GEF GRANT NUMBER TF0B5658-SL Global Environment Facility Grant Agreement (Resilient Urban Sierra Leone Project) between REPUBLIC OF SIERRA LEONE and INTERNATIONAL BANK FOR RECONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT (acting as an Implementing Agency of the Global Environment Facility) GEF GRANT NUMBER TF0B5658-SL GLOBAL ENVIRONMENT FACILITY GRANT AGREEMENT AGREEMENT dated as of the Signature Date between REPUBLIC OF SIERRA LEONE (“Recipient”) and INTERNATIONAL BANK FOR RECONSTRUCTION AND DEVLOPMENT (“Bank”), acting as an implementing agency of the Global Environment Facility (“GEF”). The Recipient and the Bank hereby agree as follows: Article I Standard Conditions; Definitions 1.01. The Standard 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 Standard Conditions or in the Appendix to this Agreement. Article II The Project 2.01. The Recipient declares its commitment to the objective of the project described in Schedule 1 to this Agreement (“Project”). To this end, the Recipient shall carry out the Project through the Ministry of Finance in accordance with the provisions of Article II of the Standard Conditions and Schedule 2 to this Agreement. Article III The Grant 3.01. The Bank agrees to extend to the Recipient a grant in an amount not to exceed six million seven hundred twenty-seven thousand two hundred sixty two United States Dollars ($6,727,262) (“Grant”) to assist in financing Parts A.1, B.1, B.2, and D of the Project. 3.02. The Recipient may withdraw the proceeds of the Grant in accordance with Section III of Schedule 2 to this Agreement. 3.03. The Grant is funded out of the abovementioned trust fund for which the Bank receives periodic contributions from the donors to the trust fund. In accordance with Section 3.02 of the Standard Conditions, the Bank’s payment obligations in connection with this Agreement are limited to the amount of funds made available to it by the donors -2- under the abovementioned trust fund, and the Recipient’s right to withdraw the Grant proceeds is subject to the availability of such funds. Article IV Effectiveness; Termination 4.01. This Agreement shall not become effective until evidence satisfactory to the Bank has been furnished to the Bank that the conditions specified below have been satisfied: (a) the Recipient has prepared and adopted the Project Implementation Manual, in form and substance satisfactory to the Bank; and (b) the Financing Agreement has been executed and delivered and all conditions precedent to its effectiveness or to the right of the Recipient to make withdrawals under it (other than the effectiveness of this Agreement) have been fulfilled. 4.02. By signing this Agreement, the Recipient shall be deemed to represent and warrant that on the Signature Date, this Agreement has been duly authorized by, and executed and delivered on behalf of, the Recipient and is legally binding upon the Recipient in accordance with its terms, except where additional action is required to make this Agreement legally binding. Where additional action is required following the Signature Date, the Recipient shall notify the Bank when such additional action has been taken. By providing such notification, the Recipient shall be deemed to represent and warrant that on the date of such notification this Agreement is legally binding upon the Recipient in accordance with its terms. 4.03. Except as the Recipient and the Bank shall otherwise agree, this Agreement shall enter into effect on the date upon which the Bank dispatches to the Recipient notice of its acceptance of the evidence required pursuant to Section 4.01 (“Effective Date”). If, before the Effective Date, any event has occurred which would have entitled the Bank to suspend the right of the Recipient to make withdrawals from the Grant Account if this Agreement had been effective, the Bank may postpone the dispatch of the notice referred to in this Section until such event (or events) has (or have) ceased to exist. 4.04. Termination for Failure to Become Effective. This Agreement and all obligations of the parties under it shall terminate if it has not entered into effect by the date ninety (90) days after the date of this Agreement, unless the Bank, after consideration of the reasons for the delay, establishes a later date for the purpose of this Section. The Bank shall promptly notify the Recipient of such later date. -3- Article V Recipient’s Representative; Addresses 5.01. The Recipient’s Representative referred to in Section 7.02 of the Standard Conditions is the minister responsible for finance. 5.02. For purposes of Section 7.01 of the Standard Conditions: (a) the Recipient’s address is: Ministry of Finance Treasury Building, George Street Freetown, Sierra Leone; and (b) the Recipient’s Electronic Address is: E-mail: minister@mof.gov.sl 5.03. For purposes of Section 7.01 of the Standard Conditions: (a) the Bank’s address is: International Bank for Reconstruction and Development 1818 H Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20433 United States of America; and (b) the Bank’s Electronic Address is: Telex: Facsimile: 248423 (MCI) or (+1)-202-477-6391 64145 (MCI) -4- AGREED as of the Signature Date. REPUBLIC OF SIERRA LEONE By: _____________________________________ Authorized Representative Dennis K Vandi Name: __________________________ MINISTER Title: ___________________________ 29-Jul-2021 Date: ___________________________ INTERNATIONAL BANK FOR RECONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT (acting as an Implementing Agency of the Global Environment Facility) By: _____________________________________ Authorized Representative Abdu Muwonge Name: __________________________ Country Manager Title: ___________________________ 22-Jul-2021 Date: ___________________________ -5- SCHEDULE 1 Project Description The objective of the Project is to improve integrated urban management, service delivery, and disaster emergency management in Western Area and secondary cities of Sierra Leone. The Project consists of the following parts: Part A: Institutional and Capacity Development in Integrated Urban Management Institutionalizing and strengthening city and district councils in urban management capabilities that are critical for efficient revenue generation, planning, as well as delivery and sustainable management of resilient infrastructure and services, in particular: 1. Strengthening integrated urban planning and spatial Data Infrastructure, including: (a) preparation and implementation of spatial plans (i.e., master, local plans, and planning schemes), and provision of training in urban planning; (b) technical assistance to building control functions; building control functions; (c) reviewing and/or developing planning laws, strategies, and codes; (d) implementing a robust municipal spatial data infrastructure and related systems; and (e) creation and implementation of a digital platform for citizen engagement for city councils. 2. Upgrading urban property tax administration and system, including building the capacity of city and district councils, and provision of training for comprehensive upgrading of the municipal property-tax systems, inter alia: (a) carrying out property surveys to update the property tax database; (b) developing and upgrading an information technology (IT) system to house the property tax database and providing related training and capacity building; (c) conducting structured training in geographic information systems, property valuation, development control, and surveying; (d) developing systems to facilitate taxpayer billing and payments; and (e) carrying out taxpayer sensitization and outreach activities. Part B: Resilient Municipal Infrastructure Investment and Urban Greening Upgrading resilient municipal infrastructure and services at neighborhood-and city-levels, in particular: 1. Urban upgrading and greening, including: (a) designs preparation, construction supervision, and preparation of safeguards instruments; (b) carrying out the construction and rehabilitation of roads, drainage networks, footbridges, water and sanitation facilities, walkways, street and high mast lights, in the city of Freetown; (c) urban greening initiatives through a tree planting campaign; and (d) canopy -6- monitoring and asset management of the tree planting campaign, inter alia: (i) a remote (satellite-imagery-based) canopy monitoring system; and (ii) a field- based asset management. 2. Upgrading solid waste management in Western Area and secondary cities, including: (a) carrying out a comprehensive solid waste management system investment in Western Area, inter alia: (i) carrying out the construction (including the design, build and supervision) of a modern landfill that will service the residents of Freetown and its neighboring Western Area Rural District; (ii) carrying out the construction and rehabilitation of waste sorting and recycling facilities (waste transfer stations); (iii) acquisition of transport and disposal equipment; (iv) provision of technical assistance to design a sustainable model incorporating the entire solid waste management value chain; and (v) support to the informal waste management to stimulate the recycling sector and provide livelihood alternatives for the existing dump sites, and closure of the existing landfill; (b) upgrading of the ancillary infratructure at the existing landfill and operational systems in Bo, inter alia: (i) the renovation of site ancillaries such as access road, perimeter fence and weighbridge at the existing landfill; (ii) the upgrading of the current vehicle maintenance facility; (iii) acquisition of transport and disposal equipment; (iv) carrying out an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA), feasibility and design for the future upgrading of the existing landfill to restore clear access and create additional disposal capacity; (v) provision of training to City Council solid waste management workers; (vi) carrying out the preliminary studies for the design for the construction of the new landfill referred to in Part B.2(a) above; and (vii) development of environmental and social management instruments required for the landfill referred to in Part B.2(a) above; and (c) improving solid waste management operational performance in selected secondary cities. 3. Upgrading markets in selected secondary cities, including carrying out comprehensive program of activities to upgrade of central markets in select cities, inter alia, designing, improvement and construction of market stalls, roofing, water and sanitation facilities, drains, electricity, and childcare centers. Part C: Emergency Management Institutional and Capacity Development Building the capacity of the national and local governments in emergency preparedness and response, in particular: -7- 1. Strengthening early warning, emergency preparedness and response systems, including: (a) improving the operations of incident command teams, inter alia: (i) acquisition of equipment; (ii) provision of training; (iii) development of operational plans and procedures, and improvement of critical infrastructure and facilities; (b) designing and operationalizing an integrated emergency management system, inter alia: (i) strengthening the National Disaster Management Agency; (ii) equipping the emergency operation centers; and (iii) building the institutional and technical capacity of Sierra Leone Meteorological Agency, and National Water Resources Management Agency to provide hydromet and early warning services; and (c) provision of training and acquisition of tools to respond adequately to the specific needs of vulnerable persons, including those with disabilities during emergencies. 2. Contingent Emergency Response Component Providing immediate response to an Eligible Crisis or Emergency, as needed. Part D: Project Management Strengthening the capacity of the Project Management Unit (PMU) and relevant ministries, agencies, departments (MDAs) and city councils for Project management and implementation, in particular: (a) recruiting Project staff, for project management, monitoring and evaluation, financial and technical audits and mid-term and end-project evaluations, environmental and social management, financial management, and procurement; (b) establishing and operationalizing a grievance redress mechanism for the Project; (c) enhancing advocacy, knowledge exchange and partnerships for sustainable urban development; and (d) supporting the implementation and management of environmental and social instruments. -8- SCHEDULE 2 Project Execution Section I. Institutional and Other Arrangements A. Institutional Arrangements 1. Ministry of Finance (MoF) Fiscal Decentralization Division (FDD) (a) The Recipient shall at all times during the implementation of the Project, ensure that funds, facilities and resources, are available to MoF for the purpose of ensuring prompt and efficient oversight, and overall coordination, administration, contract management, monitoring, reporting and communication of the Project. (b) Without limitation to the provisions of sub-paragraph 1(a) immediately above, the Recipient shall maintain, at all times during implementation of the Project, the FDD within MoF with mandate, terms of reference, staff, and resources, satisfactory to the Bank, and with the responsibility for overall coordination and management of the project. 2. Project Management Unit (PMU); and Project Fiduciary Management Unit (PFMU) (a) The Recipient shall, at all times during implementation of the Project, maintain the Project Management Unit (PMU) under the FDD with terms of reference, resources and technical staff, satisfactory to the Bank, including a Project manager, a financial management specialist or an accountant, a procurement specialist, a civil engineer, a monitoring and evaluation specialist, an environmental specialist, a social specialist, a gender, and a gender-based violence specialist, and a communications and community engagement specialist,, all with terms of reference, qualifications, and experience, satisfactory to the Bank. (b) Without limitation to the provisions of sub-paragraph 2(a) immediately above, the PMU shall be responsible for day-to-day management, implementation and planning of the Project, environmental and social management aspects, communication, reporting, monitoring and evaluation, all in accordance with the Project Implementation Manual. (c) Without limitations to the provisions of this paragraph I.A.2(a-b) above, the Recipient shall, at all times during the Project implementation, maintain the PFMU within the MoF with terms of reference, resources and technical staff, satisfactory to the Bank. The PFMU shall be responsible -9- for managing the fiduciary (i.e., financial management and procurement) aspects of the Project. 3. Project Steering Committee (a) The Recipient shall maintain the Project Steering Committee throughout the Project implementation period. (b) Without limitation to the provisions of paragraph 1(a) above, the Project Steering Committee shall, inter alia, be responsible for providing overall policy and strategic guidance for the Project. 4. Project Technical Committee (a) The Recipient shall maintain the Project Technical Committee throughout the Project implementation period. (b) Without limitation to the provisions of paragraph 1(a) above, the Project Technical Committee shall, inter alia, be responsible for: (i) providing technical advice to the Project Steering Committee, and other Project agencies on Project implementation as detailed in the Project Implementation Manual. 5. City and Ward Level Implementation Teams The Recipient shall establish, and thereafter, maintain: (a) city project implementation teams with the responsibility to oversee projects activities on the ground in their respective cities/agency; (b) on ad hoc basis technical working group of city councils and representatives of relevant MDAs to share experiences and good practices and establish standardized approaches to address common challenges; and (c) ward committees comprising of members selected in accordance with the criteria established under the Local Government Act, and with the responsibility for community mobilization, facilitating community planning, enumerations/socio-economic surveys, and other community capacity building initiatives, all in accordance with the Project Implementation Manual. B. Project Implementation Manual 1. The Recipient shall carry out the Project in accordance with the provisions of a manual satisfactory to the Bank (the Project Implementation Manual). 2. The Project Implementation Manual shall include, inter alia, the following provisions: (a) disbursement and financial management arrangements; (b) institutional administration, coordination and day-to-day execution of activities of the Project; (c) monitoring, evaluation, reporting and communication; (d) fiduciary aspects (i.e., procurement and financial management); (e) Project -10- impact and implementation indicators, including the procedures for monitoring and evaluation of the Project; (f) arrangements for management and monitoring of environmental and social management aspects; and (g) such other administrative, financial, technical and organizational arrangements and procedures as shall be required for the Project. 3. In case of any conflict between the arrangements and procedures set out in the Project Implementation Manual, and the provisions of this Agreement, the provisions of this Agreement shall prevail and, except as the Bank shall otherwise agree, the Recipient shall not amend, abrogate or waive any provision thereof without the prior written agreement of the Bank. C. Annual Work Plans 1. The Recipient shall prepare and furnish to the Bank for its approval, not later than November 30 of each year during the implementation of the Project, a proposed work plan (including a budget therefor) containing all activities proposed to be carried out under the Project during the following Fiscal Year. 2. The Recipient shall exchange views with the Bank on each such proposed annual work plan (including budget), and shall thereafter adopt, and carry out, or cause to be carried out, such program of activities for such following Fiscal Year as shall have been agreed with the Bank, as such plan may be subsequently revised during such following fiscal year with the prior written agreement of the Bank (“Annual Work Plan”). D. Environmental and Social Standards 1. The Recipient shall, ensure that the Project is carried out in accordance with the Environmental and Social Standards, in a manner acceptable to the Bank. 2. Without limitation upon paragraph 1 above, the Recipient shall, ensure that the Project is implemented in accordance with the Environmental and Social Commitment Plan (“ESCP”), in a manner acceptable to the Bank. To this end, the Recipient shall, 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 -11- (d) the ESCP, or any provision thereof, is not amended, repealed, suspended or waived, except as the Bank shall otherwise agree in writing, as specified in the ESCP, and ensure that the revised ESCP is disclosed promptly thereafter. 3. Without limitation upon the provisions of paragraph 2 above, if 60 days prior to the Closing Date, the Bank determines that there are measures and actions specified in the ESCP which will not be completed by the Closing Date, the Recipient shall: (a) not later than 30 days before the Closing Date, prepare and present to the Bank, an action plan satisfactory to the Bank on the outstanding measures and actions, including a timetable and budget allocation for such measures and actions (which action plan shall be deemed to be an amendment of the ESCP); and (b) thereafter, carry out said action plan in accordance with its terms and in a manner acceptable to the Bank. 4. In case of any inconsistencies between the ESCP and the provisions of this Agreement, the provisions of this Agreement shall prevail. 5. The Recipient shall, ensure that: (a) all measures necessary are taken to collect, compile, and furnish to the Bank through regular reports, with the frequency specified in the ESCP, and promptly in a separate report or reports, if so requested by the Bank, 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 Bank, 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 Bank 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, including, in accordance with the ESCP, the environmental and social instruments referenced therein and the Environmental and Social Standards. 6. The Recipient shall, 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 Bank. -12- 7. The Recipient shall, ensure that all bidding documents and contracts for civil works under the Project include the obligation of contractors, and subcontractors and supervising entities to: (a) comply with the relevant aspects of ESCP and the environmental and social instruments referred to therein; and (b) adopt and enforce codes of conduct that should be provided to and signed by all workers, detailing measures to address environmental, social, health and safety risks, and the risks of sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment and violence against children, all as applicable to such civil works commissioned or carried out pursuant to said contracts. E. Establishment of the Grievance Redress Mechanism The Recipient shall, not later than sixty (60) days of the Effective Date, establish, operationalize, and thereafter, maintain throughout Project implementation, a grievance mechanism, in form and substance satisfactory to the Bank. Section II. Project Monitoring, Reporting and Evaluation A. Project Reports The Recipient shall ensure that each Project Report is furnished to the Bank not later than forty-five (45) days after the end of each six calendar months, covering the six calendar months. Section III. Withdrawal of Grant Proceeds A. General 1. The Recipient may withdraw the proceeds of the Grant in accordance with the provisions of: (a) Article III of the Standard Conditions; and (b) this Section; to finance Eligible Expenditures in the amount allocated and, if applicable, up to the percentage set forth against each Category of the following table: Category Amount of the Grant Percentage of Expenditures Allocated (expressed to be Financed in USD) (inclusive of Taxes) (1) Goods, works, non- Such percentage of consulting services, disbursement as the Bank consulting services, may from time to time Training and Operating 5,727,262 determine based on the Costs under Parts A.1, approved Annual Work Plans B.1, B.2(b) and (c), and D of the Project -13- Category Amount of the Grant Percentage of Expenditures Allocated (expressed to be Financed in USD) (inclusive of Taxes) (2) Goods, works, non- Such percentage of consulting services, disbursement as the Bank consulting services, may from time to time 1,000,000 Training, and Operating determine based on the Costs for Part B.2(a) of approved Annual Work Plans the Project TOTAL AMOUNT 6,727,262 B. Withdrawal Conditions; Withdrawal Period 1. Notwithstanding the provisions of Part A of this Section no withdrawal shall be made: (a) for payments made prior to the Signature Date; or (b) for payments under Category (2) until: (i) a site for the construction of a new landfill in Western Area Rural District is selected and secured on the basis of environmental and social assessments, satisfactory to the Bank; and (ii) the Recipient has prepared, adopted and discolosed the following Environmental and Social Framework instruments: (A) Environmental and Social Impact Assessment, (B) Environmental and Social Management Plan (including, a gender-based violence (GBV) Action Plan), and (C) Resettlement Action Plan, all in form and substance satisfactory to the Bank. 2. The Closing Date is July 31, 2026. -14- APPENDIX Definitions 1. “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. 2. “Annual Work Plan” means the annual work plan for the Project, to be prepared by the Recipient during each fiscal year, including a program of activities and budget for inclusion in the Project during the following fiscal year, as described in Section I.C.2 of Schedule 2 to this Agreement. 3. “Category” means a category set forth in the table in Section III.A of Schedule 2 to this Agreement. 4. “Environmental and Social Commitment Plan” or “ESCP” means the environmental and social commitment plan for the Project, dated March 25, 2021, 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. 5. “Environmental and Social Impact Assessment” or “ESIA” means the document to be prepared and adopted by the Recipient satisfactory to the Bank setting out details of potential environmental and social risks, including risks of gender-based violence and sexual exploitation and abuse, and adverse impacts associated with any Project activities, together with an environmental and social management plan defining measures to manage such risks and impacts, including measures that endeavor to prevent and respond to gender-based violence and sexual exploitation and abuse, procedural, budget and institutional arrangements and actions needed to implement these measures and including any schedules to such assessment, and as such assessment may be amended by the Recipient from time to time, with the prior written approval of the Bank. 6. “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 -15- 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”; and (x) “Environmental and Social Standard 10: Stakeholder Engagement and Information Disclosure”; effective on October 1, 2018, as published by the Bank. 7. “Fiscal Year” means the fiscal year of the Recipient commencing period on January 1 and ending on December 31 of each year. 8. “Financing Agreement” means the agreement entered into between the Recipient and the International Development Association (Grant No. D8420-SL), providing for concessional financing to the Recipient to assist the Recipient in the carrying out of the Project. 9. “Local Government Act” means the Recipient’s Local Government Act, 2004, as amended. 10. “Ministry of Finance” or “MoF” means the Recipient’s ministr y responsible for finance, or any successor thereto. 11. “National Disaster Management Agency” means the agency established and operating pursuant to the National Disaster Management Act, 2020, of the laws of the Recipient. 12. “National Water Resources Management Agency” means the Agency established and operating pursuant to the National Water Resources Management Agency Act, 2017, of the laws of the Recipient. 13. “Operating Costs” means recurrent costs of the Project, based on Annual Work Plans approved by the Bank, such term including: (i) operation and maintenance of vehicles, repairs, rental, fuel and spare parts; (ii) computer maintenance, including hardware and software, printers and photocopiers; (iii) communication costs and shipment costs (whenever these costs are not included in the cost of goods); (iv) small office supplies; (v) maintenance for office facilities; (vi) utilities and insurances; (vii) bank charges; and (viii) travel, accommodation and per diem costs for technical staff carrying out training, preparatory, supervisory and quality control activities. 14. “Procurement Regulations” means, for purposes of paragraph 87 of the Appendix to the General Conditions, the “World Bank Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers”, dated November 2020. -16- 15. “Project Implementation Manual” means the manual, satisfactory to the Bank, and referred to in Section B.2 of Schedule 2 to this Agreement, as the same may be amended from time to time with agreement of the Bank. 16. “Project Management Unit” or “PMU” means the PMU for the Project referred to in Section I.A.2(a) of Schedule to this Agreement. 17. “Project Fiduciary Management Unit” means the Project Management Fiduciary Unit within the MoF with the responsibility for fiduciary aspects of the Project and referred to in Section A.I.2(c) of the Project Agreement. 18. “Project Steering Committee” means an oversight committee of the Recipient referred to Section I.A.3 of Schedule 2 to this Agreement. 19. “Project Technical Committee” means a technical committee of the Recipient referred to in Section I.A.4 of Schedule 2 to this Agreement. 20. “Sierra Leone Meteorological Agency” means the agency established and operating pursuant to the Sierra Leone Meteorological Act, 2017, of the laws of the Recipient. 21. “Signature Date” means the later of the two dates on which the Recipient and the Bank signed this Agreement and such definition applies to all references to “the date of the Grant Agreement” in the Standard Conditions. 22. “Standard Conditions” means the “International Bank for Reconstruction and Development and International Development Association Standard Conditions for Grant Financing Made by the Bank out of Trust Funds”, dated February 25, 2019. 23. “Training” means the reasonable cost of training of persons involved in Project- supported activities, based on the Annual Work Plans approved by the Bank, such term including seminars, workshops, and study tours, and costs associated with such activity including travel and subsistence costs for training participants, costs associated with securing the services of trainers, rental of training facilities, preparation, acquisition and reproduction of training materials, and other costs directly related to training preparation and implementation. 24. “Western Area” means the geographical area within the territory of the Recipient, known as the Western Area, including the city of Freetown and the Western Area Rural District.