Conformed Copy - C2028 - Hill Community Forestry Project - Development Credit Agreement

Page 1 CONFORMED COPY CREDIT NUMBER 2028 NEP (Hill Community Forestry Project) between KINGDOM OF NEPAL and INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION Dated August 18, 1989 CREDIT NUMBER 2028 NEP DEVELOPMENT CREDIT AGREEMENT AGREEMENT, dated August 18, 1989, between KINGDOM OF NEPAL (the Borrower) and INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION (the Association). WHEREAS (A) the Borrower, having satisfied itself as to the feasibility and priority of the Project described in Schedule 2 to this Agreement, has requested the Association to assist in the financing of the Project; (B) the Borrower intends to contract from Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA) a grant (the Danish Grant) in an amount equivalent to $6,850,000 to assist in financing the Project on the terms and conditions set forth in an agreement (the Danish Grant Agreement) to be entered into between the Borrower and DANIDA; and WHEREAS the Association has agreed, on the basis, inter alia, of the foregoing, to extend the Credit to the Borrower upon the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement; Page 2 NOW THEREFORE the parties hereto hereby agree as follows: ARTICLE I General Conditions; Definitions Section 1.01. The "General Conditions Applicable to Develop- ment Credit Agreements" of the Association, dated January 1, 1985, with the last sentence of Section 3.02 deleted (the General Conditions) constitute an integral part of this Agreement. Section 1.02. Unless the context otherwise requires, the several terms defined in the General Conditions and in the Preamble to this Agreement have the respective meanings therein set forth and the following additional terms have the following meanings: (a) "Special Account" means the account referred to in Section 2.02 (b) of this Agreement; (b) "MFSC" means the Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation of the Borrower; (c) "FD" means the Forest Department of the Borrower's MFSC; (d) "User Groups" means groups of individuals recognized as having rights for the use and management of a particular area of the forest who will be organized under the Project; (e) "DFPR" means the Department of Forest and Plant Research of the Borrower's MFSC; (f) "Guidelines" means the Guidelines of MFSC which will contain detailed operational procedures and instructions for the implementation of the community forestry program; (g) "LRMP" means the Land Resources Mapping Project of the Borrower; and (h) "Operational Action Program" means the series of operational actions as set forth in the Program dated April 21, 1989. ARTICLE II The Credit Section 2.01. The Association agrees to lend to the Borrower, on the terms and conditions set forth or referred to in the Development Credit Agreement, an amount in various currencies equivalent to twenty three million five hundred thousand Special Drawing Rights (SDR 23,500,000). Section 2.02. (a) The amount of the Credit may be withdrawn from the Credit Account in accordance with the provisions of Schedule 1 to this Agreement for expenditures made (or, if the Association shall so agree, to be made) in respect of the reasonable cost of goods and services required for the Project described in Schedule 2 to this Agreement and to be financed out of the proceeds of the Credit. (b) The Borrower shall, for the purposes of the Project, open and maintain in dollars a special account in the Nepal Rastra Bank on terms and conditions satisfactory to the Association. Deposits into, and payments out of, the Special Account shall be made in accordance with the provisions of Schedule 5 to this Agreement. Section 2.03. The Closing Date shall be June 30, 1997 or such later date as the Association shall establish. The Association shall promptly notify the Borrower of such later date. Page 3 Section 2.04. (a) The Borrower shall pay to the Association a commitment charge on the principal amount of the Credit not withdrawn from time to time at a rate to be set by the Association as of June 30 of each year, but not to exceed the rate of one-half of one percent (1/2 of 1%) per annum. (b) The commitment charge shall accrue: (i) from the date sixty days after the date of this Agreement (the accrual date) to the respective dates on which amounts shall be withdrawn by the Borrower from the Credit Account or cancelled; and (ii) at the rate set as of the June 30 immediately preceding the accrual date and at such other rates as may be set from time to time thereafter pursuant to paragraph (a) above. The rate set as of June 30 in each year shall be applied from the next payment date in that year specified in Section 2.06 of this Agreement. (c) The commitment charge shall be paid: (i) at such places as the Association shall reasonably request; (ii) without restrictions of any kind imposed by, or in the territory of, the Borrower; and (iii) in the currency specified in this Agreement for the purposes of Section 4.02 of the General Conditions or in such other eligible currency or currencies as may from time to time be designated or selected pursuant to the provisions of that Section. Section 2.05. The Borrower shall pay to the Association a service charge at the rate of three-fourths of one percent (3/4 of 1%) per annum on the principal amount of the Credit withdrawn and outstanding from time to time. Section 2.06. Commitment charges and service charges shall be payable semi-annually on April 1 and October 1 in each year. Section 2.07. (a) Subject to paragraphs (b) and (c) below, the Borrower shall repay the principal amount of the Credit in semi-annual installments payable on each April 1 and October 1 commencing October 1, 1999, and ending April 1, 2029. Each installment to and including the installment payable on April 1, 2009, shall be one percent (1%) of such principal amount, and each installment thereafter shall be two percent (2%) of such principal amount. (b) Whenever: (i) the Borrower's gross national product per capita, as determined by the Association, shall have exceeded $790 in constant 1985 dollars for five consecutive years, and (ii) the Bank shall consider the Borrower creditworthy for Bank lending, the Association may, subsequent to the review and approval thereof by the Executive Directors of the Association and after due consideration by them of the development of the Borrower's economy, modify the terms of repayment of installments under paragraph (a) above by requiring the Borrower to repay twice the amount of each such installment not yet due until the principal amount of the Credit shall have been repaid. If so requested by the Borrower, the Association may revise such modification to include, in lieu of some or all of the increase in the amounts of such installments, the payment of interest at an annual rate agreed with the Association on the principal amount of the Credit withdrawn and outstanding from time to time, provided that, in the judgment of the Association, such revision shall not change the grant element obtained under the above-mentioned repayment modification. (c) If, at any time after a modification of terms pursuant to paragraph (b) above, the Association determines that the Borrower's economic condition has deteriorated significantly, the Association may, if so requested by the Borrower, further modify the terms of repayment to conform to the schedule of installments as provided in paragraph (a) above. Section 2.08. The currency of United States of America is hereby specified for the purposes of Section 4.02 of the General Conditions. Page 4 ARTICLE III Execution of the Project Section 3.01. (a) The Borrower declares its commitment to the objectives of the Project as set forth in Schedule 2 to this Agreement, and, to this end, shall carry out the Project with due diligence and efficiency and in conformity with appropriate administrative, financial, and silvopastoral practices, and shall provide, promptly as needed, the funds, facilities, services and other resources required for the Project. (b) Without limitation upon the provisions of paragraph (a) of this Section and except as the Borrower and the Association shall otherwise agree, the Borrower shall carry out the Project in accordance with the Implementation Program set forth in Schedule 4 to this Agreement. Section 3.02. Except as the Association shall otherwise agree, procurement of the goods, works and consultants' services required for the Project and to be financed out of the proceeds of the Credit shall be governed by the provisions of Schedule 3 to this Agreement. ARTICLE IV Financial Covenants Section 4.01. (a) The Borrower shall maintain or cause to be maintained records and accounts adequate to reflect in accordance with sound accounting practices the operations, resources and expenditures in respect of the Project of the departments or agencies of the Borrower responsible for carrying out the Project or any part thereof. (b) The Borrower shall or shall cause its departments and agencies carrying out the Project or any part thereof to: (i) have the records and accounts referred to in paragraph (a) of this Section including those for the Special Account for each fiscal year audited, in accordance with appropriate auditing principles consistently applied, by independent auditors acceptable to the Association; (ii) furnish to the Association, as soon as available, but in any case not later than twelve months after the end of each such year, a certified copy of the report of such audit by said auditors, of such scope and in such detail as the Association shall have reasonably requested; and (iii) furnish to the Association such other information concerning said records, accounts and the audit thereof as the Association shall from time to time reasonably request including without any limitation on the foregoing unaudited Project accounts and financial statements for each fiscal year, certified as to their accuracy and authenticity by an independent auditor acceptable to the Association, as soon as available, but not later than six months after the end of each such year. (c) For all expenditures with respect to which withdrawals from the Credit Account were made on the basis of statements of expenditure, the Borrower shall and shall cause its departments and agencies carrying out the Project or any part thereof to: (i) maintain or cause to be maintained, in accordance with paragraph (a) of this Section, records and accounts reflecting such expenditures; Page 5 (ii) retain, until at least one year after the Associa- tion has received the audit for the fiscal year in which the last withdrawal from the Credit Account was made, all records (contracts, orders, invoices, bills, receipts and other documents) evidencing such expenditures; (iii) enable the Association's representatives to examine such records; and (iv) ensure that such records and accounts are included in the annual audit referred to in paragraph (b) of this Section and that the report of such audit contains a separate opinion by said auditors as to whether the statements of expenditure submitted during such fiscal year, together with the proce- dures and internal controls involved in their preparation, can be relied upon to support the related withdrawals. ARTICLE V Remedies of the Association Section 5.01. Pursuant to Section 6.02 (h) of the General Conditions, the following additional events are specified: (a) The Danish Grant Agreement shall have failed to become effective by December 31, 1989, or such later date as the Association may agree; provided, however, that the provisions of this paragraph shall not apply if the Borrower establishes to the satisfaction of the Association that adequate funds for the Project are available to the Borrower from other sources on terms and conditions consistent with the obligations of the Borrower under this Agreement. (b) (i) Subject to subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph the right of the Borrower to withdraw the proceeds of any grant made to the Borrower for the financing of the Project shall have been suspended, cancelled or terminated in whole or in part, pursuant to the terms of the agreement providing therefor; or (ii) Subparagraph (i) of this paragraph shall not apply if the Borrower establishes to the satisfaction of the Association that: (A) such suspension, cancellation, termination is not caused by the failure of the Borrower to perform any of its obligations under such agreement; and (B) adequate funds for the Project are available to the Borrower from other sources on terms and conditions consistent with the obligations of the Borrower under this Agreement. Section 5.02. Pursuant to Section 7.01 (d) of the General Conditions, the following additional events are specified: (a) the event specified in paragraph (a) of Section 6.01 of this Agreement shall occur; and (b) the event specified in paragraph (b) (i) of Section 5.01 of this Agreement shall occur, subject to the proviso of paragraph (b) (ii) of that Section. ARTICLE VI Effective Date; Termination Section 6.01. The following event is specified as an additional condition to the effectiveness of the Development Page 6 Credit Agreement within the meaning of Section 12.01 (b) of the General Conditions, namely, that the contents of the Guidelines shall have been agreed with the Association, finalized and distributed to all concerned. Section 6.02. The date ninety (90) days after the date of this Agreement is hereby specified for the purposes of Section 12.04 of the General Conditions. ARTICLE VII Representative of the Borrower; Addresses Section 7.01. The Secretary, Ministry of Finance of the Borrower is designated as representative of the Borrower for the purposes of Section 11.03 of the General Conditions. Section 7.02. The following addresses are specified for the purposes of Section 11.01 of the General Conditions: For the Borrower: Ministry of Finance His Majesty's Government Bagdurbar Kathmandu, Nepal Cable address: Telex: ARTHA 2249-NP Kathmandu, Nepal For the Association: International Development Association 1818 H Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20433 United States of America Cable address: Telex: INDEVAS 440098 (ITT) Washington, D.C. 248423 (RCA) or 64145 (WUI) IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto, acting through their duly authorized representatives, have caused this Agreement to be signed in their respective names in the District of Columbia, United States of America, as of the day and year first above written. KINGDOM OF NEPAL By /s/ Mohan Man Sainju Authorized Representative INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION By /s/ Amnon Golan Acting Regional Vice President Asia SCHEDULE 1 Page 7 Withdrawal of the Proceeds of the Credit 1. The table below sets forth the Categories of items to be financed out of the proceeds of the Credit, the allocation of the amounts of the Credit to each Category and the percentage of expenditures for items so to be financed in each Category: Amount of the Credit Allocated % of (Expressed in Expenditures Category SDR Equivalent) to be Financed (1) Goods 210,000 100% of foreign expenditures, 100% of local expenditures (ex-factory cost) and 75% of local ex- penditures for other items pro- cured locally (2) Works 890,000 40% (3) User Group 4,100,000 100% formation and technical support (4) Seedling production 7,590,000 100% and plantation establishment by FD (5) Plantation estab- 8,130,000 80% lishment and forest protection by User Groups Amount of the Credit Allocated % of (Expressed in Expenditures Category SDR Equivalent) to be Financed (6) Travel and field 80,000 100% allowances for research staff (7) Consultants' 150,000 100% services (8) Unallocated 2,350,000 __________ TOTAL 23,500,000 2. For the purposes of this Schedule: (a) the term "foreign expenditures" means expenditures in the currency of any country other than that of the Borrower for goods or services supplied from the territory of any country other than that of the Borrower; and (b) the term "local expenditures" means expenditures in the currency of the Borrower or for goods or services supplied from the territory of the Borrower. 3. Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph 1 above, no withdrawals shall be made in respect of payments made for expenditures prior to the date of this Agreement, except that Page 8 withdrawals, in an aggregate amount not exceeding the equivalent of SDR 2,330,000, may be made for expenditures before that date but after October 31, 1988. SCHEDULE 2 Description of the Project The objective of the Project is to mobilize people and resources in the Hill districts of Nepal towards establishing a forest management system which would conserve and expand the forest resources needed to sustain traditional farming system and livelihood in the Hills. The Project consists of the following parts, subject to such modifications thereof as the Borrower and the Association may agree upon from time to time to achieve such objectives: Part A: Institutional Support 1. Identification of about 400,000 ha of forest land to be handed over for management by User Groups for community forestry. 2. Formation of forest User Groups to replant, protect, and manage degraded forest areas and re-establish forest cover under the Project. Part B: Forest Resource Management 1. Production of seedlings for establishing and maintaining community plantations, and distribution to farmers for private planting. 2. Establishment, protection and maintenance of about 46,700 ha by User Groups and about 9,600 ha by FD. 3. Management of forested areas, to assist User Groups to revive about 400,000 ha of degraded forest under the Project. 4. Management of plantations, previously established by FD, to be handed over for management by User Groups. Part C: Training and Extension 1. Local and overseas training for FD staff and local officials to undertake community forestry efficiently. 2. Maintenance of a continuous field extension program to inform rural communities about the objectives of the community forestry program and the provisions under the Project. Part D: Research, Surveys and Studies 1. Silvicultural research to supplement an ongoing research program to include additional trials and observations on: (a) local silvopastoral practices; (b) cases of effective natural forest management; and (c) cases of successful establishment and management of plantations, including those of native species. 2. Socio-economic research to understand determinants of successful community management of common property including survey of previous community forestry experience, socio-economic aspects of forest product utilization, studies to assess program uptake, and other studies as may be required for this Part of the Project. * * * * The Project is expected to be completed by December 31, 1996. Page 9 SCHEDULE 3 Procurement and Consultants' Services Section I. Procurement of Goods and Works Part A: International Competitive Bidding Except as provided in Part C hereof, goods shall be procured under contracts awarded in accordance with procedures consistent with those set forth in Sections I and II of the "Guidelines for Procurement under IBRD Loans and IDA Credits" published by the Bank in May 1985 (the Guidelines). Part B: Preference for Domestic Manufacturers In the procurement of goods in accordance with the procedures described in Part A hereof, goods manufactured in Nepal may be granted a margin of preference in accordance with, and subject to, the provisions of paragraphs 2.55 and 2.56 of the Guidelines and paragraphs 1 through 4 of Appendix 2 thereto. Part C: Other Procurement Procedures Goods estimated to cost up to an aggregate amount not to exceed the equivalent of $20,000 and works may be procured under contracts awarded on the basis of competitive bidding, advertised locally, in accordance with procedures satisfactory to the Association. Part D: Review by the Association of Procurement Decisions 1. Review of invitations to bid and of proposed awards and final contracts: (a) With respect to each contract estimated to cost the equivalent of $20,000 or more, the procedures set forth in paragraphs 2 and 4 of Appendix 1 to the Guidelines shall apply. Where payments for such contract are to be made out of the Special Account, such procedures shall be modified to ensure that the two conformed copies of the contract required to be furnished to the Association pursuant to said paragraph 2 (d) shall be furnished to the Association prior to the making of the first payment out of the Special Account in respect of such contract. (b) With respect to each contract not governed by the pre- ceding paragraph, the procedures set forth in paragraphs 3 and 4 of Appendix 1 to the Guidelines shall apply. Where payments for such contract are to be made out of the Special Account, such procedures shall be modified to ensure that the two conformed copies of the contract together with the other information required to be furnished to the Association pursuant to said paragraph 3 shall be furnished to the Association as part of the evidence to be furnished pursuant to paragraph 4 of Schedule 5 to this Agreement. (c) The provisions of the preceding subparagraphs (a) and (b) shall not apply to contracts on account of which the Association has authorized withdrawals from the Credit Account on the basis of statements of expenditure. Such contracts shall be retained in accordance with Section 4.01 (c) (ii) of this Agreement. 2. The figure of 15% is hereby specified for purposes of paragraph 4 of Appendix 1 to the Guidelines. Section II. Employment of Consultants In order to assist the Borrower in carrying out the Project, the Borrower shall employ consultants whose qualifications, experience and terms and conditions of employment shall be Page 10 satisfactory to the Association. Such consultants shall be selected in accordance with principles and procedures satisfactory to the Association on the basis of the "Guidelines for the Use of Consultants by World Bank Borrowers and by the World Bank as Executing Agency" published by the Bank in August 1981. SCHEDULE 4 Implementation Program The Borrower shall and shall cause MFSC/FD to: 1. By December 31, 1989: (a) obtain LRMP land use maps; (b) obtain planning information for each district under the Project; and (c) identify those areas of state forests which will be handed over to local forest User Groups to be formed for this purpose. 2. During the Project implementation period: (a) establish forest User Groups with membership, functions and powers accept- able to the Association; and (b) ensure that disbursement of funds allocated to User Groups will be in accordance with terms and conditions agreed with the Association. 3. By December 31, 1991: (a) undertake a study on seedling uptake; (b) furnish the results of said study and a draft seedling pricing policy to the Association for review and comments; and (c) by June 30, 1992, implement said seedling pricing policy, taking into account the Association's comments. 4. By December 31, 1989, carry out a review of FD travel and field allowance policy and thereafter take steps to implement the findings, taking into account the Association's comments. 5. By May 1, 1993, conduct a workshop, among key staff and donors to forestry sector, to discuss the mid-term review report. 6. By December 31, 1989, ensure that the following key Project staff shall have been sanctioned and appointed to their posts: (a) five training officers appointed to the Regional Training Centers of MFSC; (b) four senior research officers and seven junior research officers appointed to the Forestry Research Division of DFPR; (c) a senior accountant/procurement officer appointed to the Community Forestry Development Division of FD; and (d) all other Project staff as set forth in the Operational Action Program. SCHEDULE 5 Special Account 1. For the purposes of this Schedule: (a) the term "eligible Categories" means the Categories set forth in the table in paragraph 1 of Schedule 1 to this Agreement; (b) the term "eligible expenditures" means expenditures in respect of the reasonable cost of goods and services required for the Project and to be financed out of the proceeds of the Credit allocated from time to time to the eligible Categories in accordance with the provisions of Schedule 1 to this Agreement; and (c) the term "Authorized Allocation" means an amount equivalent to $1,500,000 to be withdrawn from the Credit Account and deposited into the Special Account pursuant to paragraph 3 (a) of this Schedule. 2. Payments out of the Special Account shall be made exclusively for eligible expenditures in accordance with the provisions of this Schedule. Page 11 3. After the Association has received evidence satisfactory to it that the Special Account has been duly opened, withdrawals of the Authorized Allocation and subsequent withdrawals to replenish the Special Account shall be made as follows: (a) For withdrawals of the Authorized Allocation, the Borrower shall furnish to the Association a request or requests for a deposit or deposits which do not exceed the aggregate amount of the Authorized Allocation. On the basis of such request or requests, the Association shall, on behalf of the Borrower, withdraw from the Credit Account and deposit in the Special Account such amount or amounts as the Borrower shall have requested. (b) (i) For replenishment of the Special Account, the Borrower shall furnish to the Association requests for deposits into the Special Account at such intervals as the Association shall specify. (ii) Prior to or at the time of each such request, the Borrower shall furnish to the Association the documents and other evidence required pursuant to paragraph 4 of this Schedule for the payment or payments in respect of which replenishment is requested. On the basis of each such request, the Association shall, on behalf of the Borrower, withdraw from the Credit Account and deposit into the Special Account such amount as the Borrower shall have requested and as shall have been shown by said documents and other evidence to have been made out of the Special Account for eligible expenditures. All such deposits shall be withdrawn by the Association from the Credit Account under the respective eligible Categories, and in the respective equivalent amounts, as shall have been justified by said documents and other evidence. 4. For each payment made by the Borrower out of the Special Account, the Borrower shall, at such time as the Association shall reasonably request, furnish to the Association such documents and other evidence showing that such payment was made exclusively for eligible expenditures. 5. Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph 3 of this Schedule, the Association shall not be required to make further deposits into the Special Account: (a) if, at any time, the Association shall have determined that all further withdrawals should be made by the Borrower directly from the Credit Account in accordance with the provisions of Article V of the General Conditions and paragraph (a) of Section 2.02 of this Agreement; or (b) once the total unwithdrawn amount of the Credit allocated to the eligible Categories, less the amount of any outstanding special commitment entered into by the Association pursuant to Section 5.02 of the General Conditions with respect to the Project, shall equal the equivalent of twice the amount of the Authorized Allocation. Thereafter, withdrawal from the Credit Account of the remaining unwithdrawn amount of the Credit allocated to the eligible Categories shall follow such procedures as the Association shall specify by notice to the Borrower. Such further withdrawals shall be made only after and to the extent that the Association shall have been satisfied that all such amounts remaining on deposit in the Special Account as of the date of such notice will be utilized in making payments for eligible expenditures. 6. (a) If the Association shall have determined at any time Page 12 that any payment out of the Special Account: (i) was made for an expenditure or in an amount not eligible pursuant to paragraph 2 of this Schedule; or (ii) was not justified by the evidence furnished to the Association, the Borrower shall, promptly upon notice from the Association: (A) provide such additional evidence as the Association may request; or (B) deposit into the Special Account (or, if the Association shall so request, refund to the Association) an amount equal to the amount of such payment or the portion thereof not so eligible or justified. Unless the Association shall otherwise agree, no further deposit by the Association into the Special Account shall be made until the Borrower has provided such evidence or made such deposit or refund, as the case may be. (b) If the Association shall have determined at any time that any amount outstanding in the Special Account will not be required to cover further payments for eligible expenditures, the Borrower shall, promptly upon notice from the Association, refund to the Association such outstanding amount. (c) The Borrower may, upon notice to the Association, refund to the Association all or any portion of the funds on deposit in the Special Account. (d) Refunds to the Association made pursuant to paragraphs 6 (a), (b) and (c) of this Schedule shall be credited to the Credit Account for subsequent withdrawal or for cancellation in accordance with the relevant provisions of this Agreement, including the General Conditions.