The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report RCIP4 - Regional Communications Infrastructure Program - APL 4 (RI) (P118213) RCIP4 - Regional Communications Infrastructure Program - APL 4 (RI) (P118213) AFRICA | Africa | Digital Development Global Practice | IBRD/IDA | Investment Project Financing | FY 2014 | Seq No: 14 | ARCHIVED on 08-Dec-2019 | ISR38317 | Implementing Agencies: Cellule de réformes économiques et financières (CREF) - Ministère des Finances et du Budget, Bureau RCIP-4 (4th Phase of the Regional Communications Infrastructure Program) Key Dates Key Project Dates Bank Approval Date: 10-Sep-2013 Effectiveness Date: 19-Nov-2013 Planned Mid Term Review Date: 14-Sep-2015 Actual Mid-Term Review Date: 14-Sep-2015 Original Closing Date: 30-Jun-2018 Revised Closing Date: 30-Jun-2021 pdoTable Project Development Objectives Project Development Objective (from Project Appraisal Document) The development objectives of this project, in line with the overall RCIP program, are to support the Recipient’s efforts to lower prices for international capacity and extend the geographic reach of broadband networks. Has the Project Development Objective been changed since Board Approval of the Project Objective? No Components Table Name Enabling Environment: promote further regional market integration, sector liberalization (through the award of a second license), an d legal and regulatory reforms.:(Cost $4.00 M) Connectivity: finance Comoros’s membership and participation in the FLY cable and provide demand stimulation through advance purchas e of capacity, promotion of ISPs and establishing an IXP.:(Cost $25.00 M) Project management: support to finance project management costs including project coordination, procurement, financial management, m onitoring & evaluation, etc.:(Cost $3.00 M) Overall Ratings Name Previous Rating Current Rating Progress towards achievement of PDO ►Satisfactory ►Satisfactory Overall Implementation Progress (IP) ►Satisfactory ►Satisfactory Overall Risk Rating ►Substantial ►Substantial 12/8/2019 Page 1 of 8 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report RCIP4 - Regional Communications Infrastructure Program - APL 4 (RI) (P118213) Implementation Status and Key Decisions The project remains on track to meeting the Project Development Objective. The original financing envelope has been fully disbursed. In 2018, US$10m in additional financing was approved by the Board and a new financing agreement was signed in November 2018. The project currently complies with all legal covenants, and the disbursement condition for the additional financing has been met with the authorization of four Internet Service Providers (ISPs). Implementation status of component 1: Enabling environment • Technical assistance, including policy, legal and regulatory support, and training has facilitated the progressive liberalization of the telecoms sector, notably through: o The passage of the 2014 Communications Act, creating a platform for competition. o The launch of a new authorization regime for ISPs in 2018, with 5 ISPs authorized so far. • The project helped support the issuance of a second licence, facilitating the market entry of Telma, in 2016. • The entry of Telma has helped increase investment in national infrastructure, expanding network coverage. The introduction of competition has also helped bring down prices for ICT, and facilitated the introduction of new services such as mobile money. • However, the state-owned incumbent Comoros Telecom (CT) has been slow to adjust to competition, and the Government has long resisted planned privatization. CT now finds itself in a precarious and unsustainable financial position, which the Government finally appear ready to address. Technical assistance is now being provided to the Government to help identify suitable restructuring options for CT. It is hoped that this study will also lead to reform of Comoros Cable. • Interconnection has been achieved between CT and Telma, as of August 2019, though further investment is required to boost capacity for exchanging traffic. • Comores Cable has received technical assistance to revise its business plan, which should hopefully lead to a reduction in wholesale prices. However, the entity charged with managing most of the international cables connecting Comoros remains state-owned, not a public private partnership, as intended. Implementation status of component 2: Connectivity and demand stimulation • The new landing station is now completed and is due to be inaugurated in November 2019. • The new FLY-LION 3 cable is now fully operational, though not yet commercialized. • A first phase of demand stimulation has been completed, supplying affordable bandwidth to schools, universities, community associations and local authorities via local ISPs, including basic IT equipment and training. • A second phase is underway, under the additional financing, focusing on increasing government digitization: o Technical assistance is being provided to Government to aid the development of a shared vision and roadmap for e-government, including a whole-of- government enterprise architecture and interoperability framework. o Technical assistance is also being provided to strengthen cybersecurity, including related strategic, legal and institutional frameworks. o A feasibility study has been launched to explore readiness to roll-out an e-procurement platform. o A consultant will shortly be recruited to conduct a similar study for a new e-visa application. o Dedicated technical steering groups have been set-up to support and supervise related activities, and an e-government focal point has been added to the Project Implementation Unit. o The project also continues to support the new agency, ANADEN, which is charged with supporting the implementation of government digitization, along with other aspects of the digital economy, as well as with the Ministry of ICT and focal point for government modernization to anchor related technical assistance and boost government’s institutional and technical capacity related to e-government. • A consultant will shortly be recruited to support the transfer of the .km domain, from Comores Telecom to the regulatory, This is aimed at improving the management and use of the domain, as is the introduction of a carrier neutral IXP. Once finalized, this will allow the country to manage more traffic locally, reducing cost. • A new co-working space, ComorLab, has been launched and was formally inaugurated in August 2019. The space is providing a conducive environment for ICT business innovation and training. Risks Systematic Operations Risk-rating Tool 12/8/2019 Page 2 of 8 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report RCIP4 - Regional Communications Infrastructure Program - APL 4 (RI) (P118213) Risk Category Rating at Approval Previous Rating Current Rating Political and Governance -- ►High ►High Macroeconomic -- ►Substantial ►Substantial Sector Strategies and Policies -- ►Substantial ►Substantial Technical Design of Project or Program -- ►Moderate ►Moderate Institutional Capacity for Implementation and Sustainability -- ►Moderate ►Moderate Fiduciary -- ►Moderate ►Moderate Environment and Social -- ►Substantial ►Substantial Stakeholders -- ►Substantial ►Substantial Other -- ►Substantial ►Substantial Overall -- ►Substantial ►Substantial Results PDO Indicators by Objectives / Outcomes Support the recipient's effort to lower prices for international connectivity IN00736947 ►International Internet Bandwidth (Text, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 175 Mbit/s 10885 Mbit/s 10885 Mbit/s 3611 Mbit/s Date 31-Dec-2011 28-Dec-2017 05-Nov-2019 30-Jun-2021 Comments: Measured in Mbit/s simplex IN00736949 ►International Internet Bandwidth per inhabitant (Text, Custom Supplement) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 232 bit/s 13.7 kbit/s 13.7 kbit/s 4.13 kbit/s IN00736971 ►Average price of wholesale internet capacity (Amount(USD), Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 5,500.00 18.70 18.70 1,000.00 Date 29-Jun-2012 28-Dec-2017 05-Nov-2019 30-Jun-2021 Comments: Average monthly price of wholesale internet capacity (E1 or 2 Mbit/s link) from the capital city to Europe 12/8/2019 Page 3 of 8 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report RCIP4 - Regional Communications Infrastructure Program - APL 4 (RI) (P118213) Support the recipient's efforts to extend the reach of broadband networks IN00736948 ►Access to Internet Services (number of subscribers per 100 people) (Number, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.70 81.39 53.00 37.70 Date 31-Dec-2011 31-Oct-2018 05-Nov-2018 30-Jun-2021 IN00736950 ►Total number of Internet subscriptions (Number, Custom Supplement) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 5,416.00 360,980.00 402,331.00 300,000.00 IN00736972 ►Mobile internet subscriptions (Number, Custom Supplement) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 359,336.00 400,971.00 295,000.00 IN00736973 ►Population (Number, Custom Supplement) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 735,375.00 813,912.00 758,316.00 800,000.00 IN00736974 ►Total number of mobile subscriptions (per 100 inhabitants) (Number, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 27.39 81.00 75.56 72.75 Date 31-Dec-2011 31-Oct-2018 05-Nov-2018 30-Jun-2021 IN00736975 ►Mobile subscriptions (Number, Custom Supplement) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 216,438.00 659,336.00 573,000.00 582,000.00 IN00736976 ►Direct project beneficiaries (Number, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 442,898.00 356,562.00 365,562.00 Date 31-Dec-2012 31-Oct-2018 05-Nov-2018 30-Jun-2021 IN00736977 ►Female beneficiaries (Percentage, Custom Supplement) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target 12/8/2019 Page 4 of 8 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report RCIP4 - Regional Communications Infrastructure Program - APL 4 (RI) (P118213) Value 50.00 50.00 50.00 50.00 Overall Comments PDO Getting accurate data remains a challenge, particularly from Comores Telecom (CT). Past figures sourced from GSMA Intelligence for CT appear to have been inflated, which explains why some subscription figures have fallen. The introduction of interconnection may also have reduced the need for duplicate SIM-cards, which could have been inflating subscription figures. Intermediate Results Indicators by Components 1. Enabling environment IN00736978 ►Number of licensed ISPs (Number, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 1.00 8.00 5.00 4.00 Date 31-Dec-2011 03-May-2019 01-May-2019 30-Jun-2021 Comments: Number of Internet Service Providers licensed to offer services in Comoros 2. Connectivity and demand stimulation IN00736979 ►Broadband Internet Subscriptions (Number, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 150.00 360,980.00 402,331.00 300,000.00 Date 31-Dec-2011 31-Oct-2018 05-Nov-2019 30-Jun-2021 IN00736980 ►Mobile broadband subscribers (Number, Custom Breakdown) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 359,336.00 400,971.00 295,000.00 Date 31-Dec-2011 31-Oct-2018 05-Nov-2019 30-Jun-2021 IN00736981 ►Fixed and mobile broadband subscriptions per 100 inhabitants (Number, Custom Supplement) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.02 46.12 53.00 37.70 IN00736982 ►Broadband subscribers as a percentage of total ICT subscriptions (Percentage, Custom Supplement) 12/8/2019 Page 5 of 8 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report RCIP4 - Regional Communications Infrastructure Program - APL 4 (RI) (P118213) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.04 55.20 70.17 50.00 IN00736983 ►Number of E-Systems connected to an interoperable Government-administered digital platform (Number, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 0.00 0.00 3.00 Date 02-Jul-2018 26-Apr-2019 26-Apr-2019 30-Jun-2021 Work has begun on defining a strategy and road-map for e-government, including a whole-of-government enterprise architecture and interoperability framework. A series of services/application will be developed that are in line with this framework: As it stands, likely candidates include roll-out of (1) a cloud-based government email and communications services for an initial pool of approximately 1,200 civil servants (G2G), (2) a series of government websites offering information as a services (G2P/G2B); and (3) an e-visa system (G2P). A short pre-study will be commissioned Comments: before procuring the e-visa solution. A feasibility study is also underway for e-procurement. However, finding to date suggest that several reforms and gaps need to be addressed before such a system could be rolled-out. At this stage, a pilot with 1-2 MDAs may thus be most feasible - time and budget permitting. IN00736984 ►Number of female beneficiaries of the co-working space (Number, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 0.00 182.00 100.00 Date 02-Jul-2018 26-Apr-2019 30-Oct-2019 30-Jun-2021 As of October 2019, some 409 people had used the co-working space e.g.attending events, workshops etc. Some 182 Comments: (44.5%) have been women. IN00736985 ►Number of crowdsourced reports from citizens on quality of service for telecommunication services (Number, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 1.00 1.00 4.00 Date 28-Jun-2018 26-Apr-2019 26-Apr-2019 30-Jun-2021 The next report is due to be completed by December 2019. Comments: Data on Financial Performance Disbursements (by loan) 12/8/2019 Page 6 of 8 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report RCIP4 - Regional Communications Infrastructure Program - APL 4 (RI) (P118213) Project Loan/Credit/TF Status Currency Original Revised Cancelled Disbursed Undisbursed % Disbursed P118213 IDA-D3820 Effective USD 10.00 10.00 0.00 2.83 7.10 28% P118213 IDA-H8780 Effective USD 22.00 22.00 0.00 20.17 0.00 100% Key Dates (by loan) Project Loan/Credit/TF Status Approval Date Signing Date Effectiveness Date Orig. Closing Date Rev. Closing Date P118213 IDA-D3820 Effective 28-Sep-2018 19-Nov-2018 19-Nov-2018 30-Jun-2021 30-Jun-2021 P118213 IDA-H8780 Effective 10-Sep-2013 24-Sep-2013 19-Nov-2013 30-Jun-2018 30-Jun-2021 Cumulative Disbursements Restructuring History Level 2 Approved on 28-Feb-2018 Related Project(s) 12/8/2019 Page 7 of 8 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report RCIP4 - Regional Communications Infrastructure Program - APL 4 (RI) (P118213) P166737-Additional Financing for the Comoros program of the 4th Phase of the Regional Communications Infrastructure Program 12/8/2019 Page 8 of 8