The World Bank West Africa Regional Communications Infrastructure Project - APL 2 () REPORT NO.: RES38577 DOCUMENT OF THE WORLD BANK RESTRUCTURING PAPER ON A PROPOSED PROJECT RESTRUCTURING OF WEST AFRICA REGIONAL COMMUNICATIONS INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT - APL 2 APPROVED ON MAY 30, 2013 TO TOGOLESE REPUBLIC,ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF MAURITANIA DIGITAL DEVELOPMENT AFRICA Regional Vice President: Hafez M. H. Ghanem Country Director: Nathan M. Belete Regional Director: Deborah L. Wetzel Practice Manager/Manager: Michel Rogy Task Team Leader: Arthur Denis Pascal Foch, Jerome Bezzina, Maria Isabel A. S. Neto The World Bank West Africa Regional Communications Infrastructure Project - APL 2 () I. BASIC DATA Product Information Project ID Financing Instrument Investment Project Financing Original EA Category Current EA Category Partial Assessment (B) Partial Assessment (B) Approval Date Current Closing Date 30-May-2013 31-May-2020 Organizations Borrower Responsible Agency Ministère de l'éducation supérieure, de la recherche scientifique et des TICs (Mauritania),Ministère des Togolese Republic,Islamic Republic of Mauritania Postes, de l'économie numérique et des innovations technologiques (Togo) Project Development Objective (PDO) Original PDO The objectives of each Project are to contribute to increase the geographical reach of broadband networks and to reduce costs of communications services in the territories, respectively, of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania and the Republic of Togo. Summary Status of Financing Net Ln/Cr/Tf Approval Signing Effectiveness Closing Commitment Disbursed Undisbursed IDA-52530 30-May-2013 12-Nov-2013 31-Mar-2014 31-May-2020 30.00 7.92 19.83 IDA-52550 30-May-2013 20-Jun-2013 16-Dec-2013 30-Nov-2019 30.00 12.09 16.07 The World Bank West Africa Regional Communications Infrastructure Project - APL 2 () Policy Waiver(s) Does this restructuring trigger the need for any policy waiver(s)? No I. SUMMARY OF PROJECT STATUS AND PROPOSED CHANGES This restructuring relates to the WARCIP project in Mauritania (IDA Credit 52550). Project implementation has been delayed by a 2 years procurement process for the main project infrastructure contract (civil works for the building of a 1600 km of fiber optic backbone links) representing around 75% of the total IDA credit amount. The contract was signed in November 2017 but construction only started in November 2018 due to the constructor difficulties in meeting the conditions for making the contract effective and for launching the works. Today the construction rate is around 43%. The project disbursement rate is 42 % compared to 37% in July 2019 or 28% in November 2018. Given that the construction process of the main infrastructure is expected to last an additional 8 months (from now) and since the project is currently closing on November 2019, a minimum of 6 months closing date extension is required (i.e. until end of May 2020). But following last safeguards supervision mission (July 22-25, 2019), safeguards team noted that client is late on complying with its tree planting commitment along the fiber optic network itinerary (due to delays in mobilizing counterpart funds and procuring contracts) and that sustainable tree planting would need to take place at the beginning of the next rainy season (i.e. end of august 2020). For these two reasons pertaining to compliance with environment and social safeguards, and despite the client requesting with letter dated July 25, 2019 an extension of 6 months of the project closing date, the team is processing a 9 months extension. This is the only change to make. This would be the second extension of the closing date. The first extension was made for 12 months (in November 2017). In total, the closing date would be extended for 21 months which is below the 2 years threshold. There is no outstanding audit report for the project. INT concern flag was related to Mauritania but has been resolved in 2017. The PIU is fully operational and the GRM is under implementation. II. DETAILED CHANGES LOAN CLOSING DATE(S) Original Revised Proposed Proposed Deadline Ln/Cr/Tf Status Closing Closing(s) Closing for Withdrawal Applications IDA-52530 Effective 30-Nov-2018 31-May-2020 The World Bank West Africa Regional Communications Infrastructure Project - APL 2 () IDA-52550 Effective 30-Nov-2018 30-Nov-2019 31-Aug-2020 31-Dec-2020