The World Bank Cambodia Road Connectivity Improvement (P169930) Project Information Document (PID) Appraisal Stage | Date Prepared/Updated: 24-Mar-2020 | Report No: PIDA27727 Jan 07, 2020 Page 1 of 14 The World Bank Cambodia Road Connectivity Improvement (P169930) BASIC INFORMATION OPS_TABLE_BASIC_DATA A. Basic Project Data Country Project ID Project Name Parent Project ID (if any) Cambodia P169930 Cambodia Road Connectivity Improvement Region Estimated Appraisal Date Estimated Board Date Practice Area (Lead) EAST ASIA AND PACIFIC 26-Mar-2020 23-Jul-2020 Transport Financing Instrument Borrower(s) Implementing Agency Investment Project Financing Ministry of Economy and Ministry of Public Works Finance and Transport, Ministry of Rural Development Proposed Development Objective(s) The project development objective is to improve climate resilient road access to economic and human development facilities in targeted provinces. Components Component 1: National and Provincial Roads Improvement Component 2: Rural Roads Improvement Component 3: Institutional Development and Project Management Component 4: Contingent Emergency Response PROJECT FINANCING DATA (US$, Millions) SUMMARY -NewFin1 Total Project Cost 100.00 Total Financing 100.00 of which IBRD/IDA 100.00 Financing Gap 0.00 DETAILS -NewFinEnh1 World Bank Group Financing Jan 07, 2020 Page 2 of 14 The World Bank Cambodia Road Connectivity Improvement (P169930) International Development Association (IDA) 100.00 IDA Credit 100.00 Environmental and Social Risk Classification Substantial Decision The review did authorize the team to appraise and negotiate Other Decision (as needed) B. Introduction and Context Country Context 1. Over the past two decades, Cambodia has undergone significant economic transition, reaching lower-middle-income status in 2015. The total population in Cambodia is approximately 16.7 million1. The economy is growing rapidly driven by agriculture, garment exports, tourism, and, more recently, construction. The annual average growth rate of 8.0 percent over 1998–2018 ranked Cambodia among the top seven fastest growing economies in the world. As a result, Cambodia’s per capita gross national income in current U.S. dollars increased from US$269 in 1997 to US$1,512 in 2018. Cambodia had also made significant progress in attaining the Millennium Development Goals. 2. Continuous high growth has led to dramatically reduced monetary poverty. Official estimates show that the percentage of Cambodians living under the national poverty line fell from 47.8 percent in 2007 to 13.5 percent in 2014. Poverty reduction was accompanied by improved human development and significant increases in living standards. Cambodia’s growth has also stimulated job creation, especially for youth and women in labor-intensive activities, as part of the expansion of activities across agriculture, manufacturing, and services. Inequality level is reducing - consumption per capita for the bottom 40 percent grew at an annual average rate of 7.8 percent, compared with that for the top 60 percent at 4.7 percent. Despite this progress, most of the poor have low-paying jobs, signaling that low skills and productivity remain to be challenges. Moreover, Cambodia’s gains in poverty reduction remain highly precarious, as most households that escaped poverty did so by only a small margin. 3. With an aspiration to become an upper-middle-income country by 2030, Cambodia needs to strengthen its growth drivers. The economic outlook for Cambodia’s main economic engines is clouded by uncertainty which is further compounded by the recent COVID-19 global outbreak. The outlook for commodity prices, such as rice is not very positive, and Cambodia’s labor-intensive, export-oriented garment industry is facing rising wages and greater competition from abroad. Recent partial suspension of Cambodia’s preferential access to the European Union (EU) market under the Everything-but-Arms (EBA) policy could have a profound impact on the country’s exports given its reliance on the EU market. A sharp slowdown of the Chinese economy could also affect sensibly the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) 1 United Nations. 2020. World Population Prospects. Jan 07, 2020 Page 3 of 14 The World Bank Cambodia Road Connectivity Improvement (P169930) inflows and tourist arrivals. It is therefore important to promote investment in high-value-added products and improve the country’s external competitiveness. 4. The infrastructure gap remains serious and greater connectivity is needed. Cambodia ranks below neighboring countries such as Thailand and Vietnam on the Global Competitiveness Index’s infrastructure measure. Limited access to year-round all-weather roads and the connectivity gap between the provincial and rural roads (i.e., “missing middle�) negatively affect food value chains and access to health, education, and other public services, a problem exacerbated by frequent flooding. With high economic growth rates and potential, it is projected that Cambodian firms will move 4.1 times more goods in 2030 than in 2016.2 The national transport infrastructure will have to be ready to process this volume of goods. Otherwise, it risks curbing Cambodia’s export potential and constraining job creation. 5. Gender equality has progressed over the past years, nonetheless, increasing efforts are required. Labor force participation rates are 90 percent for men and 80 percent for women according to official statistics. Women represented 41 percent of civil servants in 2017 showing a steady increase of approximately 1 percentage point a year. Growth in employment in the construction sector, however, is the lowest for women across sectors, including the transport sector. Despite the growth of the share of the wage employment of women in the construction industry from 2.1 percent to 5 percent between 2011 and 2016, it is still disproportionally lower than that of men – 25 percent of men are working in construction.3 About 44 percent of women work in agriculture, and women are increasingly involved in commercially-oriented agricultural production particularly in horticulture value chains and are central to wholesale and retail marketing of agricultural products. Transportation and road accessibility challenges are among the main constraints facing women in rural areas and agriculture. While the country-level policy framework on gender-based violence (GBV) is comprehensive, there are gaps in terms of prevention programs and access to services for survivors. 6. Cambodia is highly vulnerable to climate change and disaster risks. Around 80 percent of the country is within the Mekong River and Tonle Sap basins, making it especially vulnerable to floods, storms, and droughts. The 2020 World Risk Index ranks Cambodia as the 12th most disaster-prone country among 172 countries from the period 1999-2018.4 Annual economic losses in Cambodia that resulted from natural disasters were estimated at 0.7 percent of GDP. The infrastructure sector is particularly vulnerable to the impacts of disasters. During severe floods in 2014, about 86 percent of the total damages occurred in the infrastructure sector, mainly to roads and water and irrigation.5 The disruption of infrastructure connectivity further significantly affected the overall economy due the loss of market access of key economic goods such as agriculture products. Climate change projections indicate temperature increase by 0.7°C–2.7°C by 2060 and the increase of intensity and frequency of extreme precipitation in the monsoon season and flooding.6 2 World Bank. 2018. Investing in Logistics for Sustainable Economic Growth. 3 World Bank. 2019. Gender Analysis of the Cambodian Labor Market. 4 Institute for International Law of Peace and Armed Conflict. 2018. World Risk Report 2018. 5 Kingdom of Cambodia. 2014. Post-Flood Early Recovery Need Assessment Report. 6 Climate Change Knowledge Portal. 2018. Cambodia Country Profile. Jan 07, 2020 Page 4 of 14 The World Bank Cambodia Road Connectivity Improvement (P169930) Sectoral and Institutional Context 7. Roads are the main mode of transport in Cambodia. The country has navigable in-land waterway networks (Mekong, Bassac, and Tonle Sap rivers and tributaries) and two rail links of about 650 km, but roads are the dominant mode of transport in the country. The total length of the road network is 63,072 km, of which 74 percent account for rural roads (table 1). Motorcycles and two-axle vehicles account for most of the traffic. The road network was largely destroyed during the long period of unrest in the 1970s and 1980s. With the advent of peace, Cambodia’s initial focus was on reconstruction of the primary and secondary road network, followed by critical provincial and rural links to the main road network. Table 1. Cambodia Road Network Road Category Length of Roads (km) Number of Roads Paved (%) National (1 digit) 2,254 9 100 National (2 digit) 5,007 66 72 Provincial 9,031 528 30 Rural 46,780 16,252 5 Total 63,072 16,855 Source: MPWT and MRD. 2019. 8. The legal framework is provided by the Road Law (2014) and Road Traffic Law (2016). The Road Law focuses on the physical aspects of the network development and maintenance. It designates the road type and classification and distributes road network management responsibilities among the Ministry of Public Works and Transport (MPWT), the Ministry of Rural Development (MRD), and local governments. The Road Traffic Law structures road use, safety and signaling. Truck overloading from national and international freight transportation has been increasing and affecting the rate of deterioration of the network. The Government has been improving the overloading control measures over the past years by strengthening the enforcement of truck overloading control regulations and installation of weight stations on critical locations of the core network. 9. MPWT manages national and provincial roads and oversees enforcement of transportation regulations. MPWT manages road construction centrally, while using its own provincial departments to carry out maintenance activities. In terms of transportation services, the Department of Land Transport at MPWT oversees vehicle registration and licensing. 10. MRD manages rural roads and is responsible for planning, construction, rehabilitation, and emergency maintenance of rural roads. Its provincial departments carry out periodic and routine maintenance. MRD’s mandate includes sustainable and integrated rural development including rural roads, small-scale irrigation, rural water supply, sanitation and healthcare, income generation and employment in rural areas and community-based rural development. The rural roads network under MRD includes four types roads: T1 roads connecting rural areas with national/provincial roads and provinces, cities and districts; T2 roads connecting cities or districts with communes; T3 roads connecting communes with each other; and T4 roads connecting communes and villages or roads within villages. 11. Despite improvements of past years, transportation costs remain high in Cambodia. Cambodia still lags its peers in road infrastructure quality ranking 107 in the Global Competitiveness Index7. A study 7 World Economic Forum. 2019. Global Competitiveness Report. Jan 07, 2020 Page 5 of 14 The World Bank Cambodia Road Connectivity Improvement (P169930) which collected data on logistics and transportation costs from manufacturing, agribusiness, and logistics service providers showed that the share of transport and logistics costs over sales of companies is higher in Cambodia than in neighboring Thailand and Vietnam8. The 2016 World Bank Group Enterprise Survey found that access to transportation is the fifth most severe obstacle for firms in Cambodia. Improving transport connectivity, both domestically and with neighboring countries, is therefore one of the main development priorities of the Royal Government of Cambodia (RGC) to support sustained economic growth and become more competitive in regional markets. 12. Transportation in Cambodia takes place predominantly by road, with significant urban-rural gaps in terms of accessibility. Cambodia’s road network has expanded significantly in recent years, with total length increasing from 46,245 kilometers in 2013 to 63,072 kilometers in 2019. Nonetheless, about 74 percent of the network comprises rural roads, of which only 5 percent are paved. With 79 percent of the population living in rural areas, it will be important to improve rural road accessibility to help ensure inclusive economic development and address the remaining urban-rural gap in access to services. Although maintenance allocations have increased for national and provincial roads over the last decade, budget allocations for rural roads maintenance have been marginal compared to the needs. This especially affects the maintenance of lower volume rural roads, which often remain in poor condition, making it more difficult for the rural population to access economic and social opportunities. 13. A high motorization rate and gaps in enforcement of road safety regulations are increasing road safety risks. The number of registered vehicles in Cambodia has been increasing at a double-digit rate annually and was more than 4 million in 2017; motorcycles account for about 85 percent of all registrations.9 The estimated rate of road fatalities in Cambodia per 100,000 population has been increasing over the past decade, reaching 17.8 in 2016,10 which is significantly higher compared to international average. A significant number of people who lost their lives in road accidents were riders of motorized two- and three-wheelers (73 percent) and pedestrians (10 percent). Other statistics indicate that 80 percent of fatalities were men, indicating men to be a high-risk group. About 19 percent of fatalities were men between the ages of 20 and 24. 14. Cambodia’s road network is highly vulnerable to climatic and natural disaster risks. Cambodia’s topography and tropical climate make its road network both highly exposed and sensitive to climate- induced disasters. The southwest monsoon begins in mid-May and lasts through the end of October, bringing over three quarters of the country’s annual rainfall. As a result, floods along the Mekong River and its tributaries and from the Tonle Sap Lake are recurrent and often constitute disasters to the transport network. The transport infrastructure is usually the hardest hit by disasters, bearing 41 percent of the overall economic losses in the last three main events in 2009, 2013, and 2014.11 The climate vulnerability of the road network is further compounded by the large share of unpaved roads and poor maintenance. Strengthening and adaptation of road assets such as pavements, drainages, bridges, and green and grey slope protection infrastructure are becoming increasingly important. 8 JICA. 2018. A Study on Logistics System Improvement Master Plan in the Kingdom of Cambodia. 9 Asian Development Bank. 2019. Cambodia Transport Sector Assessment, Strategy, and Road Map. 10 World Health Organization. 2018. Global Status Report on Road Safety. 11 Climate Change Knowledge Portal. 2019. Cambodia Country Profile. Jan 07, 2020 Page 6 of 14 The World Bank Cambodia Road Connectivity Improvement (P169930) 15. In the project targeted area, disrupted market access constrains income growth and agricultural productivity. The geospatial accessibility and climate resilience analysis of the project area indicates that only about 28 percent of the value of agriculture production can reach the closest market in 60 minutes, and 22 percent of the value of agriculture production lose access to markets during floods. The disrupted connectivity during flooding greatly threatens the livelihood of rural households in the project area. In many places, farm-to-market rural roads are in poor condition and are interrupted during the rainy season, not allowing access to production sites. This makes transport of bulk agricultural commodities often prohibitively expensive. 16. Accessibility constraints in rural areas affect human capital development. School teachers interviewed during the field visit noted that some students miss up to two months of classes during the rainy season because of the poor road condition. People face similar challenges when traveling to health facilities. The accessibility analysis indicates that only 55 percent of the rural population in project provinces can reach high schools and 32 percent can reach referral hospitals and emergency services in 30 minutes time. Floods and heavy rains severely disrupt accessibility in the project area with more than 26 percent of the population losing access to schools and 27 percent to referral hospitals. 17. Improved road connectivity and reduced disruptions on road access by heavy rains and floods have a strong potential to benefit women, in some cases even more than men. Women’s mobility patterns are different because of their expected role as caregivers and market vendors, and their health care and education needs. Women travel for economic reasons related to their informal, non-farm, and agricultural employment, travelling to fields to harvest and to markets to sell their crops. During the rainy season, traveling becomes even more difficult as roads are muddy and slippery, and sometimes access is impossible due to floods. Poor roads, too few vehicles, and high transportation costs are also major causes of delay or not being able to access emergency obstetric and postnatal care, resulting in complications for delivery or delivery at home or on the way to health centers. C. Proposed Development Objective(s) Development Objective(s) (From PAD) 18. The project development objective is to improve climate resilient road access to economic and human development facilities in targeted provinces. Key Results 19. The achievement of PDO will be measured through the following PDO-level indicators: (a) Facilities with improved climate resilient road access (number, disaggregated by facility): (i) Economic facilities: markets (number); (ii) Human development facilities: schools (number); (iii) Human development facilities: hospitals (number); (b) Direct beneficiaries with reduced travel time to reach the closest facilities (number); (c) Travel time reduction along the project-financed national and provincial roads (percentage); Jan 07, 2020 Page 7 of 14 The World Bank Cambodia Road Connectivity Improvement (P169930) (d) Project-financed assets (road and bridges) have a sustained resilience with service level maintained under the OPBRC (kilometer). D. Project Description 20. The targeted road network under the proposed project provides services to about 2 million people in Kratie, Kampong Cham, and Tboung Khmum Provinces (about 12 percent of total country population). Road sections and targeted areas are selected through a road network-level analysis focusing on road access to economic and human development facilities (such as markets, schools and hospitals), rural-urban connectivity and agriculture development in line with the development priorities of the RGC. More than 80 percent of the population in the project area live in rural areas, of which about 50 percent are women. Agriculture is the primary economic sector in the project area where farmers cultivate crops for domestic and international markets, including rubber, cassava, pepper, and corn. These products rely on local road networks to reach markets. In addition, one of the major tourist attractions of Cambodia is located in Kratie Province where many visitors travel to observe the Mekong River dolphins. 21. The proposed project consists of the following components. Component 1: National and Provincial Roads Improvement (estimated cost US$47.0 million equivalent) 22. The component will be implemented by MPWT and includes the following subcomponents:  Subcomponent 1.1: Improvement and Maintenance of National and Provincial Roads (estimated cost US$44.0 million equivalent). This subcomponent will finance improvement and maintenance of the following road sections: National Road (NR) 73, Provincial Road (PR) 377; PR377A, and NR7 section of km 300–331.  Subcomponent 1.2: Design and Supervision Services for the National and Provincial Roads (estimated cost US$3.0 million equivalent). This subcomponent will finance costs of supervision and design activities of the MPWT project roads. 23. The scope of road works includes improving the condition, safety and climate resilience of national and provincial roads under the component. The roads will be improved with Asphalt Concrete (AC) along the existing carriageway through periodic maintenance (NR7, NR73, and PR377A) and rehabilitation (PR377A) works. Road shoulders will be widened and paved to improve safety for motorbikes. Adaptations solutions will be used to enhance the climate resilience of the road infrastructure including raising flood-prone road sections above flood levels; constructing concrete pavement in selected flood vulnerable locations; strengthening or replacing bridges with the design structure to adapt to the changing hydrology and flooding risks in the area; improving the capacity of drainage systems; and introducing bioengineering solutions such as grasses and tree planting to improve road slope protection. Output- and performance-based road contracts (OPBRC) will be used for road improvement and maintenance works. The OPBRC approach will help increase the efficiency of public financing with higher value for money through a transfer of certain performance risks to the private sector. OPBRC will also include installation of weight stations on project roads to strengthen enforcement of axle-load control measures, and define specific performance requirements for improved preservation of road assets, enhanced resilience to climate events, and maintaining road safety for traffic, and also service levels during the maintenance phase Jan 07, 2020 Page 8 of 14 The World Bank Cambodia Road Connectivity Improvement (P169930) Component 2: Rural Roads Improvement (estimated cost US$47.0 million equivalent) 24. The component will be implemented by MRD and includes the following subcomponents:  Subcomponent 2.1: Improvement and Maintenance of Rural Roads (estimated cost US$44.0 million equivalent). This subcomponent will support improvement and maintenance of prioritized rural roads with climate resilience measures.  Subcomponent 2.2: Design and Supervision Services for the Rural Roads (estimated cost US$3.0 million equivalent). This subcomponent will finance costs of supervision and design activities of the MRD project roads. 25. Rural roads will be upgrading from the existing earth and laterite roads to double bituminous surface treatment (DBST) standards along the existing alignment. Roads will be upgraded with climate resilience measure including improving the capacity of drainage systems and adaptation of bridges to the flooding risks, introducing concrete pavements on flood prone areas, and other resilience solutions. Road safety will be improved by widening and sealing shoulders, where land is available, through better marking and signage, and introducing traffic calming measures at critical locations. Rural road prioritization for investment will completed in the first year of project implementation. The rural road prioritization process will be based on geospatial analysis to assess flood vulnerability of the network and road accessibility gains and environmental and social screening. It is estimated that the component will finance about 250 km of priority rural roads through OPBRC covering both road improvement and maintenance and including performance requirements for improved preservation of road assets, enhanced resilience to climate events, and the maintenance of road safety for traffic. Component 3: Institutional Development and Project Management (estimated cost US$6.0 million equivalent) 26. This component will provide support to MPWT and MRD on institutional development and project management. It will include the following subcomponents:  Subcomponent 3.1. Institutional Development and Project Management Support to MPWT (estimated cost US$3.0 million equivalent). This subcomponent will be managed by MPWT and will support implementation of the following project activities: (a) upgrade of the road crash database system; (b) road safety awareness activities and road safety assessment of MPWT project roads; (c) technical assistance (TA) and capacity building to support with updating and implementation of MPWT Gender Mainstreaming Action Plan (GMAP); and (d) project management support in project implementation and oversight including procurement, financial management (FM) and audits, environmental and social oversight, monitoring and evaluation (M&E), training and capacity building, and incremental operation costs.  Subcomponent 3.2. Institutional Development and Project Management Support to MRD (estimated cost US$3.0 million equivalent). This subcomponent will be managed by MRD and will support implementation of the following project activities: (a) preparation of the rural roads accessibility financing strategy and support for the operationalization of the Rural Jan 07, 2020 Page 9 of 14 The World Bank Cambodia Road Connectivity Improvement (P169930) Roads Asset Management System; (b) road safety awareness activities and road safety assessment of MRD project roads; (c) study on transportation services in rural areas; and (d) project management support in project implementation and oversight, including procurement, FM and audits, environmental and social oversight, M&E, training and capacity building, and incremental operation costs. Component 4: Contingent Emergency Response (US$0 million) 27. This zero-dollar component is designed to provide swift response in the event of an eligible crisis or emergency, by enabling the RGC to request the World Bank to reallocate project funds to support emergency response and reconstruction. Cambodia’s road infrastructure is susceptible to climate change impacts. A Contingent Emergency Response Component (CERC) annex will be included in the Project Operations Manual (POM), which will specify implementation arrangements for the component, including its activation process, roles and responsibilities of implementing agencies, positive list of activities that maybe financed, environmental and social aspects, and fiduciary arrangements. . . Legal Operational Policies Triggered? Projects on International Waterways OP 7.50 No Projects in Disputed Areas OP 7.60 No Summary of Assessment of Environmental and Social Risks and Impacts . 28. The proposed project is subject to the World Bank’s Environmental and Social Framework (ESF). Nine Environmental and Social Standards (ESSs) including ESSs 1–8 and ESS 10 are relevant to the proposed project. 29. The overall environmental risks and impacts are assessed as Substantial. Potential negative environmental impacts from road works include (a) possible erosion and run off to water bodies during earthworks; (b) occupational and community health and safety including temporary traffic blockages and traffic safety; (c) the possibility of cutting trees/branches; (d) pollution from construction (dust, noise and vibration, wastewater, solid wastes, and used oil); (e) use of construction materials such as soil and gravel and use of water for construction; and (f) the possibility of irrigation or drainage channel blockages, and so on. These impacts are likely to be temporary and reversible and could be managed by applying good construction practices and respective mitigation measures. Climate change and disaster risk screening has identified extreme precipitation and flooding as major risks related to climate change which will be mitigated by ensuring adequate adaptation and flood resilience measures in design of road investments. Both MPWT and MRD have significant experience in implementing World Bank-financed projects with improving track records on safeguards compliance. However, the ESOs’ availability may be limited because of the existing workloads which necessities to ensure adequate staffing for the proposed project. Jan 07, 2020 Page 10 of 14 The World Bank Cambodia Road Connectivity Improvement (P169930) 30. Overall social risks and impacts are expected to be Substantial. Direct and indirect social risks associated with rehabilitation and improvement of existing national, provincial, and rural roads are expected to be mostly temporary, predictable, and avoidable. While no physical displacement is expected, the potential social risks and impacts are likely to result from a small number of roadside vendors and fences of houses/farms encroaching the right-of-way, which will have to be partially economically displaced; temporary labor influx of workers in low density areas; and risk of GBV, VAC, and child labor. In some project locations there is the likely presence of ethnic minorities (indigenous peoples). Special attention will need to be paid during project implementation to monitor and enforce compliance in the application of ESS2 (Labor and Working Conditions), particularly to child labor; ESS4 (Community Health and Safety), because temporary labor influx of workers is expected; and ESS5 (Land Acquisition, Restrictions on Land Use, and Involuntary Resettlement) because of the potential negative impacts to vendors operating close to the improved roads. 31. The project’s ESF instruments include the Environmental and Social Management Plans (ESMPs) for the national/provincial roads funded under Component 1; the Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF) establishing procedures and responsibilities for addressing specific environmental and social risks and impacts of the rehabilitation of rural roads under Component 2. In addition, the implementing agencies have prepared a Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP) and a Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM). For Component 1 (MPTW), because the project road sections are known, a Resettlement Plan has been prepared. A significant part of resettlement impacts is avoided or minimized through the road technical design. No indigenous peoples are present in the project areas of Component 1 (MPWT roads). For Component 2 (MRD roads), because the selection of rural roads will be completed during the first-year of project implementation, an Indigenous Peoples Policy Framework (IPPF) and a Resettlement Policy Framework (RPF) have been prepared. The anticipated social impacts will also be addressed in an integrated way under the section-specific ESMPs for Component 1 activities and under the ESMF for Component 2 activities. The project’s Environmental and Social Commitment Plan (ESCP) summarizes specific actions that the Borrower will take in the course of project implementation and within a determined time frame to address the environmental and social risks of the project in accordance with the requirements of all relevant ESSs. Draft ESF instruments have been disclosed at the webpages of the MPWT (http://rcip.mpwt.gov.kh/safeguards/), MRD (https://www.mrd.gov.kh/crcip/) and World Bank (http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/docsearch/projects/P169930). E. Implementation Institutional and Implementation Arrangements 32. The implementation arrangements for the project will follow the existing government structure. The Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) is the Borrower and the formal point of contact between the RGC and the World Bank on all financial and legal matters for the credit for the proposed project and represents the RGC in discussions on these matters. MRD and MPWT are the two project implementing agencies. 33. A Project Steering Committee (PSC) will be established to provide strategic guidance to the proposed Project. PSC will include representatives from MEF, MPWT, and MRD and will provide strategic guidance and facilitate inter-ministerial coordination and policy discussion. Jan 07, 2020 Page 11 of 14 The World Bank Cambodia Road Connectivity Improvement (P169930) 34. The project will be implemented following a Project Operations Manual (POM), which contains detailed information on the project implementation arrangements and processes, including procurement, FM, disbursements, and safeguards. MRD and MPWT are responsible for their respective project components and activities, including technical supervision; execution; and management, including contracting and direction of all consultants, and will be the employer for all civil works contracts. The MPWT and MRD will establish their Project Implementation Teams (PITs) comprising staff assigned from relevant departments and units within their respective ministry. The PIT will, for their respective components, lead day-to-day project implementation, undertake fiduciary responsibility such as FM and procurement, monitor project progress and conduct M&E, ensure compliance to project social and environmental standards, prepare project reports, oversee civil works, and coordinate and collect inputs from the relevant ministries related to their project components. Provincial departments of MRD and MPWT will assist in dissemination campaigns, safeguard requirements monitoring, and construction supervision, as required. . CONTACT POINT World Bank Sadig Aliyev Senior Transport Specialist Veasna Bun Senior Infrastructure Specialist Borrower/Client/Recipient Ministry of Economy and Finance Pornmoniroth Aun Deputy Prime Minister and Minister mef.cabinet@gmail.com Vissoth Vongsey Secretary of State vongsey_vissoth@mef.gov.kh Vanndy Hem Under Secretary of State hemvanndy@hotmail.com Implementing Agencies Jan 07, 2020 Page 12 of 14 The World Bank Cambodia Road Connectivity Improvement (P169930) Ministry of Public Works and Transport Sovicheano Pheng Secretary of State psovicheano@online.com.kh Chanthol Sun Senior Minister chantholsun@yahoo.com Ministry of Rural Development Kong Suos Secretary of State suoskong@gmail.com Darong Chan Secretary of State darongchan@gmail.com FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT The World Bank 1818 H Street, NW Washington, D.C. 20433 Telephone: (202) 473-1000 Web: http://www.worldbank.org/projects APPROVAL Sadig Aliyev Task Team Leader(s): Veasna Bun Approved By Environmental and Social Standards Advisor: Practice Manager/Manager: Country Director: Inguna Dobraja 24-Mar-2020 Jan 07, 2020 Page 13 of 14 The World Bank Cambodia Road Connectivity Improvement (P169930) Jan 07, 2020 Page 14 of 14