Conformed Copy - C3251 - Sichuan Urban Environment Project - Project Agreement

Page 1 CONFORMED COPY CREDIT NUMBER 3251 CHA LOAN NUMBER 4496 CHA Project Agreement (Sichuan Urban Environment Project) among INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION and INTERNATIONAL BANK FOR RECONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT and SICHUAN PROVINCE Dated January 9, 2001 CREDIT NUMBER 3251 CHA LOAN NUMBER 4496 CHA PROJECT AGREEMENT AGREEMENT, dated January 9, 2001, among the INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION (the Association), INTERNATIONAL BANK FOR RECONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT (the Bank) and Sichuan Province (Sichuan). WHEREAS (A) by the Development Credit Agreement of even date herewith between People's Republic of China (the Borrower) and the Association, the Association has agreed to lend to the Borrower an amount in various currencies equivalent to one million five hundred thousand Special Drawing Rights (SDR 1,500,000), on the terms and conditions set forth in the Development Credit Agreement, but only on condition that Sichuan agrees to undertake such obligations toward the Association as are set forth in this Agreement; (B) by the Loan Agreement of even date herewith between the Borrower and the Bank, the Bank has agreed to make available to the Borrower an amount equal to one hundred million Dollars ($100,000,000) on the terms and conditions set forth in the Loan Agreement, but only on condition that Sichuan agrees to undertake such obligations toward the Bank as are set forth in this Agreement; and Page 2 WHEREAS Sichuan, in consideration of the Association's entering into the Development Credit Agreement with the Borrower, and the Bank's entering into the Loan Agreement with the Borrower, has agreed to undertake the obligations set forth in this Agreement; NOW THEREFORE, the parties hereto hereby agree as follows: ARTICLE I Definitions Section 1.01. Unless the context otherwise requires, the several terms defined in the Development Credit Agreement, the Loan Agreement and the General Conditions (as so defined in the Development Credit Agreement and the Loan Agreement, respectively) have the respective meanings therein set forth, and, wherever used in this Agreement (except in Section 5.03, paragraph 5 of Schedule 2 to this Agreement and Part A.2 of Section I and Section II of Schedule 1 to this Agreement), reference to the Association, the Credit or the Credit Account shall also be deemed as reference to the Bank, the Loan and the Loan Account, respectively. ARTICLE II Execution of the Project; Section 2.01. (a) Sichuan declares its commitment to the objectives of the Project as set forth in Schedule 2 to the Development Credit Agreement, and, to this end, shall: (i) cause Chengdu to carry out Parts A(1) and F of the Project, of which Part A(1) shall be carried out through Chengdu Drainage Company; (ii) cause Leshan to carry out Parts A(2), A(3), A(4) and F of the Project, of which Part A(2) shall be carried out through Leshan Water Supply Company, Part A(3) shall be carried out through Leshan Wastewater Treatnent Company and Part A(4) shall be carried out through Leshan Environmental Sanitation and Management Bureau; (iii) cause Deyang to carry out Parts B(1) and F of the Project, of which Part B(1) shall be carried out through Deyang Sewage Treatment Corporation; (iv) cause Luzhou to carry out Parts B(2) and F of the Project, of which Part B(2) shall be carried out through Luzhou Water Supply Company; (v) carry out Part C(1) of the Project; (vi) cause Deyang and Luzhou to carry out Part C(2) of the Project; (vii) cause Leshan and Luzhou to carry out Part C(3) of the Project; (viii) cause Leshan and Luzhou to carry out Part C(4) of the Project; (ix) cause Leshan to carry out Part D(1) of the Project; (x) cause Guanghan to carry out Part D(2) of the Project; Page 3 (xi) carry out Part D(3) of the Project; and (xii) carry out, and cause the Project Municipalities (excluding Guanghan) and their respective Utility Companies to carry out, Part E of the Project, all with due diligence and efficiency and in conformity with appropriate administrative, financial, engineering, and environmental practices, and shall provide, or cause to be provided, 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 Association and Sichuan shall otherwise agree, Sichuan shall carry out the Project, or carry out the Project through the Project Municipalities, in accordance with the Implementation Program set forth in Schedule 2 to this Agreement. Section 2.02. 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 1 to this Agreement. Section 2.03. (a) Sichuan shall carry out the obligations set forth in Sections 9.03, 9.04, 9.05, 9.06, 9.07 and 9.08 of the General Conditions referred to in Section 1.01 of the Development Credit Agreement and Sections 9.04, 9.05, 9.06, 9.07, 9.08 and 9.09 of the General Conditions referred to in Section 1.01 of the Loan Agreement (relating to insurance, use of goods and services, plans and schedules, records and reports, maintenance and land acquisition) in respect of the Project Agreement. (b) For the purposes of Section 9.07 of the General Conditions referred to in Section 1.01 of the Development Credit Agreement and Section 9.08 of the General Conditions referred to in Section 1.01 of the Loan Agreement, and without limitation thereto, Sichuan shall: (i) prepare, on the basis of guidelines acceptable to the Association and furnish to Association not later than six (6) months after the Closing Date or such later date as may be agreed for this purpose between Sichuan and the Association, a plan for the future operation of the Project; and (ii) afford the Association a reasonable opportunity to exchange views with Sichuan on said plan. Section 2.04. (a) Sichuan shall, at the request of the Association, exchange views with the Association with regard to the progress of the Project, the performance of its obligations under this Agreement, and other matters relating to the purposes of the Credit. (b) Sichuan shall promptly inform the Association of any condition which interferes or threatens to interfere with the progress of the Project, the accomplishment of the purposes of the Credit, or the performance by Sichuan of its obligations under this Agreement. ARTICLE III Financial Covenants Section 3.01. (a) Sichuan shall maintain, or maintain through the Project Municipalities, 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 Sichuan responsible for carrying out the Page 4 Project or any part thereof. (b) Sichuan shall, or shall through the Project Municipalities: (i) have the records and accounts referred to in paragraph (a) of this Section 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 six (6) months after the end of each such year 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 and accounts and the audit thereof, as the Association shall from time to time reasonably request. ARTICLE IV Effective Date; Termination Cancellation and Suspension Section 4.01. This Agreement shall come into force and effect on the date upon which both the Development Credit Agreement and the Loan Agreement become effective. Section 4.02. (a) This Agreement and all obligations of the Association and of Sichuan thereunder shall terminate on the earlier of the following two dates: (i) the date on which both the Development Credit Agreement and the Loan Agreement shall terminate; or (ii) a date twenty (20) years after the date of this Agreement. (b) If the Development Credit Agreement or the Loan Agreement terminates before the date specified in paragraph (a) (ii) of this Section, the Association shall promptly notify Sichuan of this event. Section 4.03. All the provisions of this Agreement shall continue in full force and effect notwithstanding any cancellation or suspension under the General Conditions referred to in Section 1.01 of the Development Credit Agreement, or under the General Conditions referred to in Section 1.01 of the Loan Agreement. ARTICLE V Miscellaneous Provisions Section 5.01. Any notice or request required or permitted to be given or made under this Agreement and any agreement between the parties contemplated by this Agreement shall be in writing. Such notice or request shall be deemed to have been duly given or made when it shall be delivered by hand or by mail, telegram, cable, telex or radiogram to the party to which it is required or permitted to be given or made at such party's address hereinafter specified or at such other addresses as such party shall have designated by notice to the party giving such notice or making such request. The addresses so specified are: For the Association: International Development Association Page 5 1818 H Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20433 United States of America Cable address: Telex: INTBAFRAD 248423 (MCI) or Washington, D.C. 64145 (MCI) For Sichuan: Sichuan Provincial People's Government 37 Nan Xin Street Chengdu 610016 Sichuan Province People's Republic of China Cable address: Telex: 2639, Chengdu 60108 SCFAO CN Section 5.02. Any action required or permitted to be taken, and any documents required or permitted to be executed, under this Agreement on behalf of Sichuan may be taken or executed by its Governor or Vice-Governor, or by such other person or persons as Sichuan shall designate in writing, and Sichuan shall furnish to the Association sufficient evidence of the authority and the authenticated specimen signature of each such person. Section 5.03. As long as the Bank has not given notice to the contrary to Sichuan and so long as the Development Credit Agreement shall not have terminated prior to the termination of the Loan Agreement: (a) the obligations of Sichuan to consult with, and to furnish information, documents, plans, reports, records and statements to, the Bank shall be satisfied to the extent performance in respect of such obligations is rendered to the Association; (b) the obligations of the Bank to consult with, and to furnish information to, Sichuan shall be satisfied to the extent such obligations are fulfilled by the Association; and (c) all actions taken (including the giving of approvals or granting of waivers) by the Association pursuant to the Development Credit Agreement shall be deemed to be taken pursuant to both the Development Credit Agreement and the Loan Agreement, and in the name and on behalf of both the Association and the Bank. Section 5.04. This Agreement may be executed in several counterparts, each of which shall be an original, and all collectively but one instrument. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto, acting through their duly authorized representatives, have caused this Agreement to be signed in their respective names in Beijing, People's Republic of China, as of the day and year first above written. INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION INTERNATIONAL BANK FOR RECONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT By /s/ Yukon Huang Authorized Representative Page 6 SICHUAN PROVINCE By /s/ Zhu Guangyao Authorized Representative SCHEDULE 1 Procurement Section I. Procurement of Goods and Works Part A: General 1. Goods and works shall be procured in accordance with: (a) the provisions of Section I of the