| Project Detail |
The project is designed as a scalable set of interventions that can contribute to universal energy and transport access. Synchronizing investments in areas deprived of transport and energy access and services enables complementarity that can increase climate resilience, facilitate the development of agriculture value chains, and enhance private sector development and access to employment for rural and suburban populations. From a long list of 500km of roads, detailed designs and tender documents for 150 km of prioritized investments and for 225 rural communities lacking electricity access will be prepared by the project. This is intended to foster readiness for future donor-financed or co-financing opportunities. Jointly identifying an initial set of ‘first mover’ selections based on proximity and anticipated beneficiary catchments, primarily in the Central River region and Banjul area, the project aims to construct around 60km of rural and urban roads and connect 80 communities located within 2km of the existing electricity network. Small scale infrastructure that enhances low carbon development as well as community and customer satisfaction are intended to improve perceptions of public service delivery. Implementation road maps for contemporary policy and regulatory initiatives can also support scalability. Component One: Resilient Access to Infrastructure (total estimated cost of US$38.7 million, of which US$35.2 million IDA Grant and US$3.5 counterpart funding) The component aims to improve transport and energy infrastructure access to rural and urban populations and enhance the resilience of respective systems. Estimated costs include funding for civil works, goods, and consultant services (for feasibility studies, detailed engineering designs and construction supervision). Land acquisition and resettlement costs will be counterpart financed. Sub-Component 1.A: Last Mile Rural Connectivity. The subcomponent will improve rural transport and energy access to unelectrified remote villages, that are cut-off from access to crucial markets and services during flood events. The road selection and prioritization for investment has been informed by a climate vulnerability assessment and will consider road criticality for improved connectivity and resilience at network level. The key investments will rehabilitate or upgrade approximately 42 km of rural roads to all-season climate-resilient standards and finance last mile connectivity to increase electricity access. The investments will support the extension and densification of the grid in 80 rural communities. This will entail the construction of approximately 142km of medium voltage (MV) lines, 350km low voltage (LV) lines, 92 MV/LV substations and the provision of prepayment meters to rural beneficiaries. Sub-Component 1.B: Resilient GBA Infrastructure. The subcomponent will improve urban transport and energy systems to foster safe and reliable delivery of public services in the GBA. The key Investments include: (i) Rehabilitation or upgrading of approximately 18 km of urban roads to all-season climate-resilient standards, including universal access to pedestrian infrastructure leveraging opportunities to coordinate solar-equipped street lighting and bus shelters along selected urban road segments to improve access for vulnerable populations and promote modal shift to lower carbon modes. (ii) Identify, design and construct one ‘active mobility’ corridor that incorporates dedicated bicycle lanes and ancillary facilities for bicyclists, pedestrians and vulnerable road users to enhance urban accessibility. (iii) Upgrade and construct two primary electrical substations (33kV/11kV) with associated transmission line reconfigurations to boost urban grid reliability and efficiency. This will also include the replacement of 10 overloaded secondary substations in the GBA to support resilience and improve overall system reliability. Component Two: Policy, Planning and Management (total estimated cost of US$9.1 million IDA Grant) The component aims to introduce sustainable approaches for transport and energy sector development, with a focus on creating enabling policies to support road sector development and universal access for transport and developing capacity for road asset management. The component also supports the acceleration of renewable energy access and energy efficiency standards in The Gambia. Sub-Component 2.A: Sustainable Transport Policies and Road Sector Management (i) Technical assistance for MOTWI. Consultant services for development to road sector policy, regulation, and implementation action plans covering the following areas: (a) MOWTI Sustainable Transport Policies. The activity will support (i) updating the National Transport Policy, to reconfirm sectoral ambitions that integrate climate change and development pathways to better incorporate long-term strategies for decarbonization, climate resilience, road safety, sector financial management and public expenditures, supporting market-based practices in cost-recovery, tariff and subsidies, and restructuring of transport services, among other policy positions; and (ii) developing a Universal Access Policy to frame core principals related to universal access, gender considerations in infrastructure and services, and mobility demand management. The policy frameworks will also include implementation action plans to support realization of related initiatives, including a Ministry gender action plan; (b) Road sector legislative and regulatory gap analysis of the Motor Traffic Act. The activity will guide MOWTI objectives for codifying institutional mandates related to responsibilities for the road sector, including services, tariff setting, vehicle registration, road safety. The activity will include an implementation action plan, along with recommendations for measures to strengthen regulations; and (c) Road Safety Awareness and Advocacy. The activity will support road safety campaigns, including television and radio media, with a particular focus on sensitizing project areas of influence. (ii) Technical assistance for NRA. Consultant services and goods acquisition will support the following: (a)Road Asset Management. The project will procure road asset inventory and condition software, as well as low-cost road inspection equipment for data collection. The activity includes capacity building in road investment prioritization using social, economic, and environmental criteria. It will support the development of multi-year programming of periodic and routine maintenance works; and (b)Resilient Roads. Consultant services will support (i) updating of technical specifications for climate resilient road design for earth, gravel and paved roads, including nature-based solutions; (ii) preparation of a Road Maintenance Manual; and (iii) preparation of a quarry map and the quality of materials to be used in construction. Sub-Component 2.B: Sustainable Energy Enabling Environment (i) Credit Enhancement Mechanism to enable private sector investment in renewable energy. The activity will provide a US$5 million contribution into a secured payment mechanism, designed to mitigate the risk of NAWEC payment default (as the off taker), to satisfy the obligations of The Gambia as a condition to the private investor’s commitment to construct and operate a US$60 million (equivalent) 50MWp PV plant with BESS located in Soma, The Gambia under a 25 year- power purchase agreement (PPA) with the independent power producer (IPP). The funding will be deposited into a commercial bank account of The Gambia, exclusively managed by an independent escrow agent and exclusively dedicated to make the payments owed to the IPP by the off taker under the PPA, which have not been paid when due by the off taker. (ii) Technical assistance for MOPEM. The activity will engage consultant services for institutional capacity supporting (a) the propose. To improve access to resilient transport and energy infrastructure in selected areas of The Gambia and to strengthen the sectors’ capacity in the provision of related services. |
