Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Benin ebenin Project (P113370) Operation Name: ebenin Project (P113370) Project Stage: Implementation Seq.No: 3 Status: ARCHIVED Archive : Country: Benin Approval FY: 2010 Product Line: IBRD/IDA Region: AFRICA Lending Instrument: Technical Assistance Loan Implementing Agency(ies): Key s Board Approval 25-Mar-2010 Original Closing 30-Jun-2015 Planned Mid Term Review 03-Dec-2012 Last Archived ISR 20-May-2011 Effectiveness 25-Aug-2010 Revised Closing 30-Jun-2015 Actual Mid Term Review Project Development Objectives Project Development Objective (from Project Appraisal Document) The objectives of the Project are to (i) improve access to lower cost and better quality ICT services, and (ii) enable the development of e-applications, in the Recipient's territory. Has the Project Development Objective been changed since Board Approval of the Project? Yes No Component(s) losure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized Component Name Component Cost Creating an enabling environment for improved access to ICT services 6.20 Enabling e-applications and facilitating uptake of e-business 7.00 Effective project implementation and M&E 1.80 Overall Ratings Previous Rating Current Rating Progress towards achievement of PDO Satisfactory Satisfactory Overall Implementation Progress (IP) Satisfactory Satisfactory Overall Risk Rating Substantial Implementation Status Overview Since the last mission of February 2011, Project implementation has improved significantly. Delays for the DNCMP' s approval have been reduced from 4 or 12 weeks to two (2) weeks. Out of the procurement plan for the first 18 months 100% of the consultants services have been started and 77% of procurement of the projected supplies have been launched. As a result, disbursement rate jumped from 2% at the beginning of the year to 13% in October. At this rate, disbursement is below the target for Y1 (target set at 19.8%) but the accelerating implementation trend since February will allow the project to close the gap and catch up with the target for Y2. Page 1 of 6
Due to the complex nature of the project activities and the fact that this is the first ICT project managed by the Ministry, preparing the TORs was challenging to the project and the focal points. In addition, the project witnessed some slow progress during the months leading to the elections. The Bank supported the Government project team by sharing sample ToRs and worked with the team to finalize the ToR for key activities. The Government project team decided to have a retreat to discuss the Bank samples and update them to the needs of the project. By the end of the mission most of the ToRs had been finalized and the procurement process for key studies launched. A number of keys studies are on-going (center of excellence, IXP) and contracts for advisors are signed. With the launching of the procurement process for six main studies (legal framework, e-government study, creation of ARCEP, Universal access, Postal studies and broadband study), the commitment rate will increase substantively in the next few months - enabling the project to catch up with the slight implementation delays for year 1 and be on track for projected disbursement for year 2. The most important pending action is the approval by the Parliament of the new Communications Law. The draft law has been reviewed by the Supreme Court and should be submitted to the Parliament soon. This is a key action as the current law governing the sector is outdated and does not reflect latest technological and market developments. Delays to enact the new law will delay the creation of the enabling environment for the sector. All projected studies should be launched before the next supervision mission, including two new studies the project proposed to add: Studies on the development Cybercriminality strategy and study on the Domain name management "bj". Those studies were added following the recommendation of semaine de l Internet. Overall the implementation is Satisfactory. Component 2 (a) is more advanced than components 1 dealing with enabling environment and 2 (b) dealing with e-business but positive developments have also been recorded for the others. The delays in passing the Communications Act remains the key concern for component 1 of the project as a number of activities depend on passing this law. In addition, the law is a major element of the enabling environment for the sector. The current regime based on outdated legal framework constitutes a bottleneck for the growth of the sector. Another important bottleneck is the monopoly on the access to the submarine cable capacity. The Government has clearly confirmed its determination to continue sector reform, including activities already developed within e-benin project such as the IXP project and the development of the broadband strategy. The mission noted that the Government is preparing the liberalization of the future sub-marine cables landing stations. These developments are setting the path for the country to benefit from new connectivity opportunities in the sector. During the mission the parties discussed the possibility to secure an additional landing station in Benin, through participation of Benin in ACE submarine cable. This will create additional capacity for Benin and will create additional competition for international connectivity, allowing the country to reach its goals for broadband connectivity. The Government already submitted a request for Benin participation in West Africa regional communications Infrastructure program to secure funding for the ACE submarine landing station. Locations No Location data has been entered Results Project Development Objective Indicators Indicator Name Core Unit of Measure Baseline Current End Target Impact on Telecom sector of World Bank Number Value 0.00 0.00 Technical Assistance (composite score: 1- low impact to 5-high impact) 23-Aug-2010 15-Oct-2011 Impact will start to be seen after major studies are launched and the new law is passed Page 2 of 6
Increase percentage of Public Services using electronic transactions Retail Price of Internet Services (per Mbit/s per Month, in US$) Percentage Value 0.00 0.00 20.00 This indicator will be reached after the pilot studies ion e- applications are launched. This is expected by year 3 of the project Amount(USD) Value 125.00 125.00 80.00 Price reductions are expected after the broadband strategy is adopted. The procurement process for the Broadband study was launched. Expected launch of the study is March 2012 Increase in number of ICT SMEs Percentage Value 0.00 0.00 30.00 the actual target value is "less than $80" Intermediate Results Indicators Indicator Name Core Unit of Measure Baseline Current End Target Satisfaction rate of regulated entities with the Percentage Value 0.00 0.00 60.00 improved capacity of the regulator The first satisfaction survey will be conducted by MTR Access to Telephone Services (fixed mainlines Number Value 37.00 60.00 44.50 plus cellular phones per 100 people) Increase of teledensity due to increase competition of the sector following the launch of this target value represents a 20% increase. Need to revise the target as the target was services by Glo. Fixed density reached and surpassed remained the same as Benin already. Telecom put its network expansion onhold during the privatization process Page 3 of 6
Indicator Name Core Unit of Measure Baseline Current End Target Access to Internet Services (number of subscribers per 100 people) Number Value 2.14 2.14 2.54 Access to broadband internet services Percentage Value 2.00 23-Aug-2010 Increase is likely to start materializing after the price of connection fall. This will be a result of implementation of the broadband strategy. support this target value represents a 20% increase Direct project beneficiaries Number Value 3000000.00 3300000.00 4000000.00 this is the target for Component 1 Female beneficiaries Percentage Value 25.00 35.00 45.00 Sub Type Supplemental User perception of quality of public services targeed by the project Percentage Value 25.00 25.00 50.00 Number of e-government services Number Value 17.00 17.00 25.00 Number of Manpower Trained under the Project (number of people) Number Value 0.00 0.00 500.00 Direct project beneficiaries Number Value 0.00 0.00 1000.00 This is the target for Component 2.1 only Page 4 of 6
Female beneficiaries Percentage Value 0.00 35.00 40.00 Percentage of applications financed through the matching grant that are available on the market The difference (in %) between the proportion of start-ups helped by AGENTIC that remains in activity after two years, and those that did not benefit from AGENTIC support Sub Type Supplemental Percentage Value 0.00 0.00 5.00 Percentage Value 0.00 0.00 20.00 Percentage of firms qualifying for innovation grants,that compete for the grant Percentage Value 0.00 0.00 30.00 Direct project beneficiaries Number Value 0.00 0.00 1000.00 This is the target for Component 2.2 only Female beneficiaries Percentage Value 30.00 40.00 45.00 Sub Type Supplemental Data on Financial Performance (as of 08-Nov-2011) Financial Agreement(s) Key s Project Loan No. Status Approval Signing Effectiveness Closing P113370 IDA-H5530 Effective 25-Mar-2010 27-Apr-2010 25-Aug-2010 30-Jun-2015 Disbursements (in Millions) Project Loan No. Status Currency Original Revised Cancelled Disbursed Undisbursed % Disbursed P113370 IDA-H5530 Effective XDR 9.70 9.70 0.00 1.30 8.40 13.00 Disbursement Graph Page 5 of 6
Key Decisions Regarding Implementation The mission noted Government commitment to give priority to the submission to/approval of the new Communications Law by the Parliament. A close follow up with the Parliament is required. The mission invites the Project to provide increased due diligence in the next few months and ensure no delays in procurement process for the key activities under the project with the objective to have contract signed and activities launched before the next supervision mission supervision mission. Regarding the Component 2 the mission invites AGeNTIC to launch the procurement process for the incubation center without delays and start activities related to training, communications and identification of beneficiary SME in parallel. Restructuring History There has been no restructuring to date. Related Projects There are no related projects. Page 6 of 6