Timor-Leste: Dili to Baucau Highway Project

Transport / Road transport (non-urban)

105 km of national road between Dili and Baucau upgraded and climate-proofed

Performance-based road maintenance expanded

Awareness of road safety and transport-related social issues generated

The project is categorized as B for involuntary resettlement. Road upgrading and rehabilitation will be conducted within the existing road corridor, with widening requiring small strips of land beyond the government-reserved area. As much as possible, construction limits are set within the existing alignment to minimize land acquisition impacts. The ADB funded Manatuto to Baucau section is considered the most sensitive, with 137 affected persons experiencing major impacts from losing residential houses and/or permanent commercial kiosks, which constitute more than 10% of each affected person's income-earning assets. The JICA-financed Dili to Manatuto section will have 133 affected persons experiencing the same impacts. Two separate resettlement plans (one for the Dili to Manatuto section and one for the

Manatuto to Baucau section) have been prepared jointly by JICA-financed project design consultants and the PMU and started implementation in July 2016. A social compliance audit has been undertaken to assess the project's compliance with the Safeguard Policy Statement

and to recommend corrective actions to bring it into compliance prior to ADB financing of civil works. ADB and JICA will administer their respective road sections with joint supervision and monitoring of safeguards activities through the PMU, which will work closely with the safeguards team under the construction supervision consultant. Key stakeholders and affected persons have been consulted during the resettlement plan preparation and disclosure, and will be further consulted during implementation. The social compliance audit report will be disclosed on the ADB website and to affected persons and other relevant stakeholders. Capacity building of the PMU's national social safeguard staff will be provided by maintaining and extending the contracts of international specialists in the PMU.

The project is categorized as C for indigenous peoples. The project is not expected to impact any distinct and vulnerable groups as defined by

the Safeguard Policy Statement and therefore does not require an indigenous peoples plan. The project will support and promote the participation of local communities, and it will work to provide them with culturally appropriate benefits.

The main stakeholders include the government, landowners, road users, transport owners and operators and civil society and non-government organizations. The beneficiaries will participate in consultation sessions during the design of project activities and subsequent phases of project preparation and implementation. The stakeholders will also participate in social and poverty analysis, impact assessments and preparation of mitigation plans, as needed and during project implementation.

The project preparatory technical assistance (PPTA) will undertake a stakeholder analysis and prepare a consultation and participation plan. The plan will set out consultation requirements and information disclosure throughout various stages of project implementation.

Public meetings and focus group discussions will be utilized to communicate and consult with stakeholders including collaboration with community-based organizations to ensure effective outreach, mobilization and participation of concerned communities and vulnerable groups.

Nongovernment organizations and civil society organizations will be consulted during the project design and have an active role in project preparation and implementation through the provision of specific services and/or involvement during monitoring and evaluation processes.

Local communities will be consulted during social and poverty analysis to identify any social impacts which need to

be mitigated. These consultations will be inclusive participated by women and other marginalized groups.