This issue focuses on ways to tackle persistent flooding and economic vulnerabilities in the agricultural sector for Guyana. In January 2005, extreme and prolonged rainfall caused widespread flooding in Guyana with flood levels reaching over one and a half meters in some coastal villages.
... See More + One of the country's primary water reservoirs and dam, the East Demerara Water Conservancy, serves as a flood control mechanism during the wet-season and a water storage basin providing irrigation during the dry-season. It allows for biannual harvests of rice and sugar, accounting for approximately 27 percent of the nation's GDP. In 2005, water levels in the Conservancy were elevated well above safe operating levels, putting the dam at risk of overtopping and catastrophic breaching. A top priority identified under the Conservancy Adaptation Project (CAP) initiative is the strengthening of the Conservancy and coastal drainage systems to protect the country's key economic and most populated regions. The CAP focused on four main areas: 1) pre-investment studies and data collection for engineering design of works; 2) critical drainage infrastructure investments; 3) institutional strengthening and capacity building; and 4) building national awareness of flood risk. CAP has been a flagship project and launching pad for significant progress in flood risk mitigation measures for Guyana and the Caribbean region. The data generated through the CAP's pre-investment studies are being utilized for a variety of purposes, such as modeling studies, line of sight studies, biomass measurements, 3D building-modeling, further climate change impact studies, visualizations for land-use planning and agricultural production, and open-data sharing platforms. These investments will generate increased capacity to manage water levels in the Conservancy and lessen the high vulnerability of the people and agricultural areas in the region to moderate and extreme climate events.
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The World Bank Environmental and Social Framework sets out the Bank's commitment to sustainable development, through a policy and a set of environmental and social standards designed to support Borrowers' projects, with the aim of ending extreme poverty and promoting shared prosperity.
... See More + This framework converts aspirations and principles into practical, project-level applications within the context of the Bank's mandate as set out in its Articles of Agreement. It comprises: a) a vision for sustainable development, setting out the Bank's aspirations regarding environmental and social sustainability; b) the World Bank Environmental and Social Policy, setting out the mandatory requirements that apply to the Bank; c) the Environmental and Social Standards, together with their annexes, setting out the mandatory requirements that apply to the Borrowers and projects; d) the Environmental and Social Procedures, setting out requirements mandatory for both the Bank and the Borrower on how to implement the Policy and the Standards; and e) non-mandatory guidance and information tools, to support Bank and Borrower implementation of the Policy and the Standards.
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The objectives of Improving Disaster Risk Management Project for Mongolia are to identify and explain potential key environmental and social safeguards issues associated with the project and approaches to address the issues.
... See More + Some of the negative impacts and mitigation measures include: the project is a technical assistance and does not have direct impact on environmental or social safeguard issues. However, the UB city flood risk management plan, designed under sub-component A.1.3, may in future result into investments that have implications on the environment. Therefore, the Environmental Assessment Policy (OP4.01) and the Involuntary Resettlement Policy (OP 4.12) are triggered. The relevant environmental and social safeguards policies objectives and elements will be part of the planning process, terms of reference for the plan and the capacity building grant activities to the relevant line ministries and Ulaanbaatar city. This includes among others, aspects related to the identification and mitigation of potential environmental impacts and inclusion of the vulnerable and marginalized groups of people in project activities.
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The development objectives of the Improving Disaster Risk Management Project for Mongolia are to improve the disaster preparedness of Ulaanbaatar (UB) and to reduce the impact of dzud on rural livelihoods.
... See More + Some of the negative impacts and mitigation measures include: (1) mapping flood risks by micro zone in order to determine the exact nature and level of risk in different parts of the city; (2) designing and developing database on hazards and vulnerabilities to enable UB to quantify the total risks it faces and subsequently preparing a cost-benefit analysis for prevention and mitigation of risks; (3) designing UB city flood risk management plan and capacity building to enable the city to respond effectively and reduce the loss of lives and assets; (4) reviewing the quality of the work carried out, such as the training and flood risk management plan developed under the project with a view of providing tangible recommendations for the city and project management unit to follow and improve project outcomes; (5) supporting institutionalization of the livestock early warning system (LEWS) within the national agency for meteorology, hydrology, and environmental monitoring (NAMHEM); and (6) designing and piloting a new feed and fodder supply system to allow vegetation to grow to full maturity and be harvested, packed, and stored for the winter, ensuring readily available emergency feed supply for the beneficiary herder households.
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Ratings for the Post Tsunami Reconstruction Project for Tonga were as follows: outcomes were moderately satisfactory, the risk to development outcome was moderate, the Bank performance was moderately satisfactory, and the Borrower performance was also moderately satisfactory.
... See More + Some lessons learned included: project implementation periods should allow for possible delays. Even though land acquisition arrangements seemed relatively straightforward at appraisal, unforeseen local political issues that are common in a Pacific island context stalled implementation of physical investments. Adequate time should be allowed for land issues to be negotiated in an appropriate way. Transport impediments (particularly following a major natural disaster such as the 2009 Tsunami) can delay travel of project staff to beneficiary communities and can hold up implementation support missions. Capacity building activities under component three were only loosely linked to reconstruction and recovery activities under the other components and were implemented by a different ministry. Implementation delays resulted as (stretched) project management staff concentrated their time and efforts on facilitating physical investments that met urgent recovery needs.
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Implementation Completion and Results Report ICR3036 JUN 27, 2014
The objective of the Standardized Operations Risk-rating Tool (SORT) is to help the World Bank consistently assess and monitor risks across all operational instruments and country programs.
... See More + The risks considered are the risks to development results associated with the operation: both the risks to not achieving the intended (positive) results; and those causing unintended (negative) results. The SORT provides the information needed to help clients adequately manage and, where possible, mitigate operational risks within a broader risk management framework. It is intended to identify those risks on which the Bank needs to focus management attention and resources - within any given operation or at the level of the country, region, global practice or cross-cutting solution area. The SORT will: (i) systematically and consistently rate risks of operational and country engagements in all regions and across all operations; (ii) help focus management attention on high and substantial risk operations and on particular risks within operations during implementation; and (iii) provide a light but systematic and contestable way of identifying the appropriate level of corporate review process and any need for Board discussion. The SORT also applies to Country Partnership Frameworks (CPF), in order to focus management attention on high risk CPFs to better link risk management at the country program level with risk management at the operational level, and to establish risk management as an integral part of country engagement. The SORT is harmonized across instruments and regions. The SORT will be the primary source of information for the so-called "risk lists". Following the overview, this guidance note is organized as follows: section II describes the SORT and its components; section III provides an overview of the process of preparing and reviewing the SORT; and section IV provides guidance on how to rate risks in each category.
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On March 11, 2011, an earthquake of magnitude 9.0 occurred in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Japan's Tohoku region. The Great East Japan Earthquake was the first disaster ever recorded that included an earthquake, a tsunami, a nuclear power plant accident, a power supply failure, and a large-scale disruption of supply chains.
... See More + This report consolidates the set of 36 Knowledge Notes, research results of the joint study undertaken by the Government of Japan and the World Bank. It summarizes the lessons learned from the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami and provides guidance to other disaster-prone countries for mainstreaming disaster risk management in their development policies. It is clear that financial resources alone are not sufficient to deal with disasters and to spur development. Technical assistance and capacity building are equally important. In Japan's case, the project learned how communities can play a critical role in preparing for and coping with natural disasters. Communities can help prevent damage from spreading, maintain social order, and provide support to the vulnerable. Only through technical cooperation can such know-how be passed on to other countries and be adapted to their local circumstances. The chapters that make up the main body of this report are built around the disciplines employed in the traditional disaster risk management cycle. Grouped into seven thematic clusters that track that cycle, the chapters treat structural measures (part 1) and nonstructural measures (part 2) as preventive options. Also covered is the emergency responses put in place after March 11 (part 3) and described the planning behind the reconstruction process (part 4). The handling of risk assessment and communication before and after the disaster are the subject of part 5. Part 6 deals with risk financing, insurance, and fiscal and financial management; part 7 with the progress of recovery and relocation.
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The objective of the Floods Emergency Recovery Project for Bosnia and Herzegovina is to meet critical needs and restore functionality of infrastructure essential for public services and economic recovery in floods affected areas.
... See More + There are three components to the project, the first component being emergency disaster recovery goods. The recent floods have created significant strains on the supply chains for a variety of goods crucially needed to ensure the continuity of public services and economic opportunities. For example, some coal mines have been flooded, resulting in a restriction of supply to the main thermal power plants. The flooded areas traditionally have been oriented towards agriculture and agribusiness, which were severely affected by the floods, resulting in fodder and forage shortages and an urgent need for seeds and fertilizers for reseeding. The second component is the rehabilitation of key public infrastructure. Component two will support the rehabilitation of both local and regional public infrastructure on the basis of the Recovery Needs Assessment, or RNA. The impact of the floods was concentrated on around 60 municipalities in the central, northwest and northeast parts of the country; in many of these, public services delivery was severely impacted. This Component will therefore finance the rehabilitation or reconstruction of high priority, public service delivery infrastructure in the worst-affected areas. Finally, the third component is the project implementation support and capacity building. This component will finance the management of the Project and any support needed for the identification and implementation of sub-activities. The component will also provide technical assistance and capacity building to help ensure future improved disaster resilience.
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Ratings for the First Phase of Adaptable Program Loan for National Disaster Vulnerability Reduction Project for Colombia were as follows: outcomes were satisfactory, risk to development outcome was moderate, Bank performance was moderately satisfactory, and Borrower performance was moderately satisfactory.
... See More + Some lessons learned included: there is existing demand at the municipal level for in-depth and continuous technical support for risk mitigation actions. Instituto de hidrologia, meteorologia, y estudios ambientales, institute of hydrology, meteorology, and environment studies (IDEAM's) work has the potential to contribute to the development of climate risk parametric insurance tools. Such tools can be supported in a follow-up operation, and furthermore, use the successful experience from other countries in that area. An in-depth institutional assessment as well as the preparation of a capacity development plan for unidad nacional para la gestion del riesgo de desastres, national unit for disaster risk management (UNGRD) will help define the institutional and implementation arrangements for a potential phase II. In terms of monitoring and evaluation (M and E), the project demonstrated the limits of a quantitative results framework (RF). It highlighted the critical need to design, from entry, some indicators and or an M and E system that can capture the outcomes produced by the project. There was a good synergy between this International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) operation and global facility for disaster reduction and recovery (GFDRR) grants, targeting specific areas of technical assistance (TA) and delivering extra-outcomes and positive impacts around the project.
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Implementation Completion and Results Report ICR1946 JUN 09, 2014
The development objective of the Enhancing Spatial Data for Flood Risk Management Project for Mozambique is to increase the capacity of Mozambique to prepare for and manage flood events in the Limpopo and Zambezi river basins.
... See More + The project will consist of two small recipient-executed grants implemented in parallel by regional water authority (administracao regional de aguas) (ARA)-Sul and ARA-Zambezi, respectively, with each grant constituting one of the project's two components. The grants will finance: (i) Limpopo river basin high-resolution Lidar survey component which will be implemented by ARA-Sul in close collaboration with national directorate of water (direccao nacional de aguas) (DNA) and national institute for disaster management (instituto nacional de gestao de calamidades) (INGC), as well as key stakeholder agencies; and (ii) Zambezi river basin high-resolution Lidar surveys component which will be implemented by ARA-Zambezi in close collaboration with DNA, INGC, and other key stakeholder agencies.
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Ratings for the Natural Disaster Risk Management (DRM) Project for Vietnam were as follows: outcomes were moderately satisfactory, risk to development outcome was moderate, Bank performance was moderately satisfactory, and Borrower performance was moderately satisfactory.
... See More + Some lessons learned included: DRM decisions should be made based on perceived risk reduction benefits and a combination of the physical and non-physical solutions in a context of larger integrated river-basin management scale. Existing institutional settings need to be leveraged to implement community-based (CB) DRM activities. Tailored public information and awareness-raising, including gender mainstreaming, are essential for commune participation, accountability, and investment ownership. Operating and maintenance (O and M) budget should be sufficiently allocated through the government annual budget planning cycle conducted in all levels. Strong institutional reform and leadership of the coordination agency is essential for project success and sustainability. Clear institutional arrangements and responsibilities need to be determined before project start. Achievement of the sustainable goal for post-disaster reconstruction should be monitored closely and properly throughout the implementation of both original credit and additional finance (AF). Comprehensive monitoring and evaluation (M and E) framework should be prepared and put in place before the project start.
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Implementation Completion and Results Report ICR3183 JUN 02, 2014
The Sub-Committee (SC) of the Committee on Development Effectiveness (CODE) considered an Independent Evaluation Groups (IEG) Global Program Review - The World Bank's Partnership with the GAVI Alliance (CODE2014-0016) and Draft Management Comments (CODE2014-0019).
... See More + The Committee welcomed IEG's timely Global Program Review (GPR), and observed that its scope was in line with the Approach Paper endorsed in October 2012. Members broadly supported the reports findings and lessons learned. Members recognized the Bank-GAVI partnership as an overall success story. They commended the World Bank Group's (WBG) key role as one of the founding partners of GAVI, and noted that through this public-private partnership the WBG helped address a systematic shortfall in the global health architecture related to vaccination. Members acknowledged GAVI's transformative accomplishments in accelerating coverage of childrens immunization globally, as well as the WBG's track record in pioneering two of the most innovative financing mechanisms through the GAVI Alliance: the International Financing Facility on Immunization and the Advanced Market Commitment, both of which have been essential for scaling up the immunization enterprise and for giving signals to the private sector that have helped to overcome market failures. Members recognized the changing dynamics in the WBG-GAVI partnership as a result of GAVI's evolution from an informal alliance to a formal, independent organization, and the consequential governance adjustments. In response to a query on whether IEG's review captured all the relevant programs and components that have contributed to immunization but may not have been labeled as such in the WBG's portfolio, the committee was informed by Management that the WBG may have done more in strengthening delivery systems for immunizations.
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Countries in the Caribbean and Central America are highly vulnerable to the adverse effects associated with earthquakes, tropical cyclones, and other major hydro-meteorological events such as excessive rainfall.
... See More + Aftermath of disasters typically place significant strain on the fiscal systems of affected countries. Consequently, ministers of the Central American integration system (SICA) and Caribbean community (CARICOM) countries have expressed a strong intention to collectively manage the disaster risk. By understanding the loss potential of disasters caused by natural events and the extent of public intervention in recovery and reconstruction efforts, governments can ascertain their respective contingent liabilities. Sovereign disaster risk financing and insurance can also safeguard against sudden macroeconomic shocks that negatively impact fiscal performance, and in turn, economic development. Caribbean and Central American governments are constrained in their ability to access quick liquidity to absorb fiscal shocks associated with natural hazard impacts because they have limited ability to create contingency funds, and limited capacity for external borrowing. The World Bank in partnership with the United States department of treasury assessed various options, which guided Ministers of Finance of Central America, Panama, and the Dominican Republic (COSEFIN) to identify the Caribbean catastrophe risk insurance facility (CCRIF) as the best option. The CCRIF provides cost-effective and fast-disbursing liquidity, and is an efficient way to finance a liquidity gap arising in the immediate aftermath of disaster.
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The Judicial Reform Project was designed to provide Armenia's judiciary with the administration, facilities, and expanded capacity necessary to improve the efficiency, reliability, and transparency of judicial operations and services.
... See More + The purpose of the investigation underlying this report is to allow the World Bank Group (WBG) to determine if the rules have been violated. This report summarizes the findings of an administrative inquiry (the investigation) by the WBG's Integrity Vice Presidency (INT) into allegations of irregularities in a joint venture bid submitted by Company A for a contract under the Bank-financed Armenian project. The investigation involved Company A and a Company A representative. INT investigated allegations that Company A, under the supervision of such representative, submitted a bank reference letter containing false information in the bid for a contract under the project. INT's interviews with relevant parties and review of correspondence between Company A's joint venture partner, Company B, and the Issuing Bank indicate that Company B was not aware that the bank reference letter was false. The WBG reserves the right to invoke its privileges and immunities, including at any time during the course of an investigation or a subsequent judicial or other proceeding pursued in connection with this matter.
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Bangladesh Climate Change Resilience Fund (BCCRF) is a multi-donor trust fund for climate change. The featured article in this issue of the newsletter is entitled Climate-smart development empowers Bangladesh communities.
... See More + This newsletter also includes the following headings: BCCRF's contribution to the climate change exposed communities; stories of climate- vulnerable communities: how new economic opportunities empower women; BCCRF project funds dozens of local disaster-resilience projects; and interviews with Dr. Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad, Zakir Hossain, Sarawasti Rani, Sharifa Khatun, and Ashima Mondol and Kamrul Islam.
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The Ibadan Urban Flood Management Project development of Nigeria has an objective to improve the capacity of Oyo State to effectively manage flood risk in the city of Ibadan.
... See More + The project consists of three main components described in subsequent paragraphs: (i) Flood Risk Identification, Prevention and Preparedness Measures; (ii) Flood Risk Reduction; and (ii) Project Administration and Management Support. The first component assess flood risk in the city of Ibadan, plan risk reduction measures, and finance preventive structural and non-structural measures to enhance flood preparedness. The second component is to ensure flood risk mitigation through structural measures by financing public infrastructure investments for flood mitigation and drainage improvements. The third component will finance incremental operational costs related to the implementation of the project for goods, equipment, staff, travel, and Project Management Units consultant services.
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