| Project Detail |
Proposed Development Objective(s) Development Objective To increase access to affordable broadband internet, and to promote its use by individuals and enterprises, in selected rural settlements. Key Results 16. The project is expected to increase access to high-speed broadband connectivity for populations in rural areas, promote the use of select digitally enabled services (including digital public services) among connected populations, and improve the affordability of broadband services across the country. The improved access to high-speed connectivity will be measured by the number of individuals provided access to broadband connectivity through the project. The project will contribute to improved affordability of broadband services through procompetition and investment regulatory reforms, enabling internet service providers in rural areas to provide competitive high-quality broadband internet services, as measured through the number of affordable broadband subscription packages available in project areas. The project will also contribute to the increased use of specific digitally enabled services through training and capacity building programs and be measured by share of individuals and enterprises using the internet for specific purposes, as identified by GeoStat annual Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) use household and enterprise surveys. The data on use of ICT services will be gender disaggregated. D. Project Description 17. Through a combination of IBRD funding and counterpart financing, the proposed Project will support activities that will increase access to and realization of digital opportunity across Georgia, with a focus on rural areas. The Government has requested that the proposed Project include retroactive financing for eligible expenditures to accelerate Project implementation. Component 1: Increasing access to broadband 18. This Component will help expand access to broadband internet in rural settlements across Georgia and improve the enabling environment for digital development. Subcomponent 1.1 will support the Government’s Open Net Program, which seeks to expand access to broadband services to selected rural settlements. Subcomponent 1.2 will finance activities to enhance the enabling environmental for Georgia’s digital infrastructure development. Component 2: Promoting the use of broadband-enabled digital services 19. This Component will support the development of Georgia’s digital economy through a strengthened enabling environment, promoting digital use-cases of broadband, and addressing barriers to the participation of individuals in the digital economy. Subcomponent 2.1 will strengthen the enabling environment to develop Georgia’s digital economy. Subcomponent 2.2 will identify and promote broadband-enabled digital use-cases to help solve meaningful problems in the connected settlements and for specific user-groups (women-headed households, ethnic minorities, and persons with disabilities). Subcomponent 2.3 will support activities that ensure the digital inclusion of specific groups of individuals that are at risk of missing out on digital opportunities. Component 3: Project implementation support 20. This component will support the management and implementation of the Project and associated activities, including capacity building of the implementing entity and agencies. This would include hiring of consultants needed for key areas including for project management, technical input, procurement, financial management, environment and social framework implementation, monitoring and evaluation, communications, and citizen and stakeholder engagement, to enable Project implementation. |
