Announcement of IDA Credit for Highways in Mauritania on November 14, 1974

• INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION 1818 H STREET, N.W., WASHINGTON D. C. 20433 TELEPHONE: EXECUTIVE 3-6360 IDA Press Release No. 74/63 November 14, 1974 IDA CREDIT FOR HIGHWAYS IN MAURITANIA The International D.evelopment Association (IDA), an affiliate of the World Bank, has approved a credit of $3 million to help finance a third highway project in Mauritania. The Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KF) are providing $4.5 million and $3.8 million respectively. Roads are the predominant mode of transport in Maur_itania. The country's road network totals 7,000 kilometers. Of this, only about 500 kilometers are paved. The remainder are.mainly earth • tracks. These make transport costly, arduous and seasonally impossible on some roads. Improving Mauritania's road network has been the strategy of the Government and the Bank over the past several years. Looking toward this goal, IDA has already extended two credits totalling $9.7 million. The first IDA-financed project included the construction of the Nouakchott-Rosso road and a study of the highway maintenance organization. The second provided the equipment and technical assistance to execute a four-year highway maintenance program. The present IDA credit is designed to consolidate a.nd expand the maintenance and betterment efforts. It consists of technical assistance, purchase of equipment for maintenance and betterment works; and feasibility study and detailed engineering for the construction of the 200-kilometer Rosso-Boghe road. The project is scheduled for completion at a total estimated cost of $11.3 million. IDA is financing 27% of the cost. The credit to the Government is for a term of 50 years, including 10 years of • grace. It is interest free, except for a service charge of 3/4 of 1% to meet IDA's administrative expenses. Under separate agreements, CIDA and KF wHl finance 73% of the cost of the project. Note: Money figures are expressed in US dollar equivalents.  T E CHNI CAL DAT A • PROJECt: Highways COUNTRY: Mauritania TOTAL COST: $11.3 million {$13.i million including taxes) IDA FINANCING: $3 million, 50 years, 10-year grace period; free of interest, a service charge of 3/4 of lio to cover· IDA's administrative expenses. OTHER FINANCING: The Canadian International ·Development Agency {CIDA), $4.5 million; and The Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development {KF), $3.8 million. IMPLEMENTING ORGANIZATION: The Ministry of Equipment of Mauritania for the highway component of the project; the Ministries of Trade and Transportation and Planning for the technical assistance component • to the respective ministries. The Ministries are in Nouakchott, Mauritania. PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Consists of the following: a) technical assistance to the Ministries of Equipment, Trade ,and.Trans- portation and Planning; b) purchase of highway equipment for maintenance and betterment works; c) a betterment program on about 365 kilometers of roads; d) feasibility study and detailed engineering for the construction of the Rosso- Boghe road {200 kilometers). PROCUREMENT: Consultants for technical assistance and for the feasibility and detailed engineering studies will be selected on terms and conditions acceptable to the Association. For the equipment component of the project, to be financed by CIDA, procurement will be on CIDA procedures. With respect to the betterment program to be financed jointly by IDA and KF, all road works will be ca~ried out by force account. Rive·r crossing structures and drainage works will be executed by contract following international competitive bidding. Domestic contractors Wi+l be granted a margin of preference of 7-1/2%. Contracts estimated to co.st less than $100 • 000, up to an aggregate not exceeding $500,000, will be awarded on the basis of competitive bidding advertised locally. • ESTIMATED COMPLETION DATE: 1978 -0-