Central African Republic Tender

The World Bank has approved a total of c to the Regional Off-Grid Electricity Access Project ROGEAP in the form of grants from the International Development Association IDA and the Clean Technology Fund CTF to support the development of the market for stand-alone solar products in Western and Central Africa including a dedicated effort for the Sahel countries.This complements the 150 million of IDA and 67.2 million CTF approved by the Board in April 2019 for this project.The project will support activities to accelerate the deployment of stand-alone solar products in a sub-region where 50 percent of the population does not have access to electricity and where less than 3 percent of the population uses such innovative technologies. It seeks to harmonize policies and standards as well as business procedures to develop a regional market of stand-alone solar products support entrepreneurs in business acceleration activities and provide credits and grants for the deployment of stand-alone solar home systems.The project is expected to contribute to human capital development by electrifying public health centers and schools which are needed to improve health and education outcomes. It will support job creation for instance in the farming communities which can use solar water pumps for irrigation solar milling equipment for product transformation and solar refrigerators to bring products to market.The project will support the small and innovative business enterprises through solar home systems and will make an impact in economic recovery following the COVID-19 pandemic. The Projects geographic scope covers 19 countries in Western and Central Africa 15 of which are members of ECOWAS Benin Burkina Faso Cabo Verde Cte dIvoire Gambia Ghana Guinea Guinea-Bissau Liberia Mali Niger Nigeria Senegal Sierra Leone and Togo as well as Cameroon the Central African Republic Chad and Mauritania.Ms. Deborah Wetzel World Bank Director of Regional Integration for Sub-Saharan Africa the Middle East and Northern Africa said Stand-alone solar systems have a large market potential in Western and Central Africa including in the Sahel but investments in off-grid solutions have lagged behind in the sub-region. The new financing will help address the important growth in demand for reliable electricity and will help create jobs for the millions of people currently living without an electricity connection or with unreliable supply as well as for businesses and public institutions who will use modern stand-alone solar systems to improve their living standards and economic activities.Through this additional funding and restructuring the Economic Community of West African States ECOWAS has been appointed as a new implementing agency of the project which will work on developing a regional market and supporting activities for entrepreneurs. ECOWAS will coordinate the project activities with the West African Development Bank BOAD the other implementing agency of the project which will support the provision of a line of credit with commercial banks operating in the sub-region. The World Banks International Development Association IDA established in 1960 helps the worlds poorest countries by providing grants and low to zero-interest loans for projects and programs that boost economic growth reduce poverty and improve poor peoples lives. IDA is one of the largest sources of assistance for the worlds 75 poorest countries 39 of which are in Africa. Resources from IDA bring positive change to the 1.5 billion people who live in IDA countries. Since 1960 IDA has supported development work in 113 countries. Annual commitments have averaged about 18 billion over the last three years with about 54 percent going to Africa.