PROJECT INFORMATION DOCUMENT (PID) IDENTIFICATION/CONCEPT STAGE Report No.: PIDC92018 Public Disclosure Copy Project Name Region AFRICA Country Africa Lending Instrument IPF Project ID P162044 Borrower Name Smart Africa Alliance Secretariat Implementing Agency Smart Africa Alliance Environment Category C - Not Required Date PID Prepared 13-Oct-2016 Estimated Date of Approval 15-Jun-2016 Initiation Note Review The review did authorize the preparation to continue Decision I. Introduction and Context Country Context Economies, governments and societies cannot thrive without reliable connection to markets, information, services and each other. Such connections have been moving from physical to virtual at an accelerating pace. Countries at all levels of development now need to ensure that their businesses, citizens and institutions are equipped to participate, innovate and flourish in an Public Disclosure Copy increasingly online environment or risk being left behind and isolated. African countries are no exception. A multifaceted approach is required for African countries to pursue digital development. They need to make sure that their laws, regulations and policies promote competition and investment in digital technologies and services, they need to ensure that all citizens, institutions and businesses have the skills to use ICTs to access services and information and improve their productivity, they need to invest in ICT infrastructure and undertake proactive strategies to ensure affordability and access to ICT services for all citizens without displacing private investment, and they need to develop the capacity and infrastructure to delivery public services utilizing digital platforms. The requirements are large and growing and the underlying technological trends and best practices are constantly evolving. The Smart Africa Alliance was founded in response to these challenges ➢❨ to help countries build the technical skills and institutional capacity and to develop the plans needed to implement their digital development aspirations ➢❨ learning from and supporting each other along the way. Sectoral and Institutional Context Smart Africa is an alliance of 13 African countries (Rwanda, Uganda, Gabon, South Sudan, Kenya, Page 1 of 4 Senegal, Mali, Chad, Angola, Burkina-Faso, Djibouti, Cote d➢❨ Ivoire, and Guinea), with expansion ongoing to new member countries. It was founded as an outcome of the Transform Africa Summit of October 2013 to ➢❨ accelerate sustainable socio-economic development and Public Disclosure Copy usher Africa into the knowledge economy era through smart use and leveraging of Information and Communications Technologies (ICT). The vision guides countries to leverage ICT to improve sustainable development and improve accountability, efficiency and openness through ICT.➢❨ The Secretariat is based in Kigali and President Kagame has been a lead champion of the initiative. The Alliance is guided by five pillars/focus areas, as reflected in the Smart Africa Manifesto. These include (1) Policy, (2) Access, (3) e-Government, (4) Private Sector/Entrepreneurship and (5) Sustainable Development. The Alliance adopted the Smart Africa Action Plan in 2016, which translates the manifesto goals and pillars into a practical work program. Key priorities identified in the Action Plan include: ➢❨¢ Smart Africa Program and Flagships developed and implemented ➢❨¢ Smart Africa Board decisions implemented ➢❨¢ Smart Africa Agenda promoted and disseminated ➢❨¢ Innovation and Entrepreneurship promote ➢❨¢ An effective and efficient Secretariat operationalized Relationship to CAS/CPS/CPF ICTs can be leveraged to enhance socio-economic development, reduce poverty and increase shared prosperity. II. Project Development Objective(s) Proposed Development Objective(s) Public Disclosure Copy The proposed development objective is to build capacity of the Smart Africa Secretariat and member states to execute the Smart Africa Action plan at the continental and national level. Key Results 1.) Number of national ICT strategic plans and regional flagship projects developed 2.) Number of leaders trained in advanced ICT development concepts and strategies 3.) Number of Countries joined Alliance 4.) Number of Startups supported 5.) Number of young digital innovators supported 6.) Number of staff recruited and trained III. Preliminary Description Concept Description IV. Safeguard Policies that Might Apply Safeguard Policies Triggered by the Project Yes No TBD Environmental Assessment OP/BP 4.01 ✖ Page 2 of 4 Natural Habitats OP/BP 4.04 ✖ Forests OP/BP 4.36 ✖ Public Disclosure Copy Pest Management OP 4.09 ✖ Physical Cultural Resources OP/BP 4.11 ✖ Indigenous Peoples OP/BP 4.10 ✖ Involuntary Resettlement OP/BP 4.12 ✖ Safety of Dams OP/BP 4.37 ✖ Projects on International Waterways OP/BP 7.50 ✖ Projects in Disputed Areas OP/BP 7.60 ✖ V. Financing (in USD Million) Total Project Cost: 0.7 Total Bank Financing: 0 Financing Gap: 0 Financing Source Amount Korea WB Partnership Facility 0.7 VI. Contact point World Bank Contact: Seda Pahlavooni Title: e-Government Specialist Tel: 473-6512 Email: spahlavooni@worldbank.org Contact: Casey Torgusson Title: Senior Operations Officer Tel: 202-473-7633 Public Disclosure Copy Email: ctorgusson@worldbank.org Borrower/Client/Recipient Name: Smart Africa Alliance Secretariat Contact: Dider Nkurikiyimfura Title: Head of Technology and Innovation Tel: 250-788303080 Email: didier.nkurikiyimfura@smartafrica.org Implementing Agencies Name: Smart Africa Alliance Contact: Didier Nkurikiyimfura Title: Head of Technology and Innovation Tel: 250-788303080 Email: didier.nkurikiyimfura@smartafrica.org Page 3 of 4 VII. For more information contact: The World Bank 1818 H Street, NW Public Disclosure Copy Washington, D.C. 20433 Telephone: (202) 473-1000 Web: http://www.worldbank.org/projects Public Disclosure Copy Page 4 of 4