity of organized farmers in the marshlands and hillsides of sub-watersheds targeted for development in an environmentally sustainable manner; and . In order to achieve the latter, the Government of Rwanda and the World Bank agreed during the preparation of RSSP-3, to apply the World Bank's Operational Policy on Pest Management (OP 4.09), which is an environmental safeguard policy for promoting safe pesticide use and the use of integrated pest management (IPM) to reduce crop losses due to pest damage. This policy requires putting in place a Pest Management Plan (PMP) and structure for adoption of IPM and safe use of pesticides.
The PMP under RSSP-3 will focus on intensification of 13 target crops including five crops namely, rice, maize, potato, cassava, and tomato of RSSP-2 and 8 more namely bananas, wheat, cabbage, carrots, green beans, onions, pineapple and mushroom. These are important crops produced by small scale farmers or cooperatives. Main pest problems include diseases, insect pests and vectors. The application of PMP will promote the use of IPM in insect pest management and where necessary the safe use of pesticides as a component of IPM approach.
Currently, the use of pesticides in Rwanda is very limited and is primarily used with some cash crops, particularly coffee, potato and tomato. A limited quantity is also used for the protection of the stored food products. In general, pesticide use in Rwanda target mainly plant diseases management and nearly 75 % are fungicides, while the remaining 25% is composed of different insecticides and a few herbicides. Among the fungicides imported, more than 90% of the products are Mancozeb and Ridomil which are applied to potato and tomato against the late blight (Phytophtora Infestans).
Among the target crops of RSSP-3, pesticides, and particularly fungicides, are expected to be used as a part of IPM mainly in disease management; especially for late blight (Phytophthora infestans) of potato and tomato, and in rice against rice blast (Pericularia orizae). While pesticides will be used in cabbage production, however, it will require close monitoring and training of farmers on safe pesticide use and IPM strategies. When feasible, research on biological of Diamondback moth (DBM) will be initiated and collaboration with ICIPE in Nairobi, Kenya establish for natural enemy of DBM release and monitoring establishment.
Management of pests and diseases in other target crops as well as other insect pests in general will use a variery of IPM approaches with less or no pesticides.
The PMP will address the weaknesses of safe pesticide use through training of various stakeholders along the supply and use chain since the knowledge of different pesticides and awareness of the negative impacts is low among sellers, users and extension agents of pesticides.
The PMP will address the weaknesses of safe pesticide use through training of various stakeholders along the supply and use chain since the knowledge of different pesticides and awareness of the negative impacts is low among sellers, users and extension agents of pesticides.
The PMP implementation monitoring will include monthly meetings and reporting of achievements and constraints. The pest management capacity of RSSP-3 will be supported and strengthened by recruiting expert consultants. The tentative program for the first project year provides the structure of the PMP, and will provide a view of the implementation of the PMP at the end of year.
World Bank.Author:Rukazambuga Ntirushwa Daniel.Document Date:2011/11/28.Document Type:Environmental Assessment. Report Number:E2896
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Africa.Niger Basin Water Resources Development and Sustainable Ecosystems Management Project
The project development objective is to achieve a sustainable increase in the overall productivity of existing water resources to foster economic development in selected countries of the Niger River Basin.
Author: Talbi,Amal.Document Date: 2011/11/27.Document Type: Implementation Status and Results Report.Report Number:ISR4867
Africa - Niger Basin Water Resources Development and Sustainable Ecosystems Management Project : P093806 - Implementation Status Results Report : Sequence 09a
Thursday, November 24, 2011
The drought and food crisis in the Horn of Africa : impacts and proposed policy responses for Kenya
As the world begins to feel the effects of climate change, the frequency of droughts is increasing in the Horn of Africa. In Kenya, the drought and food crisis affect welfare through two main channels. The first channel is the increased mortality of livestock in drought-affected areas, which are home to 10 percent of the country's population.
The second channel is by exacerbating increases in food prices, which are largely driven by worldwide price trends. Considering these two channels, this note identifies four broad policy changes that can reduce Kenya's future vulnerability to such shocks: (i) investment in people in the arid and semiarid lands; (ii) reform of Kenya's maize policy; (iii) review of the East African Community grain trade policy; and (iv) formulation of a unified social protection system.
WorldBank.Author:Demombynes,Gabriel;Kiringai,Jane.Document.Date:2011/11/01.Document.Type:Brief.Report Number:65758. Volume No:1 of 1
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Botswana's infrastructure: a continental perspective
Infrastructure made a net contribution of just over two percentage points to Botswana's improved per capita growth performance in recent years. Raising the country’s infrastructure endowment to that of the region's middle-income countries could boost annual growth by about 1.2 percentage points. Botswana has made significant infrastructure progress in recent years, spanning the transport, water and sanitation, power, and mobile telephony sectors. But the country still faces a number of important infrastructure challenges.
The most pressing is in the power sector, where the country is economically and financially exposed to a lack of generation capacity and insufficient power supply, leaving the economy vulnerable to power price shocks and load shedding. Botswana's international transport connections and Internet connectivity also lag behind those of comparable countries. Botswana's overall resource envelope of $800 million per year surpasses its $785 million needs estimate.
Nevertheless, it loses $68 million a year to inefficiencies and faces a funding gap of $305 million per year, entirely in the power sector, traceable to the quality of spending decisions. Botswana will be in a good position to meet its infrastructure goals if it can reduce inefficiencies, increase public-sector receipts, and attract more public funding.
Author: Dominguez-Torres,Carolina;Briceno-Garmendia,Cecilia.Document Date:2011/11/01.Document Type:Policy Research Working Paper.Report Number:WPS5887. Volume No: 1 of 1
Monday, November 21, 2011
Mozambique's infrastructure: a continental perspective
In the last 10 years, Mozambique's economy has grown steadily at an impressive rate of 7.7 percent per year, driven by the service sector, light industry, and agriculture. This pace is expected to continue or even increase with the massive influx of already-planned investment on the order of $15-20 billion.
Mozambique's infrastructure is well developed in some sectors, including its east-west transport infrastructure, power grid, and water and sanitation networks. But the nation still faces critical challenges in these and other areas, including developing north-south transport connections, properly managing the water system, and expanding hydroelectric generation to meet potential.
Mozambique spent about $664 million per year on infrastructure during the late 2000s, with as much as $204 million lost annually to inefficiencies. Comparing spending needs with existing spending and potential efficiency gains leaves an annual funding gap of $822 million per year.
Mozambique could reduce inefficiency losses by positioning itself as a key power exporter. The country could reach infrastructure targets in 20 years through a combination of increased finance, improved efficiency, and cost-reducing innovations.
Author: Dominguez-Torres, Carolina ; Briceno-Garmendia, Cecilia. Document Date:2011/11/01.Document Type: Policy Research Working Paper.Report Number: WPS5885. Volume No:1 of 1
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Avoiding the fragility trap in Africa
Not only do Africa's fragile states grow more slowly than non-fragile states,
but they seem to be caught in a "fragility trap". For instance, the probability
that a fragile state in 2001 was still fragile in 2009 was 0.95.
This paper
presents an economic model where three features -- political instability and
violence, insecure property rights and unenforceable contracts, and corruption
-- conspire to create a slow-growth-poor-governance equilibrium trap into which
these fragile states can fall.
The analysis shows that, by addressing the three
problems, fragile countries can emerge from the fragility trap and enjoy a level
of sustained economic growth. But addressing these issues requires resources,
which are scarce because external aid is often tailored to the country's
performance and cut back when there is instability, insecurity, and corruption.
The implication is that, even if aid is seemingly unproductive in these
weak-governance environments, it could be hugely beneficial if it is invested in
such a way that it helps these countries tackle the root causes of instability,
insecurity, and corruption. Empirical estimations corroborate the postulated
relationships of the model, supporting the notion that it is possible for
African fragile countries to avoid the fragility trap.
World Bank.Author: Andrimihaja,Noro Aina;Cinyabuguma,Matthias; Devarajan,Shantayanan. Document Date: 2011/11/01. Document Type: Policy Research Working Paper.Report Number: WPS5884. Volume No: 1 of 1
Monday, November 14, 2011
African Science Academies Meet in Uganda to Discuss Aid Effectiveness in Africa's Health Sector
Nov. 14, 2011.KAMPALA , Uganda Africa 's health sector, the theme of this year's conference.
"It is an honor to host this meeting of African science academies and to have so many renowned researchers, international development experts, and policymakers gathered under one roof focusing on some of the most important challenges facing sub-Saharan Africa ," said Paul Mugambi, president, Uganda National Academy of Sciences. "The conference is also an opportunity to showcase the capacity building that is taking place among African science academies to better inform policymaking via evidence-based advice."
At the opening of the conference, the Uganda National Academy of Sciences unveiled a new report linked to the theme of this year's conference. Informing Strategies, Improving Results: The Role of Civil Society Organisations in Managing for Results in Africa's Health Sector presents the results of a questionnaire of civil society organizations in Uganda and throughout sub-Saharan Africa . An international planning committee, which included representatives of several African science academies, oversaw the work that led to the report. Staff from the U.S. National Academies assisted in the report's preparation as well.
Civil society organizations, often operating at the grass-roots level, play various roles in the health care sector and have important links to local communities. Their part in aid effectiveness and the broader goal of development effectiveness is increasingly being recognized by leaders around the world, and for the first time they will be official participants at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's (OECD) Fourth High-Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness beginning later this month in Busan , South Korea
A 2005 OECD forum in Paris Accra , Ghana
The new report analyzes to what extent civil society organizations may be using strategic plans, performance assessments, and other evaluation tools to achieve desired results. These organizations appear to be managing for results in general, but their practices would benefit from greater cooperation among civil society organizations across Africa to share lessons learned as well as from investments in systems that lead to greater accountability. Stronger partnerships between African governments and these organizations could help maximize results, the report adds, especially at a time when global economic conditions may result in less donor support.
The report also notes that given their distinctive position at the interface between science and policy, science academies are well-placed to provide expertise and a neutral platform to inform evidence-based approaches to aid effectiveness. In the front of the report, a statement by eight African science academies emphasizes that Africa should "be using science to determine the effectiveness of investments in those sectors key to development." Getting better results and improving accountability largely depends on whether investments are documented as effective by impacting the communities that receive them, the report adds.
Many of the issues raised in the report will be discussed at the conference, which will provide an opportunity for donors, governments, and civil society organizations to describe their role in aid and development effectiveness and to discuss strategic partnerships aimed at implementing efficient aid practices and moving the development agenda forward, including how to follow up on calls for action expected at the upcoming Busan forum.
ASADI is a multiyear, collaborative effort among the U.S. National Academies and the national science academies of Cameroon , Ethiopia , Ghana , Kenya , Nigeria , Senegal , South Africa , and Uganda , as well as the regional African Academy
Media Contacts:
William Kearney
Deputy Executive Director & Director of Media Relations
Office of News and Public Information
+1 202-334-2138; +1 202-450-9166 (mobile)
e-mail wkearney@nas.edu
Franklin Nsubuga-Muyonjo
Ag. Executive Secretary
+256-414-53 30 44; +256-712-39 50 07 (mobile)
e-mail franklinmuyonjo@unas.or.ug
Thursday, November 3, 2011
The Democratic Republic of Congo's Infrastructure
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) faces possibly the most daunting infrastructure challenge on the African continent. Conflict has seriously damaged most infrastructure networks. Vast geography, low population density, extensive forestlands, and criss-crossing rivers complicate the development of new networks. Progress has been made since the return of peace in 2003.
A privately funded GSM network now provides mobile telephone signals to two-thirds of the population. External funding has been secured to rebuild the country's road network, and domestic air traffic has grown. Modest investments could harness inland waterways for low-cost transport. Much more substantial investments in hydropower would enable the DRC to meet its own energy demands cheaply while exporting vast quantities of power. One of the country's most immediate infrastructure challenges is to reform the national power utility and increase power generation and delivery. Capacity must increase by 35 percent over the period 2006-15 to meet domestic demand. The dilapidated condition of both road and rail infrastructure presents another challenge.
To meet the target defined in the report, investment in the country's infrastructure must increase from $700 million to $5.3 billion per year over the next decade, a staggering 75 percent of 2006 GDP. New infrastructure technologies, the elimination of inefficiencies, and cross-border finance (for hydropower development) could cut the annual funding gap in half. Recently, the country secured $4 billion in external finance commitments for infrastructure, enabling increases in budget allocations for public investment.
Author: Foster,Vivien;Benitez,Daniel Alberto.Document Date: 2011/03/01.Document Type: Policy Research Working Paper.Report Number: WPS5602.Volume No: 1 of 1
Ghana's Infrastructure
Infrastructure contributed just over one percentage point to Ghana's annual per capital GDP growth during the 2000s. Raising the country’s infrastructure endowment to that of the region's middle-income countries could boost the annual growth rate by more than 2.7 percentage points. Ghana has an advanced infrastructure platform when compared with other low-income countries in Africa. The country’s coverage levels for rural water, electricity, and GSM signals are impressive.
A large share of the road network is in good or fair condition. Institutional reforms have been adopted in the ICT, ports, roads, and water supply sectors. Ghana’s most pressing challenges lie in the power sector, where outmoded transmission and distribution assets, rapid demand growth, and periodic hydrological shocks leave the country reliant on high-cost oil-based generation. Exceptionally high losses in water distribution leave little to reach end customers, who are thus exposed to intermittent supplies. Addressing Ghana's infrastructure challenges will require raising annual expenditures to $2.3 billion.
The country already spends about $1.2 billion per year on infrastructure, equivalent to about 7.5 percent of GDP. A further $1.1 billion is lost each year to inefficiencies, notably underpricing of power.Ghana's annual infrastructure funding gap is about $0.4 billion per year, chiefly related to power and water. Following its recent oil discoveries, Ghana can raise additional public funding from increased tax receipts. The country has several strong areas on which to build and a solid economic base from which to fund incremental efforts.
Author: Foster,Vivien; Pushak, Nataliya;Document Date: 2011/03/01.Document Type:Policy Research Working Paper.Report Number:WPS5600.Volume No: 1 of 1
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