Announcement of Mozambique Receives Assistance for Conservation and Tourism Development Project on December 1, 2005

Mozambique Receives Assistance For Conservation And Tourism Development Project Contacts: In Washington: Aby Toure (202) 473 8302 akonate@worldbank.org In Mozambique: Rafael Saute (258-1) 482 300 rsaute@worldbank.org WASHINGTON, December 1, 2005 – The World Bank Board of Directors today approved an International Development Association (IDA) credit* of US$20 million to support the conservation of biodiversity and natural ecosystems as well as promote economic growth and development based on the sustainable use of natural resources by local communities in Mozambique. The project for which the Board approved the credit will also be financed by a US$10 million grant from the Global Environment Facility (GEF), in accordance with the work program approved by the GEF Council in October 2005 as well as a US$3.7 million grant from the Japanese Policy and Human Resources Development (PHRD) Fund The Trans-frontier Conservation Area and Tourism Development Project, as the project is known, is aimed at conserving biodiversity in the southern Africa region by maintaining intact, large natural ecosystems and ecological linkages that span national borders. It will finance the establishment and management of multiple-purpose conservation areas in three areas with significant trans-border biodiversity linkages on the Mozambican border with neighboring countries. “The project will increase revenues for communities from the growth in environmentally sustainable tourism in the three trans-frontier conservation areas of Chimanimani, Lubombo and Greater Limpopo,” said Jean-Michel Pavy, the World Bank Task Team Leader of the project. “It will also support the Government’s efforts in improving the business environment with a view to stimulating private sector investments and private sector-led economic growth” Pavy added. The project will help create the policy, legal and institutional framework for the Government of Mozambique to implement its strategic choice of improving regional collaboration in the management of trans-frontier resources; promote interagency collaboration and vertical linkages between central and local governments. It will also help build the capacity of public sector institutions at all levels and the capacity of local communities to manage biodiversity and natural resources. In addition, it will help form and sustain productive partnerships with the private sector in the management of the environment and in the promotion of ecotourism. Other project activities will focus on defining and implementing a series of practical steps to ensure that biodiversity and natural resource-based assets are mainstreamed in district development plans. It will develop the capacity of the tourism sector to participate in the preparation and implementation of tourism master plans for key tourism districts. The Trans-frontier Conservation Area and Tourism Development Project will support the identification, monitoring and protection of the most significant and vulnerable biodiversity assets within the three conservation areas through the establishment/rehabilitation and management of a network of national parks and reserves. Management of the initiative will be entrusted to the National Directorate for Conservation Areas. * The credit is provided on standard International Development Association (IDA) terms, with a commitment fee of 0.35 percent, a service charge of 0.75 percent over a 40 year period of maturity which includes a 10-year grace period. ### For more information on the World Bank’s work in sub-Saharan Africa visit: http://www.worldbank.org/afr For more information about World Bank’s activities in Mozambique visit: http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/COUNTRIES/AFRICAEXT/MOZAMBIQUEEXTN/0,,menu PK:382138~pagePK:141159~piPK:141110~theSitePK:382131,00.html For more information about this project visit: http://web.worldbank.org/external/default/main?pagePK=64027221&piPK=64027220&theSitePK=382131&menuPK=382166&Projectid=P071465 http://web.worldbank.org/external/default/main?pagePK=64027221&piPK=64027220&theSitePK=382131&menuPK=382166&Projectid=P076809 For more information on Bank’s GEF program, visit http://www.worldbank.org/gef For more information on GEF, visit www.theGEFweb.org