Implementation Status & Results Africa West Africa Regional Communications Infrastructure Program (P116273)

Transcription

1 Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Africa West Africa Regional Communications Infrastructure Program (P116273) Operation Name: West Africa Regional Communications Infrastructure Project Stage: Implementation Seq.No: 3 Status: ARCHIVED Archive : 12-Dec-2012 Program (P116273) Country: Africa Approval FY: 2011 Product Line: IBRD/IDA Region: AFRICA Lending Instrument: Adaptable Program Loan Implementing Agency(ies): Key s Board Approval 20-Jan-2011 Original Closing 30-Sep-2015 Planned Mid Term Review 09-Sep-2013 Last Archived ISR 24-May-2012 Effectiveness 29-Apr-2011 Revised Closing 30-Sep-2015 Actual Mid Term Review 20-Sep-2013 Project Development Objectives Project Development Objective (from Project Appraisal Document) WARCIP seeks to increase the geographical reach of broadband networks and reducing the costs of communications services in West Africa. Under APL1-A, the objectives of the Projects,thus, are to increase the geographical reach of broadband networks and to reduce costs of communications services in the territory of Liberia and Sierra Leone. Has the Project Development Objective been changed since Board Approval of the Project? Yes No losure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized Component(s) Component Name Component Cost Sierra Leone: Supporting Connectivity Sierra Leone: Creating an Enabling Environment for Connectivity 2.93 Sierra Leone: Project Implementation 1.32 Liberia: Supporting Connectivity Liberia: Creating and Enabling Environment for Connectivity 3.32 Liberia: Project Implementation 1.28 Overall Ratings Previous Rating Current Rating Progress towards achievement of PDO Moderately Satisfactory Moderately Satisfactory Overall Implementation Progress (IP) Moderately Satisfactory Satisfactory Overall Risk Rating Moderate Moderate Page 1 of 8

2 Implementation Status Overview This ISR refers to results of a supervision mission conducted in Liberia between October 08 and October 12, 2012 and Sierra Leone mission conducted in August 13-16, The Sierra Leone input in the ISR is also based on virtual discussions since the August 2012 mission. A. Implementation Progress for WARCIP Liberia Progress towards achieving the PDO is rated as Satisfactory. Disbursements have reached 83.1% in the second year of the project. The PPP framework is fully established with the creation of CCL and the private operators have been paying their participation directly to ACE. A shareholders agreement has already been signed between SPV members including GoL, Libtelco, Lonestar and Cellcom. The Board of CCL is set up to oversee the management of the ACE landing in Liberia. Backhaul discussions are ongoing though require urgent actions. Activities under Component 2 are progressing well in accordance with the action plan agreed during the April mission. PIU demonstrates strong operating performance with a good understanding of the project and positive working relationships with project stakeholders. PFMU is doing good financial management. LTA as the implementing agency of the project shows strong leadership and commitment. ACE is expected to go live on December 19, B. Implementation Progress Status for WARCIP Sierra Leone Progress towards achieving the PDO is rated Moderately Satisfactory. The project has a very high disbursement rate of about 83.14% two years into its implementation. Transaction Advisers hired under the project to advise on divestiture of shares and PPP arrangements have completed the drafting and negotiation of the terms of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of Sierra Leone and about 9 private operators for divestiture of 51% of SALCAB shares. This is part of a PPP structure in the form of a robust and flexible cooperative vehicle to own and manage the ACE cable in Sierra Leone, with rights of access to and use of installed capacity in the ACE submarine cable system. Construction work at the landing station is fully completed, and site is being managed by limited staff of SALCAB until divestiture transaction can be completed, and shareholders can take over the operating costs and management of the site. The slow progress in ending the international gateway monopoly, however, could dampen the significant success to date of the divestiture program. The contract for Legal Advisers who will assist Government of Sierra Leone with the revision of the telecommunications law has been signed and will commence work following the elections. There is improvement in project management and supervision, albeit transactions processing are still protracted and require significant attention by the Project Implementation Unit. Locations Country First Administrative Division Location Planned Actual Africa Not Entered Zwedru Africa Not Entered Tubmanburg Africa Not Entered Fish Town Africa Not Entered Sanniquellie Africa Not Entered Robertsport Africa Not Entered River Cess Africa Not Entered Kakata Africa Not Entered Harper Africa Not Entered Greenville Africa Not Entered Gbarnga Page 2 of 8

3 Country First Administrative Division Location Planned Actual Africa Not Entered Buchanan Africa Not Entered Bopolu Africa Not Entered Bensonville Africa Not Entered Barclayville Africa Not Entered Freetown Africa Not Entered State House Africa Not Entered Ministry of Information and Communications Africa Not Entered Ministry of Trade and Industrial Development Africa Not Entered Ministry of Health and Sanitation Results Project Development Objective Indicators Indicator Name Core Unit of Measure Baseline Current End Target Direct project beneficiaries Number Female beneficiaries Percentage Supplemental Sierra Leone Number Liberia Number Delay in hiring of M&E/Project Officer. Tors being reviewed. Expected to be on board by February 15, Nov-2012 M&E specialist just hired and is working on updating the Results Framework. In Page 3 of 8

4 Average monthly price of wholesale international E1 capacity link from capital city to Europe Text Sierra Leone Text Liberia Text Access to Telephone Services (fixed mainlines plus cellular phones per 100 people) Number Sierra Leone Number Liberia Number addition the LTA is about to finalize SIM card registration. This will provide a good input to identifying female beneficiaries $8000 $ Nov Mar-2012 $8000 less than $2000 The country is still using satellite for international connectivity. This indicator will change after the cable becomes operational Nov Nov Major growth of subscriber base as a result of growth of operators networks and offerings. This is partly attributed to the project. the project has a leveraging impact for this indicator. With the expected "revolution"of the ICT sector following ACE landing andwith th economies expected on international connectivity. the different Page 4 of 8

5 Access to Internet Services (number of subscribers per 100 people) Number Sierra Leone Number Liberia Number Volume of international traffic: International Communications (Internet, Telecoms, and Data) bandwidth per person Text Sierra Leone Text Liberia Text operators are engaging in significant roll out plans Nov Mar continuous increase resulting from introduction of 3G. This indicator is expected to grow after the price for Internet drops as a result of the commercialization of the cable. the increase of 3 G services is also linked to the project. In anticipation of the capacity that will be available through ACE, the operators are implementing 3G services and gaining new consumers Nov Nov-2012 The volume is expected to increase significantly following the commercialization of the cable in Dec Variation from the baseline is the result of increased traffic following the introduction of WIMAX and 3 G services. The project contributed to this Page 5 of 8

6 Intermediate Results Indicators result indirectly. In anticipation of the capacity that will be available through ACE, mobile operators had aggressive plans to roll out their 3 G network. Indicator Name Core Unit of Measure Baseline Current End Target Impact on Telecom sector of World Bank Number Technical Assistance (composite score: 1- low 21-Nov-2012 impact to 5-high impact) The project is at early implementation phase. By MTR when all studies are expected to be quite advanced, this indicator is likely to reach 1.5 Retail Price of Internet Services (per Mbit/s per Amount(USD) Month, in US$) 13-Nov-2012 This indicator will only less than US$500/month develop after the ACE cable becomes operational. Liberia: Volume of available international Number capacity: International Communications (Internet, Voice) bandwidth G bit/s This indicator will only G bits/s develop after the ACE cable becomes operational. Operators are waiting for ACE Capacity. No additional capacity is made available through satellite awaiting the commercialization of ACE. Impact on Telecom sector of World Bank Number Technical Assistance (composite score: 1- low impact to 5-high impact) Too early to have noticeable impact on telecom sector. The M&E specialist is developing an operator satisfaction questionnaire. Theresults are expected before the MTR meeting. This questionnaire Page 6 of 8

7 Retail Price of Internet Services (per Mbit/s per Month, in US$) Sierra Leone: Volume of available international capacity: International Communications (Internet, Voice) bandwidth will help the project update this indicator Amount(USD) Nov-2012 US$/month US$/month Number Nov-2012 Gbit/s Volume expected to change Gbit/s following commercialization of the submarine cable in Dec Data on Financial Performance (as of 26-Nov-2012) Financial Agreement(s) Key s Project Ln/Cr/Tf Status Approval Signing Effectiveness Original Closing Revised Closing P IDA Effective 20-Jan Feb Jun Sep Sep-2015 P IDA Effective 20-Jan Feb Apr Sep Sep-2015 P IDA-Q7180 Closed 29-Apr Jun Jun Jun Jun-2011 P IDA-Q7190 Closed 29-Apr May May Jun Jun-2011 P IDA-Q7230 Closed 04-Jun Jun Jun Jan Jan-2011 P IDA-Q7240 Closed 04-Jun Jun Jun Jan Jan-2011 Disbursements (in Millions) Project Ln/Cr/Tf Status Currency Original Revised Cancelled Disbursed Undisbursed % Disbursed P IDA Effective USD P IDA Effective USD P IDA-Q7180 Closed USD P IDA-Q7190 Closed USD P IDA-Q7230 Closed USD P IDA-Q7240 Closed USD Disbursement Graph Page 7 of 8

8 Key Decisions Regarding Implementation Parties agreed to provide increased due diligence in the next few months and ensure no delays in procurement process for the key activities under the projects with the objective to have contracts signed and activities launched before the next supervision mission. For Liberia, parties agreed to finalize technical and financial discussions on the backhaul to allow the private operators of CCL to transport their traffic to their networks as soon as the capacity is available in the landing station. For Sierra Leone, parties agreed to bring clarity and closure to the liberalization of the gateway following the elections held on November 17, Restructuring History There has been no restructuring to date. Related Projects There are no related projects. Page 8 of 8