The World Bank Central African Backbone - APL4 - Gabon (P122776) REPORT NO.: RES36447 DOCUMENT OF THE WORLD BANK RESTRUCTURING PAPER ON A PROPOSED PROJECT RESTRUCTURING OF CENTRAL AFRICAN BACKBONE - APL4 - GABON APPROVED ON MARCH 28, 2012 TO GABONESE REPUBLIC DIGITAL DEVELOPMENT AFRICA Regional Vice President: Hafez M. H. Ghanem Country Director: Elisabeth Huybens Senior Global Practice Director: Boutheina Guermazi Practice Manager/Manager: Michel Rogy Task Team Leader: Charles Pierre Marie Hurpy The World Bank Central African Backbone - APL4 - Gabon (P122776) I. BASIC DATA Product Information Project ID Financing Instrument P122776 Investment Project Financing Original EA Category Current EA Category Approval Date Current Closing Date 28-Mar-2012 30-Jun-2019 Organizations Borrower Responsible Agency Gabonese Republic CN-TIPPEE Project Development Objective (PDO) Original PDO The development objective of the project is consistent with the PDO for the CAB Program: To contribute to increase geographical reach and usage of regional broadband network services and reduce their prices in the territory of the Republic of Gabon. Summary Status of Financing Net Ln/Cr/Tf Approval Signing Effectiveness Closing Commitment Disbursed Undisbursed IBRD-86290 29-Jun-2016 21-Jul-2016 12-Jul-2017 30-Jun-2019 23.00 16.86 6.55 IBRD-81500 28-Mar-2012 21-May-2012 06-Mar-2013 30-Nov-2018 58.00 55.76 2.24 Policy Waiver(s) Does this restructuring trigger the need for any policy waiver(s)? No The World Bank Central African Backbone - APL4 - Gabon (P122776) I. SUMMARY OF PROJECT STATUS AND PROPOSED CHANGES In response to the government’s request, dated March 5th, 2019, an extension of the closing date of the Additional Financing of the CAB 4 project is proposed from June 30, 2019 to March 31, 2020, in order to allow additional time for the completion of the key on-going activities, as detailed below. The implementation of the CAB4 Gabon project – original and additional financing (AF) - has progressed satisfactorily to date: the Progress towards achievement of PDO is currently rated Satisfactory and the Overall Implementation Progress is rated Moderately Satisfactory. The AF was declared effective on July 12, 2017. The disbursement rate stands today at 71.5%. The totality of the remaining funds (US$5.7 million) will be disbursed through the ongoing contract for the construction of the extension of the national fiber optic backbone (“Phase 2”) and several policy and regulatory studies. A first closing date extension of the Loan (from June 30, 2018 to June 30, 2019) was granted on May 18th, 2018. This first extension was made necessary by the decision of the authorities to re-launch a tender for the construction of the fiber optic network Phase 2, as opposed to the initial decision to amend the contract of the original supplier for the construction of the network Phase 1 (parent project). The ongoing construction of the backbone network (Phase 2) is experiencing technical impediments, which are generating significant delays in the construction work. This proposed extension will allow sufficient time to 1) complete the construction work (Phase 2), which is now scheduled to be completed around July 2019, 2) finalize the testing, operationalization and corrections of the network (Phase 2), 3) complete the transfer of the management of the infrastructure (phase 2) to the private operator, as per the PPP agreement, 4) finalize the audit and complete the necessary correction of the first segments of the network backbone (phase 1) now commercialized through the established PPP, 5) finalize the interconnection arrangements between Gabon and Congo, Cameroon and Eq. Guinea, and 5) complete the remaining policy and regulatory studies, which are ongoing or in the last stage of procurement. The Project Development Objectives and intermediate indicators are all expected to be reached by the new closing date. Notes: the project will be asked to submit an application for an advance on the designated account by April 15th, 2019. Also, there is no outstanding audit report. II. DETAILED CHANGES LOAN CLOSING DATE(S) Original Revised Proposed Proposed Deadline Ln/Cr/Tf Status Closing Closing(s) Closing for Withdrawal Applications The World Bank Central African Backbone - APL4 - Gabon (P122776) 30-Jun-2018, 30-Nov- IBRD-81500 Closed 31-Dec-2016 2018 IBRD-86290 Effective 30-Jun-2018 30-Jun-2019 31-Mar-2020 31-Jul-2020