WASHINGTON, March 30, 2010―The World Bank Board of Executive Directors approved on March 25, 2010 a US$25.5 million grant from the International Development Association (IDA) for the Water, Electricity and Urban Development Project in the Republic of Congo.
IDA financing will be supplemented by government matching funds to the tune of US$100 million.
The project exemplifies the type of new partnership between the World Bank and the Government of the Congo Republic, under which Bank funds will serve a catalytic purpose to help mobilize the country’s domestic resources, derived from oil revenue, to help improve program selectivity and boost efficiency.
The project’s objective is to increase sustainable access to basic infrastructure, services and safe drinking water for the inhabitants of targeted areas in Brazzaville and Pointe Noire.
The Project has three components: urban infrastructure and services; urban water supply; and electricity sector reform.
Component 1: Urban Infrastructure and Services
This component aims at expanding access to basic social services in the targeted areas. It comprises two subcomponents: (i) urban infrastructure and services, and (ii) institutional support.
Component 2: Urban Water Supply
The objective of this component is to sustainably increase access to safe drinking water in Brazzaville and Pointe-Noire and to improve the urban water sub-sector management. It entails two sub-components: (i) improvement and expansion of water service delivery in Brazzaville and Pointe-Noire; and (ii) support for water sector reform.
Component 3: Electricity Sector Reform
The objective of this component is to develop a comprehensive strategy for the reform of the electricity sector and improve the government’s capacity to implement the reform. This will entail two sub-components: (i) support to the Ministry of Energy and Hydraulics (MEH) on key actions needed for reform of the power sector and at the national power company; and (ii) support to MEH in implementation of the reform.
The Water, Electricity and Urban Development Project will be implemented over the course of five years, and is expected to affect the lives of 1.2 million people in the cities of Brazzaville and Pointe-Noire.
