INTEGRATED SAFEGUARDS DATA SHEET CONCEPT STAGE Public Disclosure Copy Report No.: ISDSC2899 Date ISDS Prepared/Updated: 05-Mar-2013 Date ISDS Approved/Disclosed: 15-Mar-2013 I. BASIC INFORMATION A. Basic Project Data Country: Egypt, Arab Republic of Project ID: P144305 Project Name: EGYPT Energy/Social Safety Nets Sector Reforms Technical Assistance (P144305) Task Team Husam Mohamed Beides Leader: Estimated 00-undefined-0000 Estimated 24-Jul-2013 Appraisal Date: Board Date: Managing Unit: MNSEG Lending Specific Investment Loan Instrument: Sector(s): General energy sector (50%), Other Renewable Energy (10%), Other social services (40%) Theme(s): Infrastructure services for private sector development (60%), Social safety nets (40%) Financing (In USD Million) Public Disclosure Copy Total Project Cost: 6.00 Total Bank Financing: 0.00 Total Cofinancing: Financing Gap: 0.00 Financing Source Amount Borrower 0.00 MNA VPU Free-standing Trust Funds 6.00 Total 6.00 Environmental C - Not Required Category: Is this a No Repeater project? B. Project Objectives The proposed project will assist the Government of Egypt in reducing barriers for improving the financial viability of the energy sector and strengthening the social safety nets. C. Project Description This technical assistance project is recipient executed proposed by the Government of Egypt (GoE) for grant financing from the MENA Transition Fund. Upon the request of the GoE the World Bank acts in the role of its Implementation Support Agency (ISA). The project aims at assisting the GoE in Public Disclosure Copy reducing barriers to energy sector and fuel subsidy reforms by developing strategies and action plans to improve the sector’s institutions, operations, governance and financial performance and to support strengthening social safety nets (SSN) in order to mitigate social impact of future fuel subsidy reforms. The project will have the following components: • Component 1: Power Sector Institutional Development and Financial Viability which includes the following subcomponents: • Subcomponent 1: Electricity Utilities Financial Management and Governance • Subcomponent 2: Fuel to Power Strategy • Subcomponent 3: Establishment of an Energy Efficiency Unit at the Ministry of Electricity and Energy • Component 2. Energy Pricing and Fuel Switching Reform which includes the following subcomponents: • Subcomponent 1: Energy Pricing and Fuel Switching Reform Strategy • Subcomponent 2: Development of a Communication strategy fuel reform • Component 3: Social Safety Nets Strengthening D. Project location and salient physical characteristics relevant to the safeguard analysis (if known) This is a technical assistance project and will not support or finance specific project development at specific location or site. Consultants retained by the project will work with various ministries and stakeholders located in Cairo and could also include field visits to and data collection from stakeholders outside Cairo. Public Disclosure Copy In accordance with World Bank safeguard policies on environment (OP/BP/GP 4.01 Environmental Assessment) the project is assigned Category C indicating that no environmental issues are anticipated. This is based upon the project design which is primarily technical assistance and does not include any physical construction activities. Although the technical assistance provided by the proposed project will deal with a assessment of a strategy for fuel subsidy reform and social impact and mitigation however the technical assistance will not trigger the Bank’s social safeguards policies because the project’s components focus on developing strategies and action plans to improve the energy sector’s institutions, operations, governance and financial performance. Thus no impacts under the Bank’s Operational Policy 4.12 (Involuntary Land Acquisition and Resettlement) are expected.. The technical assistance includes activities that will aim strengthening social safety nets in Egypt to mitigate social impact as part of development strategies for subsidy reforms and will also develop a framework and strategy for consultation, participation, and dissemination of information, in particular with as civil societies and the public in large. E. Borrowers Institutional Capacity for Safeguard Policies The technical assistance financed by this project will not by itself present any significant environmental and social issues. Nevertheless, the technical assistance includes activities that will aim strengthening social safety nets in Egypt to mitigate social impact of subsidy reforms will also develop a framework and strategy for consultation, participation, and dissemination of information, in particular with as civil societies and the public in large. F. Environmental and Social Safeguards Specialists on the Team Public Disclosure Copy Banu Setlur (MNSEN) Nina Bhatt (MNSSO) Chaogang Wang (MNSSO) II. SAFEGUARD POLICIES THAT MIGHT APPLY Safeguard Policies Triggered? Explanation (Optional) Environmental Assessment OP/ No BP 4.01 Natural Habitats OP/BP 4.04 No Forests OP/BP 4.36 No Pest Management OP 4.09 No Physical Cultural Resources OP/ No BP 4.11 Indigenous Peoples OP/BP 4.10 No Involuntary Resettlement OP/BP No 4.12 Safety of Dams OP/BP 4.37 No Projects on International No Waterways OP/BP 7.50 Public Disclosure Copy Projects in Disputed Areas OP/BP No 7.60 III. SAFEGUARD PREPARATION PLAN A. Tentative target date for preparing the PAD Stage ISDS: 15-Mar-2013 B. Time frame for launching and completing the safeguard-related studies that may be needed. The specific studies and their timing1 should be specified in the PAD-stage ISDS: N/A IV. APPROVALS Task Team Leader: Name: Husam Mohamed Beides Approved By: Regional Safeguards Name: Maged Mahmoud Hamed (RSA) Date: 05-Mar-2013 Coordinator: Sector Manager: Name: Patricia Veevers-Carter (SM) Date: 15-Mar-2013 1 Reminder: The Bank's Disclosure Policy requires that safeguard-related documents be disclosed before appraisal (i) at the InfoShop and (ii) in country, at publicly accessible locations and in a form and language that are accessible to potentially affected persons.