The Asian Development Bank is working with Georgia to improve water supply and sanitation services in six secondary towns. The program is improving the infrastructure in order to rehabilitate, improve, and expand services, as well as upgrade the management of supply and sanitation agencies.
| Project Name | MFF - Urban Services Improvement Investment Program - Facility Concept | ||||||
| Project Number | 43405-013 | ||||||
| Country | Georgia |
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| Project Status | Active | ||||||
| Project Type / Modality of Assistance | Loan |
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| Source of Funding / Amount |
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| Strategic Agendas | Environmentally sustainable growth Inclusive economic growth |
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| Drivers of Change | Governance and capacity development Private sector development |
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| Sector / Subsector | Water and other urban infrastructure and services - Water supply and sanitation |
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| Gender Equity and Mainstreaming | Effective gender mainstreaming | ||||||
| Description | The proposed Investment Program will improve water supply and sanitation (WSS) services in 6 secondary towns of Georgia. The Investment Program will include (i) infrastructure improvement to rehabilitate, improve, and expand WSS services; (ii) institutional effectiveness to improve the service utility's technical and management capabilities to provide efficient WSS services, and develop the capacity of sector regulators to regulate tariffs, services standards, environmental protection, and drinking water quality in the long-term; and (iii) Investment Program implementation support | ||||||
| Project Rationale and Linkage to Country/Regional Strategy | Georgia has a population of 4.43 million and serves as an important nodal point for inter-regional trade flows connecting the South Caucasus and landlocked Central Asia with the Black Sea and Mediterranean basins. The country's gross domestic product (GDP) is $10.5 billion with an annual growth of 5.9% (2004-09). With the global recovery taking hold, Georgia's GDP grew by at least 6.6% in the first half of 2010 on account of high growth in manufacturing, trade, and transportation. According to official statistics and comprehensive poverty studies in 2010, around 21% of the country's population lived in poverty and 8.8% in extreme poverty. A 2009 UNICEF survey on Social Welfare Monitoring also found that poverty was concentrated in secondary towns. By creating employment opportunities in secondary towns the government will reduce poverty and complement its targeted social assistance program to improve living standards of the poor. New employment opportunities will condition further rural-to-urban migration, and weigh down city/secondary town infrastructure and municipal service provision, such as WSS with growing impacts on the habitats and concomitant public health implications. Improved municipal services, and specifically WSS, is therefore a key government priority, which is highlighted in the context of major urban centers, such as Tbilisi, Rustavi, Kutaisi, Poti, and Zugdidi where larger populations are associated with increased demand for municipal services and greater pressures on service delivery. Urban centers in traditional tourist destinations such as Kobuleti, Batumi and most recently Mestia serve as important magnets for tourist attraction and are expected to witness similar pressures on municipal service delivery in the medium term. The SDP objectives are fully consistent with the strategy agreed between Georgia and ADB for the purposes of the ADB assistance program in the country and in line with principal elements of ADB's water policy and Water Operators Framework 2020. The SDP (which sets forth the road map and policy framework for the WSS sector) fits with ADB's approach to the WSS sector development in Georgia and supports the use of the proposed MFF as a funding modality for this ADB intervention. |
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| Impact | Improved health of residents in the secondary towns of Georgia | ||||||
| Project Outcome | |
|---|---|
| Description of Outcome | Improved water supply and sanitation services in the secondary towns of Georgia |
| Progress Toward Outcome | |
| Implementation Progress | |
| Description of Project Outputs | Component 1: Infrastructure Improvement Water supply system efficiency improved through rehabilitation and replacement, and coverage expanded Component 1: Infrastructure Improvement Sewerage and sanitation system efficiency improved through rehabilitation and reconstruction, and coverage expanded Component 2: Institutional Effectiveness Business plans developed and implemented Component 2: Institutional Effectiveness Financial management improved; management information system and accounting system developed Component 2: Institutional Effectiveness Geospatial WSS utility management systems operationalized Component 2: Institutional Effectiveness Management capacity of UWSCG enhanced Component 2: Institutional Effectiveness Sector regulatory capacity of GNEWSRC, MEPNR, and MA developed Component 3: Project Implementation Support Public awareness program effectively implemented, materials on hygiene and sanitation disseminated, and women developed as hygiene and sanitation advocates |
| Status of Implementation Progress (Outputs, Activities, and Issues) | |
| Geographical Location | |
| Summary of Environmental and Social Aspects | |
|---|---|
| Environmental Aspects | Category B The three sub-projects involve the refurbishment of existing water supply systems. The majority of the works will be within the existing boundaries of facilities, however there will be a number of new pipelines laid. All environmental impacts associated with the works are minor and can be managed through effective implementation of an environmental management plan. |
| Involuntary Resettlement | Category B Some permanent and temporary impact during construction is anticipated along a water transmission pipeline in Mestia. |
| Indigenous Peoples | Category C The Indigenous Peoples Safeguards will not be triggered by this Investment Program. Based on the ADB definition of Indigenous People, in Georgia there are no identified communities. |
| Stakeholder Communication, Participation, and Consultation | |
| During Project Design | Extensive consultations were undertaken with stakeholders including beneficiary communities (men and women separately), nongovernment organizations (especially women NGOs working in the IP geographic areas) and community-based organizations, elected representatives (such as city councils), local self governments, and representatives of various central Government ministries. Consultation workshops, meetings, focus group discussions, and structured interviews were undertaken with stakeholders. |
| During Project Implementation | |
| Responsible ADB Officer | Petrone, Massimo |
| Responsible ADB Department | Central and West Asia Department |
| Responsible ADB Division | Urban Development and Water Division, CWRD |
| Executing Agencies |
Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure of Georgia Zurab Alavidze, Minister 12 Khazbegi Str. 0160 Tbilisi Georgia |
| Timetable | |
|---|---|
| Concept Clearance | 17 Nov 2010 |
| Fact Finding | 21 Nov 2010 to 06 Dec 2010 |
| MRM | 15 Dec 2010 |
| Approval | 30 Mar 2011 |
| Last Review Mission | - |
| Last PDS Update | 02 Sep 2011 |
MFF Facility Concept 0055-GEO
| Financing Plan | Loan Utilization | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total (Amount in US$ million) | Date | ADB | Others | Net Percentage | |
| Project Cost | 625.00 | Cumulative Contract Awards | |||
| ADB | 500.00 | - | 0.00 | 0.00 | % |
| Counterpart | 125.00 | Cumulative Disbursements | |||
| Cofinancing | 0.00 | - | 0.00 | 0.00 | % |
Project Data Sheets (PDS) contain summary information on the project or program. Because the PDS is a work in progress, some information may not be included in its initial version but will be added as it becomes available. Information about proposed projects is tentative and indicative.
The Public Communications Policy (PCP) recognizes that transparency and accountability are essential to development effectiveness. It establishes the disclosure requirements for documents and information ADB produces or requires to be produced.
The Accountability Mechanism provides a forum where people adversely affected by ADB-assisted projects can voice and seek solutions to their problems and report alleged noncompliance of ADB's operational policies and procedures.
In preparing any country program or strategy, financing any project, or by making any designation of, or reference to, a particular territory or geographic area in this document, the Asian Development Bank does not intend to make any judgments as to the legal or other status of any territory or area.
| Title | Document Type | Document Date |
|---|---|---|
| Urban Services Improvement Investment Program | Gender Action Plans | Mar 2011 |
| Urban Services Improvement Investment Program | Reports and Recommendations of the President | Mar 2011 |
| Urban Services Improvement Investment Program | Summary Poverty Reduction and Social Strategies | Mar 2011 |
| Framework Financing Agreement for Urban Services Improvement Investment Program between Georgia and Asian Development Bank dated 1 March 2011 | Framework Financing Agreement | Mar 2011 |
| Urban Services Improvement Investment Program | Facility Administration Manual | Feb 2011 |
Safeguard Documents See also: Safeguards
Safeguard documents provided at the time of project/facility approval may also be found in the list of linked documents provided with the Report and Recommendation of the President.
| Title | Document Type | Document Date |
|---|---|---|
| Urban Services Improvement Investment Program: Environmental Assessment and Review Framework (Updated) | Environmental Assessment and Review Framework | May 2015 |
| Urban Services Improvement Investment Program: Resettlement Plan (as of Board approval) | Resettlement Plans | Nov 2010 |
| Urban Services Improvement Investment Program: Environmental Assessment and Review Framework (as of Board approval) | Environmental Assessment and Review Framework | Nov 2010 |
| Urban Services Improvement Investment Program: Initial Environmental Examination Reports (as of Board approval) | Initial Environmental Examination | Nov 2010 |
| Urban Services Improvement Investment Program: Resettlement Framework (as of Board approval) | Resettlement Frameworks | Nov 2010 |
Evaluation Documents See also: Independent Evaluation
None currently available.
Related Publications
None currently available.
The Public Communications Policy (PCP) establishes the disclosure requirements for documents and information ADB produces or requires to be produced in its operations to facilitate stakeholder participation in ADB's decision-making. For more information, refer to the Safeguard Policy Statement, Operations Manual F1, and Operations Manual L3.
Requests for information may also be directed to the InfoUnit.
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