Algeria - El Kala National Park and Wetlands Complex Management Project (Vol. 1 of 2) : Memorandum and recommendation

Domin of The World Bank FM OFFOL USEu ONl Report No 12284-AL MEMORANDUM AND RECOMMENDATION OF THE DIRECTOR MAGHREB AND IRAN DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERNATIONAL BA&K FOR RECONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT TO THE REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENT ON A GRANT FROM THE GLOBAL ENVIRONMENT TRUST FUND IN AN AMOUNT EQUIVALENT TO SDR 6.7 MILLION (US$9.2 MILLION) TO THE DEMOCRATIC AND POPULAR REPUBLIC OF ALGERIA FOR AN EL KALA NATIONAL PARK AND WETLANDS COMPLEX MANAGEMENT PROJECT PART I: MEMORANDUM AND RECOMMENDATION April 22, 1994 MI CROGRAPHI CS Agriculture Operations Division 1 AL CountryDepartment I Report No: 12284 Niddle East and North Africa Region Type: MOD This doument bas a restricted distribution and may be used by recets only in the performance of thdir ofricial dudes. Its contents may not otherwise be discked witout World Bank authorization.  CURRENCY EOUIVAMENTS (As of January 1, 1994) Currency unit Algerian Dinar (DA) 23.50 - US$1.00 DA 1.00 US$0.04255 SDR 1.00 - US$1.38107 WEIGHTS AND MEASURES The metric system is used throughout this report GLOSSARY OF ABBREVIATIONS ANN - Agence Nationale pour la Conservation de la Nature EIA - Environmental Impact Assessment EKNP - El Kala National Park GEF - Global Environment Facility GET - Global Environment Trust Fund GIS - Geographic Information System GOA - Government of Algeria IBRD - International Bank for Reconstruction and Development ICB - International Competitive Bidding LCB - Local Competitive Bidding METAP - Mediterranean Environmental Technical Assistance Program MOA - Ministry of Agriculture NGO - Non-Governmental Organization PIU - Project Implementation Unit FISCAL YEAR January I - December 31  FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY ALGERIA EL KAJA NATIONAL PARK AND WETLANDS COMPLEX MANAGEMENT PROJECT GRANT AND PR.OJECT SUMMARY Recipient: The Government of Algeria Cofinancier: Not Applicable Beneficiaries: Ministry of Agriculture, National Conservation Agency of Natural Resources (ANN) and El Tarf Wilaya Amount: 6.7 million SDR (US$9.2 million) Terms: Grant Financing Plan: GET US$ 9.32 million 1 GOA US$ 2.36 million Total US$11.68 million Economic Rate of Return: Not applicable map: IBRD No. 24763 21 of which a Project Preparation Advance (PPA) of US$117,700 from the GEF and a GET grant of US$9.2 million. This document has a resticted distnuton and may be used by reipients only in the pformane of ther official duics Its contents may not otise be disclosed without World Bank authzoz  MEMORANDUM AND RECOMMENDATION OF THE DIRECTOR MAGHREB AND IRAN DEPARTMENT TO THE REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENT 1. I submit for your approval the following _. morandum and recommendation * on a proposed Global Environment Trust Fund (GET) grant to the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria for SDR 6.7 million, the equivalent of US$9.2 million, to help finance the El Kala National Park and Wetlands Complex * Management Project. Tne Government of Algeria requested and obtained a Project Preparation Advance (PPA) of SDR 84,600, the equivalent of about US$117,700, to finali2i project preparation. 2. Background: The El Kala National Park (EKNP) and surrounding region in the northeast corner of Algeria contain one of the most important wetlands areas in the Mediterranean, .including a unique mixture of marine, coastal dune, wetlands, lake, and forest habitats, that are each significant both in quality and quantity. The EKNP has been designated as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve; and two of the lakes in the EKNP, Lake Oubeira and Lake Tonga, have been designated as Ramsar vI Convention sites. This extensive wetlands complex is a critical winter site for Palaearctic waterfowl, a breeding ground for several endangered bird species including the white-headed duck Oxyura leucoceRhala, and the home range of a significant population of the threatened barbary deer Cervus elaphus ssp barbarus. The area also has many outstanding archaeological sites, including megaliths in the mountains and remains of Carthagenian towns along the coasts. 3. The El Kala wetlands region stretches in the northeast of the country from the Tunisian border to the industrial city of Annaba. Presently about 100,000 people live in the EKNP and the wetlands, which are a major source of water for the 500,000 inhabitants of Annaba, only 50 km away. In the El :ala area, the pressure of population and development has led to severe degradation of the environment due to expanding urban areas, pollution, and overuse of water and land resources. 4. Should this unique ensemble of natural resources, habitats, and environment be further degraded or destroyed, the result would be an irreversible loss of natural resources that are critical not only to Algeria, but to the entire Mediterranean region. It is therefore imperative that solutions resulting in ecologically sustainable development be found to protect this area. In this respect, the GEF project is particularly timely and appropriate. Moreover, Algeria, with a most recent per capita GDP of about US$1,721 in 1993, fully qualifies for GEF financing. 5. Currently, Algeria has no integrated management plan for natural resource use or enforcement of pollution control measures to protect ecologically sensitive areas. However, a whole host of laws aimed at proLecting such areas already exist the implementation of which is conditioned by the elaboration of a National Environmental Action Plan. Meanwhile, the country which is a party to the 1972 World Heritage Convention, has signed I/ Ramsar sites are wetlands areas of international importance afforded protection under the Ramsar Convention which Algeria signed in 1971, to which Algeria became a party in 1984.  most of the resolutions and protocols produced since the Barcelona Convention in 1975 (which led to the adoption of the Mediterranean Action Plan), including the 1982 protocol on Mediterranean Specially Protected Areas. The Government is currently carrying out environmental activities with the support of the Bank. In particular, an Environment Sector Study has been conducted and will be discussed with the authorities shortly. The status of the environment has become a top priority, particularly at the local level. In recognizing the need for both preservation and ecologically sustainable development of Its natural resources, the Government of Algeria (GOA) has requested funds from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) to design and Implement a national. park and wetlands complex management plan at El Kala. 6. Algeria has a substantial body of environmental legislation and a number of institutions involved in it. Although, the country does not yet have a comprehensive environmental policy it is committed, through its National Commission, to elaborate such a polity. Also, some laws and regulations pertaining to the protection of the environment will need to be revised. Both the Agence Nationale pour la Conservation de la Nature (ANN) and the El Kala National Park, which have the necessary authority to enforce environmental laws and regulations, will need their staff reinforced to be able to carry out public awareness and enforcement activities and to preserve, within the region, the national heritage of natural and cultural assets in a balanced and well-planned fashion. The Government is according high priority to the project and has indicated its full support to the new visioII as well as to the project concept and objectives. 7. Proiect Objectives: The proposed project would have three main objectives. The first would be to mitigate the degradation of biodiversity within EKNP and wetlands complex. The second would be to establish at the El Tarf Wilaya level a methodology and procedures for cenducting environmental impact assessment studies. She third would be for the Project to serve as a model for the management and rational use of natural resources in populated, albeit protected, areas. 8. Proiect Description: The project would develop and implement a management plan for the EKNP and wetlands complex in the El Tarf Wilaya over a 3-year period. The project would: (i) prepare and implement a national park and wetlan 3 complex management plan beginning in the first project year; (ii) launch priority surveys and studies to improve the basic knowledge of the area and potentials for better c ntrol and management; (iii) initiate immediate actions to stop furthe: degradation of the environment while the management plan is being prepared; (iv) begin studies and adaptative research programs in specific sectors likely to trigger sustainable development from the use of natural resources; (v) develop environmental assessment capability of the ANN and the Wilaya to evaluate, regulate, and monitor the impacts of development on the area's natural resources; (vi) launch environmental education and public awareness programs to muster the population's support; (vii) introduce the participatory approach in the local communities and seek the narticipation of national and local NGOs; and (viii) strengthen government institutions, including ANN, the EKNP, and the Wilaya. 9. Proiect Components: The grant would finance the preparation of a management plan and commencement of its implementation no later than June 30,  -3- 1995. More specifically, the three-year project would include the following components: A. NATIONAL PARK AND WETLANDS COMPLEX MANAGEMENT PLAN: The managemetit plan would update the zoning of the park based on preservation and development criteria and would assign to each zone: (i) objectives; (ii) human, financial and technica