過’ OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS 日園日園園国園園国日日日日日国国 園ー国■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■□■□■■国■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■国国国国日 CREDIT NUMBER 6320-SN Financing Agreement (Senegal Investing in Early Years for Human Development Project) betMeell REPUBLIC OF SENEGAL alld INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION 園国国日国国国国園園国国国国国国国園園園日日国日 園日日日日日日日日日日日日日日日日日日日日日日日日日日日日国日国日国国国国日園国国ー国目国国国国園園日 CREDIT NUMBER 6320-SN FINANCING AGREEMENT AGREEMENT dated as of the Signature Date between REPUBLIC OF SENEGAL (-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 11 - FINANCING 2.01. The Association agrees to extend to the Recipient a credit, which is deemed as Concessional Financing for purposes of the General Conditions, in the amount equivalent to sixty-four million Euros (C64,000,000) (variously, "Credit" and "Financing"), to assist in financing the project described in Schedule I 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 Service Charge is: (a) the sum of three-fourths of one percent (3/4 of I%) per annurn plus the Basis Adjustment to the Service Charge; and (b) three-fourths of one percent (3/4 of 1%) per annum; on the Withdrawn Credit Balance. 2.05. The Payment Dates are March 15 and September 15 in each year. 2.06. The principal amount of the Credit shall be repaid in accordance with the repayment schedule set forth in Schedule 3 to this Agreement. 2.07. The Payment Currency is Euro. -2- 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 in accordance with the provisions of Article V of the General Conditions and Schedule 2 to this Agreement. ARTICLE IV - EFFECTIVENESS; TERMINATION 4.01. The Additional Conditions of Effectiveness consist of the following: (a) The Recipient has adopted the Project Implementation Manual, including a financial and administrative manual as an annex, in accordance with the provisions of Section I.B of Schedule 2 to this Agreement; and (b) The Recipient has recruited: (i) a coordinator; (ii) a procurement specialist; (iii) a financial management specialist; and (iv) a monitoring and evaluation specialist with qualifications acceptable to the Association for the purpose of establishing the Project Implementation Unit. 4.02. The Effectiveness Deadline is the date one hundred and twenty (120) days after the Signature Date. 4.03. 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 V - REPRESENTATIVE; ADDRESSES 5.01. The Recipient's Representative is its minister in charge of economy, finance and planning. 5.02. For purposes of Section 11.01 of the General Conditions: (a) the Recipient's address is: Minist&re de l'Economie, des Finances et du Plan Rue Rene N'diaye B.P. 4017 Dakar Senegal; and (b) the Recipient's Electronic Address is: Facsimile: 221-33-821-1630 -3- 5.03. 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 AGREED as of the Signature Date. REPUBLIC OF SENEG By Authorized Representative Name: Title: t nl Date: INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION By Name: LxkL - Title: fn k O Date: A - -4- SCHEDULE 1 Project Description The objective of the Project is to improve delivery of select services that promote early childhood development in underserved areas of Senegal. The Project consists of the following parts: Part 1: Child nutrition and early stimulation in the first 1,000 days 1. Early stimulation and community-based growth monitoring and promotion. (i) Integrating early stimulation and parenting education within community-based nutrition interventions through community activities such as playing, dancing, singing and talking; training community members to develop the skills and knowledge necessary and educating parents; and (ii) expanding the coverage and utilization of the integrated, community-based growth monitoring and promotion package growth through: (a) promotion and monitoring for children through monthly weighing and counseling of care providers; (b) behavioral change communication activities, such as the promotion of infant and young child feeding practices, proper sanitation practices, and optimum care to the child; (c) detection of malnutrition and home-based care and referral for sick or malnourished children, regular screening for malnutrition, and community treatment of moderate acute malnutrition; and (d) preventive measures such as micronutrient supplementation, quarterly deworming, and household food diversification. 2. Multi-sectoral coordination for nutrition Improving cross-sectoral coordination to promote nutrition, especially during a child's first one thousand (1,000) days by supporting the identification and mobilization of sectoral solutions to deep-rooted nutrition problems and amend and co-sponsor programs to render them nutrition-sensitive through consultations, joint planning and monitoring, supervision, Training, studies, information sharing and tool development for the local level of implementation as well as the central level planning. -5- Part 2: Quality early learning 1. Early learning quality enhancement Enhancing the quality of early learning interventions by: (i) improving the curriculum materials and developing guides for teachers; (ii) improving the system for early-childhood development teacher Training and subsequent deployment; (iii) improving the quality assurance system for early learning; and (iv) launching a national survey on measuring early learning quality and outcomes to generate information on child development and the quality of preschools to help the Recipient build systems to monitor and improve the quality of early learning. 2. Parent engagement to promote early learning Supporting school management committees to launch community-based early learning programs using the per capita grant funding and by: (i) developing materials such as teacher guides, Training for school management committees members and community volunteers to launch preschools; (ii) developing strategy for national outreach to school management committees through regional and local government and the federation of school management committees; and, (iii) engaging communities and local governments in early learning to help build understanding of the importance of early learning and demand for services. 3. Performance-based financingfor Daaras Promoting higher quality leaning activities in Daaras through a performance-based financing ("PBF") mechanism that will extend PBF Grants to Daaras to: (i) use an early childhood development activity guide designed for them; and (ii) provide Training for Daara teachers and Daara management committees to integrate cognitive and socioemotional development in the Daaras' curricula. 4. Construction and rehabilitation Expanding access to early learning by increasing the number of formal, public sector, early learning locations by building and rehabilitating public Daaras preschools, preschool classrooms attached to primary schools and Cases des Tous Petits. -6- Part 3: Child protection and system strengthening 1. Birth registration Increasing birth registrations by: (i) equipping health centers with forms and registers to collect basic information needed for birth registration; (ii) supplying mayor's offices with forms, registers and lockers to facilitate collection and storage for birth registration; (iii) engaging imams and providing them with birth books to record all relevant information for birth registration to be transmitted to the mayor's office or the local child protection local committees; and, (iv) supporting birth registration campaigns. 2. Social mobilization, communication and behavior change Design an integrated communication strategy for advocacy, social mobilization and social and behavioral change by: (i) targeting traditional, religious and community leaders through community dialogue; (ii) developing (a) a parent-child guide; (b) a father-centered guide and (c) supervision tools to be used to train local committees on the early years and selected community members. 3. System strengthening Strengthening systems for coordinated service delivery by: (i) coaching local authorities to provide leadership for the early years activities; (ii) train local actors on integrated planning and monitoring; and (iii) support monitoring and supervision of the activities. Part 4: Project management and technical assistance Strengthening the management capacity of MBGPE including monitoring and evaluation, financial management, procurement, communication and organizational development and providing technical assistance and support research and evaluation activities such as operational research, process and impact evaluations, capacity assessments, and other types of research and analytic activities needed to support service delivery, Project management and policy development; and (ii) supporting Project Operating Costs, including staffing of the PIU, Training for PIU staff, supervision, evaluations, Project audits, monitoring and evaluation and other costs associated with the running of the PIU. -7- SCHEDULE 2 Project Execution Section 1. Implementation Arrangements A. Institutional Arrangements 1. Project Steering Committee (a) No later than four (4) months after the Effective Date, the Recipient shall establish and thereafter maintain, at all times during the implementation of the Project, a project steering committee with a composition, mandate, and resources satisfactory to the Association ("Project Steering Committee" or "PSC"). The PSC shall meet semi-annually. (b) The PSC shall be chaired by the Minister of MGBPE and shall include inter alia representatives from: (i) the ministry in charge of economy, finance and planning, the ministry in charge of justice, the ministry in charge of interior affairs, the ministry in charge of health and social affairs, the ministry in charge of education, the ministry in charge of family; (ii) the President and Prime Minister's offices; (iii) the CESE, the Parliament, the high council for local government and civil society organizations. (c) The PSC shall be responsible, among other things, for: (i) providing overall supervision of the Project; (ii) convening inter-sectoral coordination for the activities of other ministerial departments; (iii) mediating certain implementation decision when necessary; and (iv) approving Annual Work Plans and Budget. 2. Technical Working Group (a) No later than four (4) months after the Effective Date, the Recipient shall establish and thereafter maintain the Project's technical working Group ("Technical Working Group") which shall be chaired by the secretary general of MBGPE or any representative of the minister of MBGPE. (b) The Technical Working Group shall be responsible for providing guidance on key sector and cross-sector based activities and assisting on activity planning and monitoring and evaluation related issues. The Technical Working Group shall be comprised, inter alia, of representatives respectively from the PIU, the CLM, the ANPECTP and relevant directions and departments of MBGPE, MEN, DGPSN and the ministry in charge of health and social affairs. -8- 3. Project Implementation Unit (a) The Recipient shall establish and maintain, throughout Project implementation, within MBGPE, a project coordination unit with terms of reference, composition and resources acceptable to the Association ("Project Implementation Unit" or "PlU"). (b) The PIU shall no later than four (4) months after the Effective Date: (A) recruit and thereafter retain at all times during the implementation of the Project the following staff, inter alia, each with terms of reference, qualifications and experience satisfactory to the Association: (i) a communications officer; (ii) a child development technical officer; (iii) an internal auditor; (iv) an accountant; and (v) a safeguards specialist, all with qualifications acceptable to the Association; (B) set up an adequate accounting and reporting system; and (C) hire an external auditor for the Project. (c) The PIU shall be responsible, under the oversight of the Project Steering Committee, for carrying out Parts 2, 3 and 4 of the Project, including inter alia: (i) monitoring and evaluation; (ii) safeguards supervision; (iii) preparation of Annual Work Plans and Budgets; (iv) procurement; (v) fiduciary and financial management matters; (vi) reporting and (vii) communicating Project activities and achievements. The PIU shall provide overall supervision of the Project and ensure coherence of activities with the sector strategy and inter-sectoral coordination among the Implementation Partners. 4. CLM (a) The Recipient shall maintain, at all times during the implementation of the Project, with a composition, mandate, and resources satisfactory to the Association, the Cellule de Lutte contre la Malnutrition or CLM. (b) CLM shall be responsible for the implementation of Part I of the Project. (c) CLM shall no later than four (4) months after the Effective Date recruit an assistant accountant with qualifications acceptable to the Association. B. Project Implementation Manual (a) Pursuant to Article 5.01 (a), the Recipient shall: (i) prepare under terms of reference acceptable to the Association, and furnish to the Recipient and the Association, an implementation manual for the Project containing detailed arrangements and procedures for: -9- (A) institutional coordination and day-to-day execution of the Proj ect; (B) Project budgeting, disbursement and financial management; (C) procurement; (D) monitoring, evaluation, reporting and communication; (E) safeguards monitoring and mitigation; (F) operational modules outlining implementation, organizational, administrative, monitoring, financial management, disbursement and procurement arrangements concerning the PBF Grants ("PBF Sub- manual"), such PBF Sub-manual as annexed to the PIM; and (G) such other arrangements and procedures as shall be required for the Project; (ii) afford the Association a reasonable opportunity to exchange views with the PIU; and (iii) thereafter adopts such Project implementation manual as shall have been approved by the Association ("Project Implementation Manual" or "PIM"). (b) In case of any conflict between the Project Implementation Manual and the provisions of this Agreement, the provisions of this Agreement shall prevail. (c) Except as the Association shall otherwise agree in writing, the Recipient shall not amend, abrogate or waive and permit the PIU to amend, abrogate or waive any provision of the Project Implementation Manual. C. PBF Grants 1 . For the implementation of Part 2.3 of the Project, the Recipient shall ensure the PIU extends PBF Grants to Daaras with performance criteria and disbursement triggers acceptable to the Association and described in the PBF Sub-manual. 2. PBF Grants shall be made to Daaras in accordance with criteria and procedures acceptable to the Association as set forth in the PBF Sub-manual for the implementation of Part 2.3 of the Project, which shall include the signing of a PBF -10- Grant Agreement with each eligible Daara, in form and substance satisfactory to the Association; and 3. The Recipient shall ensure that each PBF Grant Agreement entered into with each of the respective Daara on terms and conditions approved by the Association includes the following: (a) the Recipient shall ensure that adequate rights are obtained to protect its interests and those of the Association, including the right to: (i) suspend or terminate the right of the Daara to use the proceeds of the PBF Grant upon the Daara's failure to perform any of its obligations under the PBF Grant Agreement, or to obtain a refund of all or any part of the amount of the PBF Grant then withdrawn, upon the Daara's failure to perform any of its obligations under the PBF Grant Agreement, including, without limitation, the obligation to use the proceeds of such PBF Grant solely for the financing of goods, services, Training and Operating Costs incurred for the implementation of the PBF Grant; and (ii) require each Daara to: (A) carry out the purpose of the PBF Grant 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 Safeguard Instruments and the Anti-Corruption Guidelines applicable to recipients of loan proceeds other than the Recipient; (B) provide, promptly as needed, the resources required for the purpose; (C) procure the goods, services to be financed out of the PBF Grant under Part 2.3 of the Project in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement; (D) maintain policies and procedures adequate to enable it to monitor and evaluate in accordance with indicators acceptable to the Association, the progress and the achievement of its objectives; (E) (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 PBF Grant; and (2) at the Association's or the Recipient's 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 fumish the statements as so audited to the Recipient and the Association; (F) enable the Recipient and the Association to inspect the Daara, its operation and any relevant records and documents; and (G) prepare and -11- furnish to the Recipient and the Association all such information as the Recipient or the Association shall reasonably request relating to the foregoing. 4. The Recipient shall enter into an agreement under terms of reference acceptable to the Association, with an independent Verification Agent to evaluate the achievement by the Daaras of the purpose of the PBF Grants. 5. The Recipient shall ensure that each Daara exercises its rights and carries out its obligations under each PBF Grant 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 shall not assign, amend, abrogate or waive any PBF Grant Agreement or any of its provisions. D. Annual Work Plans and Budget 1 . The Recipient shall, not later than November 30 of each year of Project implementation, prepare and furnish to the Association, an annual work plan and budget ("Annual Work Plan and Budget") containing all activities proposed to be included in the Project and a proposed financing plan for expenditures required for such activities, setting forth the proposed amounts and sources of financing. 2. The Recipient shall afford the Association a reasonable opportunity to exchange views with the Recipient on such proposed Annual Work Plan and Budget and thereafter ensure that the Project is implemented in accordance with such Annual Work Plan and Budget as shall have been approved by the Association. E. Safeguards 1 . The Recipient shall ensure that the Project is carried out with due regard to appropriate health, safety, social, and environmental standards and practices, and in accordance with the ESMF and the RPF and any Safeguards Instruments prepared under the Project. 2. In case a RAP was required to be prepared under the RPF, the Recipient shall take all measures to implement such RAP in a manner and timeframe satisfactory to the Association. To this end, the Recipient shall ensure that: (i) Funds are made available to cover all the costs of implementing the RAP. (ii) Prior to carrying out activities which involve displacement, Affected Persons shall be compensated at full replacement cost, resettled and rehabilitated in accordance with the RAP, as applicable; and -12- (iii) the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of such RAP is completed and reported in a manner satisfactory to the Association. 3. The Recipient shall ensure that the obligation to comply with the relevant Safeguard Instruments is incorporated: (a) in the contracts between the Recipient and the relevant contractors and any entity (including any engineer) supervising the Project's civil works; and (b) in the contracts between the relevant contractors and the contractors' subcontractors. 4. The Recipient shall ensure that all the bidding documents and contracts include the obligation of the relevant contractors and subcontractors to: (i) adopt and implement measures to assess and manage the risks and impacts of labor influx; and (ii) adopt and enforce codes of conduct that should be provided to and signed by all workers; as applicable to such civil works commissioned or carried out pursuant to said contracts. 5. The Recipient shall ensure that the Project does not include any activities and expenditures on the negative list set forth in the ESMF. 6. Except as the Association shall otherwise agree, the Recipient shall ensure, and cause to ensure, that none of the provisions of the Safeguard Instruments is abrogated, amended, repealed, suspended or waived. In case of any inconsistencies between the provisions of any of the Safeguard Instruments and the provisions of this Agreement, the provisions of this Agreement shall prevail. 7. If during the implementation of the Project, the Association determines that Affected Persons were: (i) not included in the census survey of the RAP; and (ii) occupying the Project area prior to the cut-off date established in said RAP, the Borrower shall update the RAP to include these Affected Persons. F. Anti-Corruption The Recipient shall carry out and ensure the Project is carried out in accordance with the provisions of the Anti-Corruption Guidelines. -13- Section II. Project Monitoring, Reporting and Evaluation A. Project Reports The Recipient shall monitor and evaluate the progress of the Project and prepare Project Reports in accordance with the provisions of Section 5.08 of the General Conditions. Each Project Report shall cover the period of one calendar semester, and shall be furnished to the Association not later than forty-five (45) days after the end of the period covered by such report. B. Project Financial Audits The Recipient shall have the Financial Statements audited in accordance with the provisions of Section 5.09(b) of the General Conditions. Each audit of the Financial Statements shall cover the period of one (1) fiscal year of the Recipient, commencing with the fiscal year in which the first withdrawal is made. The audited Financial Statements for each such period shall be furnished to the Association not later than six (6) months after the end of such period. Section Ill. 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: (a) finance Eligible Expenditures; and (b) repay the Preparation Advance; in the amount allocated and, if applicable, up to the percentage set forth against each Category of the following table: -14- Percentage of Amount of the Expenditures to be Credit Allocated Financed Category in EUR (inclusive of Taxes) (1) Goods, non-consulting 31,600,000 100% services, consulting services, Operating Costs, workshops and Training for Part I of the Project (2) Goods, works, non-consulting 30,200,000 100% services, Operating Costs, workshops and Training consulting services for Parts 2.1, 2.2, and 2.4, Part 3 and Part 4 of the Project (3) Refund of Preparation 500,000 Amount payable pursuant Advance to Section 2.07 (a) of the General Conditions (4) Performance based-financing 1,700,000 100% under Part 2.3 of the Project TOTAL AMOUNT 64,000,000 B. Withdrawal Conditions; Withdrawal Period 1I Notwithstanding the provisions of Part A above, no withdrawal shall be made: (a) for payments made prior to the Signature Date; and (b) under Category 4, unless and until the Association is satisfied that (i) the Recipient has signed an agreement with an independent Verification Agent in accordance with Section 1.C.4 of Schedule 2. 2. The Closing Date is June 30, 2024. -15- SCHEDULE 3 Repayment Schedule Principal Amount of the Credit Date Payment Due repayable (expressed as a percentage) * On each March 15 and September 15, 1.5625% commencing March 15, 2024, to and including September 15, 2055 * The percentages represent the percentage of the principal amount of the Credit to be repaid, except as the Association may otherwise specify pursuant to Section 3.05 (b) of the General Conditions. -16- APPENDIX Definitions 1. "Affected Person" means a person or entity who, on account of the execution of the Project, has experienced or would experience direct economic and social impacts caused by: (i) the involuntary taking of land resulting in: (A) relocation or loss of shelter; (B) loss of assets or access to assets; or (C) loss of income sources or means of livelihood, whether or not such person must move to another location; or (ii) the involuntary restriction of access to legally designated parks and protected areas, resulting in adverse impacts on the livelihood of such person; and, "Affected Persons", means more than one such Affected Person. 2. "AN PECTP" means Agence Nationale de la Petite Enfance et de la Case des Tous Petits, the Recipient's national agency for early childhood development. 3. "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. 4. Basis Adjustment to the Interest Charge" means the Association's standard basis adjustment to the Interest Charge for credits in the currency of denomination of the Credit, in effect at 12:01 a.m. Washington, D.C. time, on the date on which the Credit is approved by the Executive Directors of the Association, and expressed either as a positive or negative percentage per annum. 5. "Basis Adjustment to the Service Charge" means the Association's standard basis adjustment to the Service Charge for credits in the currency of denomination of the Credit, in effect at 12:01 a.m. Washington, D.C. time, on the date on which the Credit is approved by the Executive Directors of the Association, and expressed either as a positive or negative percentage per annum. 6. "Cases des Tous Petits" means early childhood centers operated by ANPECTP. 7. "Category" means a category set forth in the table in Section Il.A of Schedule 2 to this Agreement. 8. "CESE" means Conseil Economique, Social et Environnemental, the Recipient's economic, social and environmental council. 9. "CLM" means Cellule de Lutte contre la Malnutrition, the Recipient's taskforce within the Prime Minister's office in charge of fighting malnutrition. 10. "Daara" means koranic schools on the Recipient's territory. -17- 11. "DGPSN" means Delegation Generale a la Protection Sociale et a la Solidarite Nationale, the Recipient's general delegation for social protection and solidarity within President's office. 12. "ESMF" or "Environmental and Social Management Framework" means the framework prepared by the Recipient, satisfactory to the Association, and disclosed on the Association's website on August 10, 2018, setting out the principles, rules, guidelines and procedures to screen and assess the environmental and social impacts (including health and safety issues) of the activities which will be identified and appraised during Project implementation, and containing measures and plans to avoid, minimize, mitigate and/or offset adverse impacts and/or reduce said adverse impacts to acceptable levels, and enhance positive impacts, provisions for estimating and budgeting the costs of such measures, and information on the agency or agencies responsible for addressing Project impacts, as said instrument may be amended from time to time with the Association's prior written agreement. 13. "General Conditions" means the "International Development Association General Conditions for IDA Financing, Investment Project Financing", dated July 14, 2017. 14. "MBGPE" means Ministere de la Bonne Gouvernance et de la Protection de la Petite Enfance, the Recipient's ministry in charge of good governance and child protection. 15. "MEN" means Ministere de lEducation Nationale, the Recipient's ministry in charge of national education. 16. "Operating Costs" means the incremental operating expenses, approved by the Association under each Annual Work Plan, on account of the Project, including office supplies, bank charges, staff salaries, travel and supervision costs, per diem, but excluding the salaries of officials and public servants of the Recipient's civil service. 17. "PBF Grant" means a grant made or proposed to be made out of the proceeds of the Credit to Daaras for the purposes of implementing Part 2.3 of the Project; and "PBF Grants" means, collectively, all such grants. 18. "PBF Grant Agreement" means an agreement between the PIU and a Daara providing for a PBF Grant. 19. "Preparation Advance" means the advance referred to in Section 2.07 (a) of the General Conditions, granted by the Association to the Recipient pursuant to the letter agreement signed on behalf of the Association on April19, 2018, and on behalf of the Recipient on April 22, 2018. -18- 20. "Procurement Regulations" means, for purposes of paragraph 87 of the Appendix to the General Conditions, the "World Bank Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers", dated July 2016, revised November 2017. 21. "RAP" or "Resettlement Action Plan" means the plan adopted by the Recipient satisfactory to the Bank, and disclosed on the Bank's website on August 10, 2018, which includes the principles, procedures, organizational arrangements and budget to implement the resettlement related activities under the Project, or under Parts of the Project, as said resettlement action plan may be revised from time to time with the prior written agreement of the Association. 22. "RPF" or "Resettlement Policy Framework" means the framework prepared and adopted by the Recipient, satisfactory to the Association, and disclosed on the Association's website on August 10, 2018, which sets out the resettlement principles, organizational arrangements (including consultation and budget), and design criteria to be applied to resettlement related Project activities to be prepared during Project implementation, as such framework may be amended from time to time with the prior written agreement of the Association. 23. "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. 24. "Safeguard Instruments" means collectively, the ESMF, the RFP, any RAP and "Safeguard Instrument" means any of such Safeguards Instruments. 25. "Training" means the training of persons involved in Project-supported activities, such term including seminars, workshops, and study tours, and costs associated with such activity include travel and subsistence costs for training participants, costs associated with securing the services of trainers, rental of training facilities, preparation and reproduction of training materials, and other costs directly related to training preparation and implementation. 26. "Verification Agent" means an external independent auditor that will be responsible for the verification of the achievement of the PBF and the establishment of verification reports.