Madagascar - Integrated Growth Poles Project

Page 1 PROJECT INFORMATION DOCUMENT (PID) CONCEPT STAGE Report No.: AB731 Project Name Integrated Growth Poles Region AFRICA Sector Ports (30%); PSD (30%); General Transport (20%); General water, sanitation and flood protection sector (10%); Power (10%) Project ID P083351 Borrower(s) GOVERNMENT OF MADAGASCAR Implementing Agency AGETIPA Environment Category [X] A [ ] B [ ] C [ ] FI [ ] TBD (to be determined) Safeguard Classification [ ] S 1 [X] S 2 [ ] S 3 [ ] S F [ ] TBD (to be determined) Date PID Prepared March 2, 2004 Estimated Date of Appraisal Authorization December 15, 2004 Estimated Date of Board Approval June 30, 2005 1. Key development issues and rationale for Bank involvement The Government has recently completed its Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) with the objective to reduce poverty by half in ten years. The three key priorities set out by the PRSP are improving governance, promoting broad based growth and providing security. The new Country Assistance Strategy (CAS), which was approved by the Board in November 2003, is designed to refocus the existing portfolio to support the implementation of the PRSP and is proposing nine projects. Two projects are planned for FY05 delivery, namely the first Poverty Reduction Strategy Credit (PRSC) and the Integrated Growth Poles Project (IG2P). The IG2P supports the CAS rationale of the country