The World Bank Report No: ISR9969 Implementation Status & Results Yemen, Republic of RY-IDF Capacity Building on Legal Aspects of WTO Accession (TF094514) (P115192) Public Disclosure Copy Operation Name: RY-IDF Capacity Building on Legal Aspects of WTO Project Stage: Implementation Seq.No: 3 Status: ARCHIVED Archive Date: 15-Apr-2013 Accession (TF094514) (P115192) Country: Yemen, Republic of Approval FY: 2009 Product Line: Institutional Development Fund Region: MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA Lending Instrument: Implementing Agency(ies): Ministry of Legal Affairs Key Dates Board Approval Date 09-Apr-2009 Original Closing Date 06-Apr-2013 Planned Mid Term Review Date Last Archived ISR Date 09-Jun-2011 Effectiveness Date 23-Jun-2010 Revised Closing Date 06-Apr-2013 Actual Mid Term Review Date Project Development Objectives Project Development Objective (from IDF Proposal) The objective of the Project is to strengthen Yemen's capacity to address the legal aspects of accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO). This will be achieved through enhancing the institutional capacity of Yemen's Ministry of Legal Affairs (MLA) to effectively provide the legal services needed for pre- and post-WTO accession including: (i) undertaking the necessary revisions to Yemen's legislation and legal framework for accession to the WTO; and (ii) negotiating international trade treaties; and (iii) addressing legal issues arising from Yemen's WTO commitments post-accession, such as international trade disputes. Has the Project Development Objective been changed since Board Approval of the Project? Yes No Component(s) Component Name Component Cost Technical and Capacity Building 302370.00 Improving Institutional Capacity of MLA 115380.00 Grant Audit 9900.00 Public Disclosure Copy Overall Ratings Previous Rating Current Rating Progress towards achievement of PDO Satisfactory Satisfactory Overall Implementation Progress (IP) Moderately Satisfactory Satisfactory Overall Risk Rating Moderate Implementation Status Overview The objective of the Project is to strengthen Yemen’s capacity to address the legal aspects of accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO) by enhancing the institutional capacity of Yemen’s Ministry of Legal Affairs (MLA) to effectively provide the legal services needed for pre-and post-WTO accession. The Financing Agreement was signed on April Page 1 of 5 The World Bank Report No: ISR9969 6, 2010 and declared effective on June 23, 2010. The project has three year duration and had started well. However, after some initial start-up activities, a political turmoil started in the country in January 2011, as a consequence of which, the entire government work had to suffer and the Bank had to suspend disbursements under the Yemen portfolio, with effect from July 28, 2011. The suspensions were lifted on January 20, 2012; however, interruptions caused by the events following the 2011 revolution have had a negative impact on project implementation. The post revolution environment has significantly affected Governmental agencies and businesses across the country, wherein work schedules were halted Public Disclosure Copy and interrupted for almost six months, thus impeding the roll out of project activities. Field consultancy contracts were frozen, and activities postponed or at times canceled, as field visits were not allowed due to the unrest. Notwithstanding the adverse security environment and constraints, the Project has been able to establish a comprehensive database and legal reference center for all laws and legislations in the Republic of Yemen. A properly equipped translation unit has also been been established in the Ministry of Legal Affairs (MoLA). A website of the MoLA for enhancing public access and creating legal awareness on WTO accession has been launched. Exposure visits to two countries for learning on legal aspects of meeting conditions of accession to WTO has been conducted and the personnel capacity of the Ministry of Legal Affairs has been improved. Under the project, some legal services were to be provided pre-WTO accession and some post-WTO accession. Yemen's accession to WTO has not taken place yet although recently there has been good progress in that direction. The Minister for Industry and Trade reached a deal with Ukraine in the field of access to markets, which had lasted more than three years. Yemen has thus completed all bilateral negotiations required to join the WTO. However, since it has not yet joined the WTO thus far, a large number of post-accession activities could not be started. Yemen is expected to join the WTO by June 2013 after which those activities would be started. Against the project cost of USD 427,650, an amount of USD 274,945 (64 % of the project cost) has been committed and USD 135,630 (32 % of the project cost) has been disbursed. Locations No Location data has been entered Results Indicators Public Disclosure Copy Page 2 of 5 The World Bank Report No: ISR9969 Indicator Name Core Unit of Measure Baseline Current End Target Increased capacity to provide legal services to Text Value Number of lawyers (2) (a) Exposure visits to Number of lawyers (22) government agencies on WTO-related issues. qualified to provide legal two countries for learning on qualified to provide legal Public Disclosure Copy services to government on legal aspects of meeting services to government WTO-related issues. conditions of accession to agencies on WTO-related WTO has been organized. issues b) The personnel capacity of the Ministry of Legal Affairs has been improved through supporting their knowledge and experience in legal and technical aspects required for accessing to WTO and the commitments of post WTO accession. c) The staff capacity of Ministry of Legal Affairs has been developed in preparing, drafting and reviewing legislations and advisory opinions; settling international commercial disputes; and, negotiating and concluding international agreements. Date 02-Mar-2009 07-Feb-2013 06-Apr-2013 Comments Specific training to MoLA Lawyers is planned and will be initiated only after the accession of Yemen into WTO Increased consistency of legislation and legal Text Value Number of laws (9 out of 43) Amendments to existing laws Number of laws (30 out of 43 framework with WTO legal requirements. requiring draft amendments to can be initiated only after - or 60% of laws identified in Public Disclosure Copy meet WTO legal accession of Yemen into the Legal Reform Action Plan) requirements. WTO and its ratification by the requiring draft amendments to parliament. The meet WTO legal WTOaccession is expected requirements, for which by June 2013. amendments are completed or an Action Pla Date 02-Mar-2009 07-Feb-2013 06-Apr-2013 Comments Page 3 of 5 The World Bank Report No: ISR9969 Increased institutional capacity to provide Text Value No (zero) translators with Training of Four (4) Three (3) translators with translation and legal information. skills in legal translation. translators has been skills in legal translation. completed and the procurement of equipment for Public Disclosure Copy the translation unit has been completed. Aproperly equipped legal translation unit has been established in the Ministry of Legal Affairs to translate and interpret texts in English on the WTO agreements and legislations and vice versa. Date 02-Mar-2009 07-Feb-2013 06-Apr-2013 Comments Data on Financial Performance (as of 10-Jan-2013) Financial Agreement(s) Key Dates Project Ln/Cr/Tf Status Approval Date Signing Date Effectiveness Date Original Closing Date Revised Closing Date P115192 TF-94514 Effective 25-Feb-2010 06-Apr-2010 23-Jun-2010 06-Apr-2013 06-Apr-2013 Disbursements Project Ln/Cr/Tf Status Currency Original Revised Cancelled Disbursed Undisbursed % Disbursed P115192 TF-94514 Effective USD 0.43 0.43 0.00 0.14 0.29 32.00 Disbursement Graph Public Disclosure Copy Page 4 of 5 The World Bank Report No: ISR9969 Public Disclosure Copy Key Decisions Regarding Implementation The closing date of the project is April 6, 2013 and the Government of Yemen has requested an extension to the Closing Date until March 31, 2014. The political turmoil, adverse security situation, suspension of disbursements, and limited implementation support had an adverse impact on the ability of the Project Management Unit (PMU) to carry out its planned activities in a timely manner. The project’s work has suffered for more than a year and Bank’s disbursements were suspended for more than 7 crucial months. Also, a substantial part of project activities including the amendments to existing legislations to confirm with the WTO agreement and training of lawyers from the Ministry of Legal Affairs to provide legal services to government departments are to be implemented after Yemen's accession to WTO, which has not taken place yet and is expected before June 2013. Hence, the team agrees with the government request and processing an extension in the closing date by one year to recover the lost time and to complete the planned activities, especially those to be implemented post-accession. Restructuring History There has been no restructuring to date. Public Disclosure Copy Related Projects There are no related projects. Page 5 of 5