Announcement of IDA Approves Four Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars for a Technical Assistance and Engineering Project in Mali on October 12, 1978

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE '•World Bank 1818 H Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20433, U.S.A.• Telephone: (202) 477-1234 IDA NEWS RELEASE NO. 79/19 OCTOBER 12, 1978 IDA APPROVES $4.5 MILLION FOR A TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE/ENGINEERING PROJECT IN MALI The International Development Association (IDA), the World Bank's affiliate for concessional lending to the poorest among the developing countries, approved a $4.5 million credit for a technical assistance/engineering project in Mali. The Technical Assistance/Engineering Project comprises a three-year program of technical assistance and a pilot program of rehabilitation works. Under the project, key services of the Office • du Niger will be strengthened, and plans required for the appraisal of a comprehensive infrastructure rehabilitation project will be prepared. The project will also provide for some urgent repairs on the irrigation infrastructures. In addition, the project includes: sup- port for agricultural research and trial programs, an aerial photo- graphic survey, a socio-economic study of the settler population, an audit of the Office du Niger accounts, and training scholarships for Malian engineers. The $4.5 million IDA credit to the Republic of ~ali will be for a SO-year term, including 10 years of grace. It will be interest free but will carry a service charge of 3/4 of 1% to cover IDA's administrative costs. NOTE: Money figures are expressed in U.S. dollar equivalents • • FORM NO. 1121 (5-76) .. T E C HN I CA L DAT A PROJECT: COUNTRY: TOTAL COST: Technical Assistance/Engineering Ma 1 i $ 5. 22 mi 11 ion • I DA FI NANC I NG : $4.5 million, standard IDA terms IMPLEMENTING ORGANIZATION: Office du Niger B. P. 106 Segou, Ma 1 i PROJECT DESCRIPTION: It comprises a three-year program of technical assistance and a pilot program of rehabilitation works. Technical assistance will consist of 5 engineers and l management consultant to strengthen key services of the Office du Niger, and to prepare the plans required for the appraisal of a comprehensive infrastructure rehabilitation project within two years. The project includes some urgent repairs on the irrigation infrastructure and will also aim at ~ establishing the most cost-effective methods of on-farm works to be used in a subsequen~ large-scale rehabilitation project. The project also includes: support for agricultural research and trial programs, an aerial photographic survey, a socio-economic study of the settler population, an audit of the Office du Niger accounts, and training scholarships for Malian engineersa PROCU.REMENT: CONSULTANTS: The project will provide the services of the following: three engineers for the Bureau d'Etudes Generales, which is the Bureau of technical studies of the Office du Niger, for periods varying between 12 and 30 months (with a total of 60 man-months); two engineers for the Works Department of the Office du Niger for 18 mcnths each (one will assist in carrying out and monitoring a pilot program of on-farm development works; the other will act as technical inspector of the equipment to be provided under the project as well as of existing equipment); and a management consultant to be attached to the office of the Director General for 24 months who will design and implement improved accounting and management information systems. ECONOMIC RATE OF RETURN: n.a. ESTIMATED COMPLETION DATE: 1981 - 0 - •