GRANT NUMBER E015-ST Financing Agreement (Social Protection COVID-19 Response and Recovery Project) between DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF SAO TOME AND PRINCIPE and INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION GRANT NUMBER E015-ST FINANCING AGREEMENT AGREEMENT dated as of the Signature Date between DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF SAO TOME AND PRINCIPE (“Recipient”) and INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION (“Association”). The Recipient and the Association hereby agree as follows: ARTICLE I — GENERAL CONDITIONS; DEFINITIONS 1.01. The General Conditions (as defined in the Appendix to this Agreement) apply to and form part of this Agreement. 1.02. Unless the context requires otherwise, the capitalized terms used in this Agreement have the meanings ascribed to them in the General Conditions or in the Appendix to this Agreement. ARTICLE II — FINANCING 2.01. The Association agrees to extend to the Recipient a grant, which is deemed as Concessional Financing for purposes of the General Conditions, in an amount equivalent to thirteen million Special Drawing Rights (SDR 13,000,000) (“Financing”), to assist in financing the project described in Schedule 1 to this Agreement (“Project”). 2.02. The Recipient may withdraw the proceeds of the Financing in accordance with Section III of Schedule 2 to this Agreement. 2.03. The Maximum Commitment Charge Rate is one-half of one percent (1/2 of 1%) per annum on the Unwithdrawn Financing Balance. 2.04. The Payment Dates are June 15 and December 15 in each year. 2.05. The Payment Currency is Euro. ARTICLE III — PROJECT 3.01. The Recipient declares its commitment to the objectives of the Project. To this end, the Recipient shall carry out the Project through the MLSFPT in accordance with the provisions of Article V of the General Conditions and Schedule 2 to this Agreement. -2- ARTICLE IV — REMEDIES OF THE ASSOCIATION 4.01. The Additional Events of Suspension consist of the following: (a) AFAP Legislation has been amended, suspended, abrogated, repealed or waived so as to affect materially and adversely AFAP’s ability to perform any of its obligations under the Subsidiary Agreement. (b) The Recipient has taken or permitted to be taken any action which would prevent or interfere with the performance by AFAP of its obligations under the Subsidiary Agreement. ARTICLE V — EFFECTIVENESS; TERMINATION 5.01. The Additional Conditions of Effectiveness consist of the following: (a) The Subsidiary Agreement has been executed and delivered and all conditions precedent to its effectiveness or to the right of AFAP to make withdrawals under it (other than the effectiveness of this Agreement) have been fulfilled. (b) The Project Operations Manual has been adopted by the Recipient and AFAP in form and substance satisfactory to the Association. 5.02. The Effectiveness Deadline is the date ninety (90) days after the Signature Date. 5.03. For purposes of Section 10.05 (b) of the General Conditions, the date on which the obligations of the Recipient under this Agreement (other than those providing for payment obligations) shall terminate is twenty (20) years after the Signature Date. ARTICLE VI — REPRESENTATIVE; ADDRESSES 6.01. The Recipient’s Representative is its Minister of Planning, Finance and Blue Economy. -3- 6.02. For purposes of Section 11.01 of the General Conditions: (a) the Recipient’s address is: Ministry of Planning, Finance and Blue Economy Agua Grande Caixa Postal No. 168 Sao Tome, Republic of Sao Tome and Principe; and (b) the Recipient’s Electronic Address is: E-mail: mpf.geral@financas.gov.st 6.03. For purposes of Section 11.01 of the General Conditions: (a) the Association’s address is: International Development Association 1818 H Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20433 United States of America; and (b) the Association’s Electronic Address is: Telex: Facsimile: 248423 (MCI) 1-202-477-6391 -4- AGREED as of the Signature Date. DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF SAO TOME AND PRINCIPE By _____________________________________/s1/ Authorized Representative Engracio do Sacramento Soares da Graça Name: ______________________________/n1/ Ministro do Planeamento, Finanças e Economia Azul Title: _______________________________/t1/ 20-mai-2022 Date: ______________________________/d1/ INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION By _____________________________________/s2/ Authorized Representative Jean-Christophe Carret Name: ______________________________/n2/ Country Director Title: _______________________________/t2/ 19-May-2022 Date: ______________________________/d2/ -5- SCHEDULE 1 Project Description The objectives of the Project are to strengthen social protection systems and expand the coverage of social protection programs. The Project consists of the following parts: 1. Institutional Strengthening of the Social Protection Sector Strengthen critical institutional capabilities to deliver social protection programs through: (a) strengthening the MLSFPT’s operational and managerial capabilities to handle scale up of the social protection programs through: (i) provision of technical assistance on social protection; and (ii) developing institutional capacity on: (1) research, data analysis and knowledge creation; (2) planning implementation, coordination and monitoring of social protection programs; and (3) financial management, procurement and safeguards; (b) strengthening the social protection programs beneficiary targeting system including through: (i) use of high-resolution satellite imagery poverty maps at the country and municipality level; and (ii) updating the proxy means test for VFP Beneficiaries selection; (c) strengthening the management information system and digital tools through: (i) development of specific digital tools for monitoring VFP conditionalities; (ii) ensuring inter-operability of social protection systems with health information systems; and (iii) capacity building on the new digital tools; (d) strengthening the MLSFPT GRM system through digitalization and adaptation to allow anonymity and to promote citizen engagement; (e) strengthening the MLSFPT’s operational capabilities to respond to shocks through: (i) development of operational guidelines for VFP implementation along the risk management cycle; (ii) pre-registration of households highly exposed to natural disasters; and (iii) inclusion of natural disaster risk in the VFP targeting criteria; and (f) strengthening communication with social protection programs beneficiaries through improvement of MLSFPT’s communication strategy and implementation plan. -6- 2. Social Assistance Programs Scale-up social protection programs to mitigate poverty and protect human capital and economic investments through: (a) ensuring food consumption stabilization in households affected by COVID-19 through the provision of unconditional cash transfers to selected beneficiaries under the VFP COVID-19; and (b) increasing income and consumption in poor households through: (i) provision of conditional cash transfers to selected beneficiaries under the VFP; and (ii) improvement of existing parental education program for conditional cash transfer beneficiaries and implementation of improved parental education program for conditional cash transfer beneficiaries. 3. Project Implementation Support Provision of support for the carrying out of Project coordination and management activities, including inter alia: administrative, financial management, procurement, monitoring and evaluation, reporting, auditing and other operational activities required for effective Project implementation. 4. Contingent Emergency Response Provision of immediate response to an Eligible Crisis or Emergency, as needed. -7- SCHEDULE 2 Project Execution Section I. Implementation Arrangements A. Institutional Arrangements Without limitation to the provisions of Section 3.01 of this Agreement, the Recipient, through the MLSFPT, and with the assistance of AFAP, shall carry out the Project in accordance with this Agreement, the Subsidiary Agreement and the Project Operations Manual, and for this purpose, the Recipient, through the MLSFPT, shall maintain throughout Project implementation, adequate staff with functions, qualifications and responsibilities, and resources, all acceptable to the Association. B. Subsidiary Agreement 1. Without limitation to the provisions of Section 3.01 of this Agreement, to facilitate the carrying out of the Project, the Recipient, through the MLSFPT, shall cause AFAP to carry out the fiduciary functions of the Project pursuant to a subsidiary agreement (“Subsidiary Agreement”) between the Recipient, through the MLSFPT, and AFAP, under terms and conditions approved by the Association, which shall include: (a) the roles and responsibilities of the Recipient, through the MLSFPT, and AFAP in connection with Project implementation; (b) the obligation of the Recipient, through the MLSFPT, to make a portion of the proceeds of the Financing available to AFAP; (c) the right of the Recipient, through the MLSFPT, to suspend or terminate the right of AFAP to use said proceeds of the financing, or to obtain a refund of all or any part of the amount of the financing then withdrawn, upon AFAP’s failure to perform any of the obligations under the Subsidiary Agreement; (d) the obligation of AFAP to: (i) prepare the Project Operational Manual in accordance with Section I.C. of this Schedule; (ii) prepare Annual Work Plan and Budget in accordance with Section I.F of this Schedule; -8- (iii) not later than two months after the Effective Date: (1) customize the accounting software to maintain separate records and ledger accounts for the Project; (2) hire an external auditor in accordance with agents in accordance with Section 5.13 of the General Conditions, with terms of reference, qualifications and experience satisfactory to the Association; (iv) carry out the procurement, disbursement, financial management, environmental and social standards, monitoring, evaluation and reporting functions required for Project implementation in accordance with this Agreement and the Project Operational Manual; (v) carry out its responsibilities under the Project with due diligence and efficiency and in accordance with sound technical, economic, financial, managerial, environmental and social standards and practices satisfactory to the Association, including in accordance with the provisions of the Anti-Corruption Guidelines applicable to recipients of loan proceeds other than the Recipient; (vi) provide, promptly as needed, the resources required for the purpose; (vii) maintain policies and procedures adequate to enable it to monitor and evaluate in accordance with indicators acceptable to the Association, the progress of the Project and the achievement of its objectives; (viii) (1) maintain a financial management system and prepare financial statements in accordance with consistently applied accounting standards acceptable to the Association, both in a manner adequate to reflect the operations, resources and expenditures related to the Project; and (2) at the Association’s or the Recipient’s, through the MLSFPT, request, have such financial statements audited by independent auditors acceptable to the Association, in accordance with consistently applied auditing standards acceptable to the Association, and promptly furnish the statements as so audited to the Recipient, through the MLSFPT, and the Association; (ix) enable the Recipient, through the MLSFPT, and the Association to inspect any Project relevant records and documents; and -9- (x) prepare and furnish to the Recipient, through the MLSFPT, and the Association all such information as the Recipient, through the MLSFPT, or the Association shall reasonably request relating to the foregoing. 2. The Recipient, through the MLSFPT, shall exercise its rights under the Subsidiary Agreement in such manner as to protect the interests of the Recipient and the Association and to accomplish the purposes of the Financing. Except as the Association shall otherwise agree, the Recipient, through the MLSFPT, shall not assign, amend, abrogate or waive the Subsidiary Agreement or any of its provisions. C. Project Operations Manual 1. No later than ninety (90) days after the Signature Date, the Recipient, through the MLSFPT, shall cause AFAP to prepare an operations manual (“Project Operations Manual”), which shall contain detailed work flow, methods and procedures for the implementation of the Project, which shall include inter alia: (a) administration and coordination arrangements, including placement of necessary human resources for Project implementation; (b) performance indicators of the Project; (c) monitoring and evaluation; (d) financial management guidelines and procedures; (e) corruption and fraud measures; (f) implementation modalities for each Part of the Project; (g) roles and responsibilities of various agencies and stakeholders in the implementation of the Project; (h) Cash Transfers implementation arrangements; and (i) procedures for processing and collection of Personal Data in accordance with the National Law on Personal Data Protection and good international practice. 2. The Recipient, through the MLSFPT, shall, and shall cause AFAP to, adopt and carry out the Project in accordance with the Project Operations Manual. Except as the Association shall otherwise agree in writing, the Recipient, through the MLSFPT, shall not, and shall cause AFAP not to, assign, amend, abrogate or waive any provision of the Project Operations Manual. In the event of any conflict between the provisions of the Project Operations Manual and this Agreement, those of this Agreement shall prevail. D. Environmental and Social Standards 1. The Recipient, through the MLSFPT, shall and shall cause AFAP to ensure that the Project is carried out in accordance with the Environmental and Social Standards, in a manner acceptable to the Association. 2. Without limitation upon paragraph 1 above, the Recipient, through the MLSFPT, shall, and shall cause AFAP to, ensure that the Project is implemented in accordance with the Environmental and Social Commitment Plan (“ESCP”), in a -10- manner acceptable to the Association. To this end, the Recipient, through the MLSFPT, shall, and shall cause AFAP to, ensure that: (a) the measures and actions specified in the ESCP are implemented with due diligence and efficiency, as provided in the ESCP; (b) sufficient funds are available to cover the costs of implementing the ESCP; (c) policies and procedures are maintained, and qualified and experienced staff in adequate numbers are retained to implement the ESCP, as provided in the ESCP; and (d) the ESCP, or any provision thereof, is not amended, repealed, suspended or waived, except as the Association shall otherwise agree in writing, as specified in the ESCP, and ensure that the revised ESCP is disclosed promptly thereafter. 3. In case of any inconsistencies between the ESCP and the provisions of this Agreement, the provisions of this Agreement shall prevail. 4. The Recipient, through the MLSFPT, shall, and shall cause AFAP to, ensure that: (a) all measures necessary are taken to collect, compile, and furnish to the Association through regular reports, with the frequency specified in the ESCP, and promptly in a separate report or reports, if so requested by the Association, information on the status of compliance with the ESCP and the environmental and social instruments referred to therein, all such reports in form and substance acceptable to the Association, setting out, inter alia: (i) the status of implementation of the ESCP; (ii) conditions, if any, which interfere or threaten to interfere with the implementation of the ESCP; and (iii) corrective and preventive measures taken or required to be taken to address such conditions; and (b) the Association is promptly notified of any incident or accident related to or having an impact on the Project which has, or is likely to have, a significant adverse effect on the environment, the affected communities, the public or workers, in accordance with the ESCP, the environmental and social instruments referenced therein and the Environmental and Social Standards. 5. The Recipient, through the MLSFPT, shall, and shall cause AFAP to, establish, publicize, maintain and operate an accessible grievance mechanism, to receive and facilitate resolution of concerns and grievances of Project-affected people, and take all measures necessary and appropriate to resolve, or facilitate the resolution of, such concerns and grievances, in a manner acceptable to the Association. -11- E. Contingent Emergency Response 1. In order to ensure the proper implementation of contingent emergency response activities under Part 4 of the Project (“Contingent Emergency Response Part”), the Recipient, through the MLSFPT, shall ensure that: (a) a manual (“CERC Manual”) is prepared and adopted in form and substance acceptable to the Association, which shall set forth detailed implementation arrangements for the Contingent Emergency Response Part, including: (i) any structures or institutional arrangements for coordinating and implementing the Contingent Emergency Response Part; (ii) specific activities which may be included in the Contingent Emergency Response Part, Eligible Expenditures required therefor (“Emergency Expenditures”), and any procedures for such inclusion; (iii) financial management arrangements for the Contingent Emergency Response Part; (iv) procurement methods and procedures for the Contingent Emergency Response Part; (v) documentation required for withdrawals of Financing amounts to finance Emergency Expenditures; (vi) a description of the environmental and social assessment and management arrangements for the Contingent Emergency Response Part; and (vii) a template Emergency Action Plan; (b) the Emergency Action Plan is prepared and adopted in form and substance acceptable to the Association; (c) the Emergency Response Part is carried out in accordance with the CERC Manual and the Emergency Action Plan; provided, however, that in the event of any inconsistency between the provisions of the CERC Manual or the Emergency Action Plan and this Agreement, the provisions of this Agreement shall prevail; and (d) neither the CERC Manual or the Emergency Action Plan is amended, suspended, abrogated, repealed or waived without the prior written approval by the Association. 2. The Recipient, through the MLSFPT, shall ensure that the structures and arrangements referred to in the CERC Manual are maintained throughout the implementation of the Contingent Emergency Response Part, with adequate staff and resources satisfactory to Association. -12- 3. The Recipient, through the MLSFPT, shall ensure that: (a) the environmental and social instruments required for the Contingent Emergency Response Part are prepared, disclosed and adopted in accordance with the CERC Manual and the ESCP, and in form and substance acceptable to the Association; and (b) the Contingent Emergency Response Part is carried out in accordance with the environmental and social instruments in a manner acceptable to the Association. 4. Activities under the Contingency Emergency Response Part shall be undertaken only after an Eligible Crisis or Emergency has occurred. F. Annual Work Plan and Budget 1. The Recipient, through the MLSFPT, shall, and shall cause AFAP to not later than January 31 of each year (commencing on 2023), prepare and furnish to the Association, an annual work plan, in form and substance satisfactory to the Association, informed by the Project Operations Manual and containing activities proposed for implementation under the Project and milestones to be achieved during the following Fiscal Year, together with a proposed budget for the purpose. 2. The Recipient, through the MLSFPT, shall, and shall cause AFAP to exchange views with the Association on each such proposed Annual Work Plan and Budget, and shall thereafter adopt, and carry out such program of activities for such following Fiscal Year as shall have been agreed with the Association, as such plan may be subsequently revised during such following Fiscal Year with the prior written agreement of the Association. G. Cash Transfers 1. No proposed Beneficiary shall be eligible to receive Cash Transfers unless the Recipient, through the MLSFPT, shall have determined, on the basis of an appraisal conducted in accordance with guidelines acceptable to the Association and elaborated in the Project Operations Manual, that the Beneficiary satisfies the following requirements, and such further requirements as are elaborated in said Project Operations Manual: -13- (a) for VFP Cash Transfers: (i) the Beneficiary shall: (1) have been classified as extreme poor, following a registration process and the application of a proxy means test formula; (2) have children under the age of 18 years; and (3) have, as part of the registration process, received training on the VFP’s operations and requirements, including, inter alia, applicable Beneficiary co-responsibilities, as set forth in the Project Operations Manual; and (ii) the Recipient, through the MLSFPT, shall have confirmed the Beneficiary’s compliance with said co-responsibilities; and (b) for COVID-19 VFP Cash Transfers, Beneficiaries shall be selected based on pre-identified categorical targeting described in the Project Operations Manual, including, inter alia, female head of household, member of household with children, elderly individual, and individual with a disability. 2. Prior to providing any Cash Transfer, the Recipient, through the MLSFPT, shall hire one or more payment agents in accordance with Section 5.13 of the General Conditions, with terms of reference, qualifications and experience satisfactory to the Association, to assist the Recipient, through the MLSFPT, in administering Cash Transfer payments. 3. The Recipient, through the MLSFPT, shall monitor and evaluate, under terms of reference satisfactory to the Association, the implementation of the Cash Transfers, so as to ensure that payments made under the Cash Transfers are made exclusively to Beneficiaries for productive purposes consistent with the objective of the Project. Section II. Project Monitoring, Reporting and Evaluation The Recipient, through the MLSFPT, shall furnish to the Association each Project Report not later than forty-five (45) days after the end of each calendar semester, covering the calendar semester. -14- Section III. Withdrawal of the Proceeds of the Financing A. General Without limitation upon the provisions of Article II of the General Conditions and in accordance with the Disbursement and Financial Information Letter, the Recipient may withdraw the proceeds of the Financing to finance Eligible Expenditures; in the amount allocated and, if applicable, up to the percentage set forth against each Category of the following table: Percentage of Amount of the Expenditures to be Category Grant Allocated Financed (expressed in SDR) (inclusive of Taxes) (1) Goods, non-consulting 3,322,250 100% services, and consulting services, Operating Costs and Training and Workshops for Parts 1 and 2 of the Project (except Cash Transfers) (2) Goods, non-consulting services, 650,000 100% and consulting services, Operating Costs and Training and Workshops for Part 3 of the Project (3) Cash Transfers 9,027,750 100% (4) Emergency Expenditures 0 100% TOTAL AMOUNT 13,000,000 B. Withdrawal Conditions; Withdrawal Period 1. Notwithstanding the provisions of Part A above, no withdrawal shall be made: (a) for payments made prior to the Signature Date; or (b) under Category (3), unless the Recipient, through the MLSFPT, has hired a payment agent in accordance with Section I.G.2 of Schedule 2 to this Agreement; or (c) for Emergency Expenditures under Category (4), unless and until all of the following conditions have been met in respect of said expenditures: -15- (i) (A) the Recipient has determined that an Eligible Crisis or Emergency has occurred, and has furnished to the Association a request to withdraw Financing amounts under Category (3); and (B) the Association has agreed with such determination, accepted said request and notified the Recipient thereof; and (ii) the Recipient has adopted the CERC Manual and Emergency Action Plan, in form and substance acceptable to the Association. 2. The Closing Date is June 30, 2027. -16- APPENDIX Definitions 1. “AFAP Legislation” means the Recipient’s Decree-Law No. 10/2018, dated May 16, 2018, published in the Recipient’s Journal of the Republic No. 100 dated July 19, 2018. 2. “Anti-Corruption Guidelines” means, for purposes of paragraph 5 of the Appendix to the General Conditions, the “Guidelines on Preventing and Combating Fraud and Corruption in Projects Financed by IBRD Loans and IDA Credits and Grants”, dated October 15, 2006 and revised in January 2011 and as of July 1, 2016. 3. Beneficiary” means a household which is eligible to receive Cash Transfers; and “Beneficiaries” means, collectively, all such households. 4. “Category” means a category set forth in the table in Section III.A of Schedule 2 to this Agreement. 5. “Cash Transfer” means a VFP Cash Transfer or a VFP COVID-19 Cash Transfer; and “Cash Transfers” means, collectively, all such Cash Transfer. 6. “CERC Manual” means the manual referred to in Section 2.E.1(a) of Schedule 2 to this Agreement, as such manual may be updated from time to time with the agreement of the Association, and which is an integral part of the Project Operations Manual. 7. “Contingent Emergency Response Part” means any activity or activities to be carried out under Part 4 of the Project to respond to an Eligible Crisis or Emergency. 8. “Eligible Crisis or Emergency” means an event that has caused, or is likely to imminently cause, a major adverse economic and/or social impact to the Recipient, associated with a natural or man-made crisis or disaster. 9. “Emergency Action Plan” means the plan referred to in Section I.E.1(a), detailing the activities, budget, implementation plan, and monitoring and evaluation arrangements, to respond to the Eligible Crisis or Emergency. 10. “Emergency Expenditures” means any of the eligible expenditures set forth in the CERC Manual referred to in Section I.E.1(a) of Schedule 2 to this Agreement and required for the Contingent Emergency Response Part. -17- 11. “Environmental and Social Commitment Plan” or “ESCP” means the environmental and social commitment plan for the Project, dated March 18, 2022, as the same may be amended from time to time in accordance with the provisions thereof, which sets out the material measures and actions that the Recipient shall carry out or cause to be carried out to address the potential environmental and social risks and impacts of the Project, including the timeframes of the actions and measures, institutional, staffing, training, monitoring and reporting arrangements, and any environmental and social instruments to be prepared thereunder. 12. “Environmental and Social Standards” or “ESSs” means, collectively: (i) “Environmental and Social Standard 1: Assessment and Management of Environmental and Social Risks and Impacts”; (ii) “Environmental and Social Standard 2: Labor and Working Conditions”; (iii) “Environmental and Social Standard 3: Resource Efficiency and Pollution Prevention and Management”; (iv) “Environmental and Social Standard 4: Community Health and Safety”; (v) “Environmental and Social Standard 5: Land Acquisition, Restrictions on Land Use and Involuntary Resettlement”; (vi) “Environmental and Social Standard 6: Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Management of Living Natural Resources”; (vii) “Environmental and Social Standard 7: Indigenous Peoples/Sub- Saharan Historically Underserved Traditional Local Communities”; (viii) “Environmental and Social Standard 8: Cultural Heritage”; (ix) “Environmental and Social Standard 9: Financial Intermediaries”; (x) “Environmental and Social Standard 10: Stakeholder Engagement and Information Disclosure”; effective on October 1, 2018, as published by the Association. 13. “Fiscal Year” means the twelve (12) month period corresponding to any of the Recipient’s fiscal years, which period commences on January 1 and ends on December 31 in each calendar year. 14. “General Conditions” means the “International Development Association General Conditions for IDA Financing, Investment Project Financing”, dated December 14, 2018 (revised on August 1, 2020, April 1, 2021, and January 1, 2022). 15. “MLSFPT” means the Recipient’s Ministry of Labor, Solidarity, Family and Professional Training, or any successor thereto acceptable to the Association. 16. “Operating Costs” means the reasonable costs, as shall have been approved by the Association, for the incremental expenses incurred on account of Project implementation, consisting of vehicle operation and maintenance, communication and insurance costs, banking charges, rental expenses, office (and office equipment) maintenance, utilities, document duplication/printing, consumables, travel cost and per diem for Project staff for travel linked to the implementation of the Project, and salaries of contractual staff for the Project (but excluding consulting services and salaries of officials of the Recipient’s civil service). -18- 17. “Procurement Regulations” means, for purposes of paragraph 85 of the Appendix to the General Conditions, the “World Bank Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers”, dated November 2020. 18. “Signature Date” means the later of the two dates on which the Recipient and the Association signed this Agreement and such definition applies to all references to “the date of the Financing Agreement” in the General Conditions. 19. “Subsidiary Agreement” means the agreement referred to in Section I.B of Schedule 2 to this Agreement. 20. “Training and Workshops” means the reasonable costs, as shall have been approved by the Association, for training and workshops conducted under the Project, including tuition, travel and subsistence costs for training and workshop participants, costs associated with securing the services of trainers and workshop speakers, rental of training and workshop facilities, preparation and reproduction of training and workshop materials, and other costs directly related to training course and workshop preparation and implementation (but excluding goods and consulting services). 21. “VFP” means the Recipient’s Vulnerable Families Program created through the Recipient’s National Social Protection Policy and Strategy dated February September 8, 2015 and implemented by the MLSFPT. 22. “VFP Cash Transfer” means the conditional cash transfer to be made to a Beneficiary under the VFP and referred to in Part 2(b) of Schedule 1 to this Agreement; and “VFP Cash Transfers” means, collectively, all such transfers. 23. “VFP COVID-19” means the Recipient’s window under the VFP to respond to COVID-19, created through the Resolution No. 28/2020 of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers dated June 24, 2020. 24. “VFP COVID-19 Cash Transfer” means the unconditional cash transfer to be made to a Beneficiary under the VFP COVID-19 and referred to in Part 2(a) of Schedule 1 to this Agreement; and “VFP COVID-19 Cash Transfers” means, collectively, all such transfers.