Announcement of IDA Approves Seven Million Seventy Thousand US Dollars for Telecommunications Project in Burundi on July 31, 1980

. FOR IMMEDIATE· RELEASE .world Bank ·t 818 H Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20433, U.S.A.• Telephone: (202) 477-1234 IDA NEWS RELEASE NO. 81/3 J u 1y 3 1 , 19Bo IDA APPROVES $7.7 MILLION FOR TELECOMMUNICATIONS PROJECT IN BURUNDI The International Development Association (IDA), the World Bank's affiliate for concessionary lending, has approved a $7.7' million credit to help expand and improve the quality of the telecommunications services in Burundi. The $9.1 million Telecommunications Project is a major component of the country's 1980~84 investment program in the utility. It will help improve the quality of existing telecommunications while at the same time expand coverage to a wider geographical area. Junction cables will be installed in Bujumbura and urban cable networks will be expanded and improved in Bujumbura and three other provincial areas. Various provincial exch~nges will be rehabilitated. • The project also includes installation of public call office facilities in 30 villages and production centers. At the same time, improvement and expansion will be made to the long-distance transmission network. To help meet the demand for telex facilities, the telex exchange at Bujumbura will be replaced and teleprinters will be provided for 50 more subscribers. Miscellaneous equipment such as tools and vehicles will be purchased to maintain the facilities and a warehouse and other buildings will also be constructed. Technical assistance and training for the local personnel--the National Office for Telecommunications--in the implementing agency will be provided. The IDA credit is for 50 years, including 10 years of grace. It carries no interest but bears a service charge of 3/4 of 1% per annum to cover IDA's administrative expenses. The Government of Burundi will provide $1.4 million of the project costs. NOTE: Money figures are expressed in U.S. dollar equivalents . • FORM NO. 1121 (5-76) T E C HN I CAL DAT A PROJECT: COUNTRY: TOTAL COST: Telecommunications Burundi $9. 1 mi 11 ion • IDA FINANCING: $7.7 million, standard IDA terms OTHER FINANCING: Government of Burundi, $1.4 million IMPLEMENTING ORGANIZATION: National Office for Telecommunications Bujumbura, Burundi CABLE: ONATEL, BUJUMBURAi BURUNDI; TELEX: BDI 82 BUJA PROJECT DESCRIPTION: The project includes: a) installation of junction cables in Bujumbura and the improvement and expansion of urban cable networks in Bujumbura and various provincial towns; b) installation of a new exchange at Ngagara and three other provincial areas as well as rehabilitation of various provincia~ exchanges; c) introduction of public call office facilities to 30 villages and producti~ centers; d) improvement and expansfon of the long-distance transmission network; e) re- placement of the telex exchange at Bujumbura and.provision of teleprinters for 50 more subscribers; f) purchase of miscellaneous equipment such as tools and vehicles; g) con- struction of a warehouse and other project-related buildings; and h) technical assistance and training. PRO CU.RE ME NT: All equipment financed by the IDA credit, except for about $0.5 million worth, will be procured through international competitive bidding. CONSULTANTS: About 24 staff-months of engineering consultants and 14 staff- months of a financial consultant will be required . ECONOMIC RATE OF RETURN: ESTIMATED COMPLETION DATE: 20% 1985 - 0 - •