the world bankdocuments.worldbank.org/curated/en/928941468245983174/... · 2016-07-11 · 0 71 2.1...

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Document of

The World Bank

Report No: ICR00002054

IMPLEMENTATION COMPLETION AND RESULTS REPORT

(IDA-3868, IDA-H265, TF094537)

ON A CREDIT IN THE AMOUNT OF SDR 9.0 MILLION (US$13.3 MILLION EQUIVALENT)

AND

ON A FINANCING GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF SDR 3.4 MILLION (US$5.0 MILLION EQUIVALENT)

AND

ON A CO-FINANCING IN THE AMOUNT OF USD 1.0 MILLION

TO THE

UNION OF THE COMOROS

FOR A

SERVICES SUPPORT PROJECT

December 8 , 2011

Social Protection Unit Human Development Department Eastern Africa Country Cluster II Africa Region

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CURRENCY EQUIVALENTS (Exchange Rate Effective October 18, 2011)

Currency Unit = Comorian Franc (KMF)

USD1.00 = KMF 358.146 SDR1.00 = US1.57201

FISCAL YEAR

January 1 – December 31

ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS

AFD Agence Française de Développement

AfDB African Development Bank CDP Community Development Plan CR Comité Régional ERR Economic Rate of Return ESMF Environment and Social

Management Framework EU European Union FADC Fonds d’Appui au

Développement Communautaire FPCR Food Price Crisis Response Trust

Fund GDP Gross Domestic Product IBRD International Bank for

Reconstruction and Development ICR Implementation Completion

Report IDA International Development

Association INT Department of Institutional Integrity I-PRSP Interim Poverty Reduction Strategy

Paper ISN Interim Strategy Note

KMF Comorian Franc LICUS Low Income Countries Under Stress M&E Monitoring and Evaluation MOE Ministry of Education MTR Mid-Term Review PAD Project Appraisal Document PASCO Projet D’Appui au Secteur de la Santé

aux Comores PDO Project Development Objectives PSS Projet de Soutien aux Services RPF Resettlement Policy Framework SDR Standard Drawing Rights SSP Service Support Project TRI Taux de Rentabilité Interne TSSU Transition Support Strategy Update UNDP United Nations Development

Programme USD United States Dollar VAN Valeur Actuelle Nette

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Vice President: Obiageli Ezekwesili

Country Director: Haleh Z. Bridi

Sector Manager: Lynne Sherburne-Benz

Project Team Leader: Philippe Auffret

ICR Team Leader: Philippe Auffret

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COMOROS

Services Support Project

TABLE OF CONTENT

Data Sheet ..................................................................................................................................... iii

A. Basic Information

B. Key Dates

C. Ratings Summary

D. Sector and Theme Codes

E. Bank Staff

F. Results Framework Analysis

G. Ratings of Project Performance in ISRs

H. Restructuring

I. Disbursement Graph

1. Project Context, Development Objectives and Design................................................... 1

2. Key Factors Affecting Implementation and Outcomes .................................................. 6

3. Assessment of Outcomes .............................................................................................. 12

4. Assessment of Risk to Development Outcome............................................................. 24

5. Assessment of Bank and Borrower Performance ......................................................... 25

6. Lessons Learned............................................................................................................ 28

7. Comments on Issues Raised by Borrower/Implementing Agencies/Partners............... 29

Annex 1. Project Costs and Financing.............................................................................. 31

Annex 2. Outputs by Component...................................................................................... 32

Annex 3. Economic and Financial Analysis ..................................................................... 37

Annex 4. Bank Lending and Implementation Support/Supervision Processes................. 41

Annex 5. Beneficiary Survey Results ............................................................................... 43

Annex 6. Summary of Borrower's ICR and/or Comments on Draft ICR ......................... 48

Annex 7. List of Supporting Documents .......................................................................... 68

Map. ...................................................................................................................................66

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Datasheet

A. Basic Information Country: Comoros Project Name: Service Support Credit

Project ID: P084315, P100804,

P114740 L/C/TF Number(s):

IDA-3868, IDA-H265,

TF094537

ICR Date: 10/19/2011 ICR Type: Core ICR

Lending Instrument: SIL, ERL Borrower: GOVERNMENT OF

COMOROS

Original Total

Commitment: XDR 9.00M Disbursed Amount: USD 19.94M

Revised Amount: USD 19.3M

Environmental Category: B

Implementing Agencies:

Fonds d'Appui au Développement Communautaire (FADC)

Co-financiers and Other External Partners:

B. Key Dates

Process Date Process Original Date Revised / Actual

Date(s)

Concept Review: 07/07/2003 Effectiveness: 09/29/2004 09/29/2004

Appraisal: 12/03/2003 Restructuring(s): 07/10/2009

Approval: 03/11/2004 Mid-term Review: 09/07/2006

Closing: 11/30/2008 06/30/2011

C. Ratings Summary

C.1 Performance Rating by ICR

Outcomes: Satisfactory

Risk to Development Outcome: Substantial

Bank Performance: Satisfactory

Borrower Performance: Moderately Satisfactory

C.2 Detailed Ratings of Bank and Borrower Performance (by ICR)

Bank Ratings Borrower Ratings

Quality at Entry: Satisfactory Government: Moderately Satisfactory

Quality of Supervision: Satisfactory Implementing Agency/Agencies:

Satisfactory

Overall Bank Performance:

Satisfactory Overall Borrower Performance:

Moderately Satisfactory

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C.3 Quality at Entry and Implementation Performance Indicators

Implementation Performance

Indicators QAG Assessments

(if any) Rating

Potential Problem Project

at any time (Yes/No): No

Quality at Entry

(QEA): None

Problem Project at any

time (Yes/No): Yes

Quality of

Supervision (QSA): None

DO rating before

Closing/Inactive status: Satisfactory

D. Sector and Theme Codes

Original Actual

Sector Code (as % of total Bank financing)

General education sector 15 22

General transportation sector 15 21

Health 15 6

Other social services 30 21

Water supply 25 30

Theme Code (as % of total Bank financing)

Health system performance 13 6

Other human development 25 30

Other social development 13 21

Participation and civic engagement 25 13

Water resource management 24 30

E. Bank Staff

Positions At ICR At Approval

Vice President: Obiageli Katryn Ezekwesili Callisto E. Madavo

Country Director: Haleh Z. Bridi Hafez M. H. Ghanem

Sector Manager: Lynne D. Sherburne-Benz Laura Frigenti

Project Team Leader: Philippe Auffret Maryanne Sharp

ICR Team Leader: Philippe Auffret

ICR Primary Author: Emily Weedon

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F. Results Framework Analysis

Project Development Objectives (from Project Appraisal Document) The objectives of the project were to (i) maintain basic social and economic infrastructure for a significant number of disadvantaged communities and specific vulnerable groups; and (ii) contribute to building the basic capacity of communities and local actors to conduct a local development process. Revised Project Development Objectives (as approved by original approving authority) A Co-financing and Restructuring was approved in July 2009 and revised the PDOs as follows: (i) increase access to short term employment in food-insecure areas (new); (ii) increase access to basic social services in poor communities (reformulated); and (iii) contribute to building capacity of communities to plan their development (reformulated). (a) PDO Indicator(s)

Original Outcome Indicators

Baseline Original Target Values

Revised Outcome Indicators

Formally Revised Target Values

Actual Value at Completion

Increased access to short-term employment in food-insecure areas (New at restructuring)

Number of beneficiaries of cash-for-work program (new)

3,500 4,343

Increase access to basic social services in poor communities (Revised at restructuring)

Number of students in FADC built/rehabilitated schools/classrooms

0 980 Number of students enrolled in FADC build/rehabilitated schools or classrooms (revised)

Not specified1 6,025

Number of persons in sub-project area benefiting from a reduction in transport time and cost

0 22,8000 Number of people in project areas benefiting from improved roads (revised)2


Number of people in project areas with access to improved water sources (revised from an original intermediate


1 Given the demand-driven nature of the Project target indicators could not be estimated a priori at the Project’s Restructuring. The actual values at completion represent beneficiary community preferences. 2 This indicator was revised to improve the ease of measurement; however, the 2011 economic assessment of the Project included an evaluation of reduced transport time and cost resulting from these sub-projects. 3 See first footnote.

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indicator)

Contribute to building the capacity of communities to plan their development (Revised at restructuring) Number of communities with development plans meeting participatory process criteria

0 90

Number of community development plans completed

156 156

(b) Intermediate Outcome Indicator(s)5 Indicator Baseline

Value Original Target Values

Formally Revised Indicators



Component 1: Social safety net (new at Restructuring)

1.1 Person-days of employment created (number) (new)

90,000 108,425

1.2 Social protection sub-projects completed (number) (new)

75 87

1.3 Percentage of women among beneficiaries (new)

>50% 57%

Component 2: Community-driven basic infrastructure (revised at Restructuring) 2.1 Number of completed/rehabilitated small-scale infrastructure projects

0 71 2.1 Community-based sub-projects completed (number) (similar to Result 2.1 in Original Project)

100 102

2.2 Number of communities benefiting from at least one subproject

0 78 Information available but indicator dropped from results framework to simplify the table

2.3 Number of communities who have never benefited from Social Fund financing reduced

132 100 Information available but indicator dropped from results framework to simplify the table

2.4 Percentage of population indicating knowledge of/satisfaction with their participation in subproject plans

0 75% Indicator dropped since all development plans are systematically validated by the community

2.5 Number of sub-projects operational and maintained two years after completion

0 20 2.2 Community-based sub-projects properly maintained one year after completion (percentage of sub-projects completed) (slightly revised

>90% 96%

4 See first footnote. 5 The formally revised indicators and target values here are taken from the Project’s Restructuring. The intermediate outcome indicators were also revised at the Project’s Additional Financing. A complete table outlining all changes to the outcome and intermediate indicators is included in Annex 2.

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Indicator Baseline Value

Original Target Values




from Result 2.5 in Original Project)

2.3 Classrooms built and/or rehabilitated (number) (new IDA 15 indicator)

Not specified6

97

2.4 Community water points constructed or rehabilitated (number) (new IDA 15 indicator)

Not specified7

14

2.5 Roads rehabilitated, rural (km) (new IDA 15 indicator)

Not specified8

38.19

Component 3: Health services 3.1 Medical specialists who have been trained are using knowledge acquired

Not included

Not included

3.1 Medical specialists who have been trained and use knowledge acquired (percentage of) (similar to Result 3.1 in Original Project)

90% 95%

3.2 Equipment that was acquired is operational and maintained in a satisfactory manner

Not included

Not included

3.2 Hospital-related medical equipment supported under the Project that are operational and maintained in a satisfactory manner (percentage of) (similar to Result 3.2 in Original Project)

Not included

76% (as of Sept. 2007)

Component 4: Urban water supply

4.1 Percentage of population with access to drinking water within 1km

25% 75% Indicator slightly revised and moved to PDO level (the Additional Financing changed the target distance from 1km to 100m)

4.2 Percentage of population having access to water who are knowledgeable about water use and management

0 50% 4.1 Population having access to water who are knowledgeable about water management, hygiene and sanitation (percentage of) (similar to Result 4.2 in Original Project)

50% 96%

Component 5: Project management, monitoring and evaluation and audit 5.1 Base-line and annual surveys completed and data entered into the information management system

No

Yes Indicator dropped to simplify monitoring

6 See first footnote. 7 See first footnote. 8 See first footnote.

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Indicator Baseline Value

Original Target Values




5.2 Participatory community-based M&E system created and operational

No Yes Indicator dropped as a fully functional M&E system was operational within FADC

5.3 Annual technical and financial audits undertaken and demonstrate success of project

No Yes 5.2 Technical audit (of component 2) completed (similar to Result 5.3 in Original Project)

2 2

5.4 Operating cost of project do not exceed 15 percent of total project

0% <15% 5.1 Operating ratio (similar to Result 5.4 in Original Project)

<18% 17%

5.3 Assessment of cash-for-work program completed (new)

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G. Ratings of Project Performance in ISRs

No. Date ISR Archived

DO IP Actual Disbursements

(USD millions)

1 09/27/2004 Satisfactory Satisfactory 0.00









10 06/27/2008 Moderately Satisfactory Moderately Satisfactory 13.62



13 06/18/2009 Moderately Satisfactory Moderately Unsatisfactory 15.10

14 09/24/2009 Moderately Satisfactory Moderately Unsatisfactory 15.10





H. Restructuring (if any)

Restructuring Date(s)

Board Approved

PDO

ISR Ratings at

Restructuring

Amount Disbursed at

Restructuring

Reason for Restructuring & Key Changes

x

DO IP

07/10/2009 Yes MS MU 15.10The main revision was the introduction of a new PDO corresponding to the new public works activities financed by the Food Price Crisis Response Trust Fund. The original objectives also were reformulated, although the Project retained essentially the same focus and goals. The revision of the first original objective from maintaining social services in disadvantaged communities and specific vulnerable groups to increasing basic social services in poor communities did not substantially change the intended outcome to provide basic social services to beneficiary communities. The second original objective was reformulated from contribute to building the basic capacity of communities and local actors to conduct a local development process to contribute to building the capacity of communities to plan their development due to delays in the implementation of the Government’s decentralization strategy, including the creation of communes.

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I. Disbursement Profile

(a) Disbursement of Original Credit (IDA-3868) and Additional Financing (IDA-H265)

(b) Disbursement of Co-financing (TF094537)

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1. Project Context, Development Objectives and Design

1.1. Context at Appraisal and Restructuring

1. The Union of the Comoros is a small post-conflict island country (population 680,000), which consists of three islands (Grande Comore, Anjouan, and Mohéli) with a challenging political situation. Since gaining independence from France in 1975, Comoros has suffered from more than 20 coups and secession attempts and the resulting political instability has eroded Government accountability and capacity. The 2001 Constitution, known as the Fomboni Accords, was specifically tailored to put an end to these cycles of violence. However, in 2007 and 2008, another secession attempt by the island government of Anjouan resulted in an international embargo of Anjouan and military action by the country’s Union government and the African Union. Moreover, the Fomboni Accords created an unduly complex government administration that expanded the size of the civil service and left few resources available for health, education, and poverty alleviation.

2. The country’s development is also constrained by physical isolation, limited resource endowments, a small domestic market, a narrow export base (its main exports are cloves, vanilla, and ylang-ylang, a perfume essence), and poor macroeconomic management. The economy of the Union of the Comoros remains dependent on food imports and remittances and thus is particularly susceptible to international shocks. Approximately half of the country’s food consumption is imported (mostly rice, meat, and cooking oil) and remittances represent about one-fifth of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP). The 2008 international economic slowdown and food price crisis substantially increased the vulnerabilities of the poorest Comorians. The prices of rice, vegetable oil, and meat increased by over 50 percent in 2008 and the prices of dairy products (mostly dried milk) doubled. Moreover, having consumed or otherwise disposed of their few assets to cope with the crisis, households were increasingly vulnerable to future shocks.

3. The country’s ongoing political crises and limited economic growth have contributed to decreasing per capita incomes and relatively poor standards of living. The country’s per capita income, which was USD 412 in 1980, had fallen to USD 365 by 2003 at Project preparation. Although limited data exist in Comoros regarding the country’s human development indicators, the few analyses that have been conducted in the past decade reveal universally poor results. In 2002, the Government conducted a poverty perception study that highlighted people’s perceptions of the overall inaccessibility of basic social services, as detailed in Table 1 below. A 2005 household survey, which was conducted by the Government and UNDP, revealed a national poverty rate of 36.9 percent and a rural poverty rate of 41.1 percent. In 2008, UNICEF commissioned a study that showed that approximately one third of children under five years of age were chronically malnourished.

Table 1. Perceptions of Access of Basic Social Services

Perception of adequate access to: Average Grande Comore Anjouan Mohéli Primary education 48.6% 63.3% 19.3% 56.6%

Safe drinking water 23.3% 39.0% 9.1% 14.1%

Sanitation 16.9% 27.6% 5.3% 11.8% Source: Poverty Perceptions Survey, Statistical Department, Commissariat Général au Plan, 2002

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4. The Government’s inability to provide access to basic social services justified the adoption of non-traditional service delivery mechanisms to address this shortcoming. Based on the 2002 poverty perceptions survey, less than 50 percent of the Comorian population thought that they had adequate access to primary education, safe drinking water, or sanitation. Moreover, recent IDA-financed projects in the health and water sectors highlighted the Government’s weak implementation capacity and were rated Unsatisfactory at closure. By contrast, the autonomous Fonds d’Appui au Développement Communautaire (FADC) constructed 161 community infrastructures across Comoros’ three islands under the Social Fund Project (IDA Credit 3011-COM). This is a significant achievement given that, through these activities, FADC reached nearly half of the total 331 communities in Comoros (as based on the country’s 2003 census).

5. The World Bank’s involvement in Comoros sought to improve the provision of basic services for the population given the absence of a functioning governmental structure. At Project preparation, the Bank was developing a two-year Transitional Support Strategy Update (TSSU) for Comoros that, based on the lessons of the 2004 World Development Report (WDR), emphasized the delivery of services through non-traditional channels and increased accountability through community involvement. Through the Services Support Project (SSP), the TSSU aimed to leverage the country’s limited IDA allocation by continuing previously successful efforts by the FADC to increase standards of living through improved access to social services. In further support of this, the Project emphasized increased accountability through community-based development planning and community contributions. Moreover, given the relative capacity of the FADC, the Bank also designed the SSP to continue its support for improved access to health and water services. The SSP was the only Bank lending operation under the TSSU.

6. Given the country’s continuing political instability, institutional fragility, and weak capacity, other donors also focused on streamlining their support with efforts to systematically exploit synergies between their respective programs. At appraisal, there were a limited number of donors operating in Comoros. The Agence Française de Développement (AFD), a major development partner, had scaled-back its intervention to small grant projects being implemented by non-governmental agencies. The European Union (EU) was developing projects on decentralization and the education sector. During Project preparation, the World Bank coordinated closely with the AFD and the EU to ensure complementary of financing in these areas and to prevent the duplication of efforts, especially concerning the construction and rehabilitation of classrooms. No donors were active in the health or water sectors at the time of Project preparation.

1.2. Original Project Development Objectives (PDO) and Key Indicators

7. The SSP was approved on March 11, 2004 and became effective on September 29, 2004 (IDA Credit 3868-COM). Its original PDOs were to (i) maintain basic social and economic infrastructure for a significant number of disadvantaged communities and specific vulnerable groups and (ii) contribute to building the basic capacity of communities and local actors to conduct a local development process. The key indicators of the original PDOs were:

(1) Number of students in FADC built/rehabilitated schools/classrooms; (2) Number of persons in sub-project area benefiting from a reduction in transport time

and cost; and

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(3) Number of communities with development plans meeting participatory criteria.

1.3. Revised PDO and Key Indicators

8. The Project’s Additional Financing in the amount of USD 5.0 million (SDR 3.4 million) increased the total SSP allocation to USD 18.3 million (SDR 12.4 million). It was approved on December 21, 2006 and became effective on May 22, 2007 (IDA Grant H265-COM). The Additional Financing maintained the original PDO and key indicators, while scaling up activities for community-based sub-projects and capacity building and also providing incremental resources for Project M&E and audits.

9. The Project’s Co-financing and Restructuring provided USD 1 million from the Global Food Price Crisis Response (GFPCR) Trust Fund. It was approved on July 2, 2009 and became effective on December 22, 2009 (TF094537).9 The Restructuring revised the PDOs as follows: (i) increase access to short-term employment in food-insecure areas (new); (ii) increase access to basic social services in poor communities (reformulated); and (iii) contribute to building the capacity of communities to plan their development (reformulated). This was a Level One Restructuring. The key indicators were revised as follows:

(1) Number of beneficiaries of cash-for-work program; (2.1) Number of students enrolled in FADC built/rehabilitated schools or classrooms;

(2.2) Number of people in project areas with access to improved water source; (2.3) Number of people in project areas benefiting from improved roads; and (3) Number of local development plans completed.

10. In response to the 2008 food price crisis, the adaptive Restructuring introduced a new PDO corresponding to the new safety net activities financed by the GFPCR Trust Fund. The new SSP objective aimed to mitigate the negative impact of increasing food prices through the introduction of a cash-for-work program.

11. Although the original objectives were reformulated, the Project retained essentially the same focus and goals as evidenced by the similarity between the key outcome indicators before and after the Restructuring. The revision of the first original objective from maintaining social services in disadvantaged communities and specific vulnerable groups to, after the Restructuring, increasing basic social services in poor communities did not substantially change the intended outcome to provide basic social services to beneficiary communities, the targeting of which remained based on relative poverty, remoteness, primary school enrollment rates, and existing access to basic social services. No vulnerable groups identified under the original PDO were excluded from the Project following the Restructuring. The original second objective was reformulated from contribute to building the basic capacity of communities and local actors to conduct a local development process to, after the Restructuring, contribute to building the capacity of communities to plan their development. The political instability resulting from the secession attempt by Anjouan in 2007 and 2008 delayed the Government’s decentralization reforms and the establishment of local government structures (termed ‘communes’ in Comoros),

9 This approval date of July 2, 2009 is taken from the operations portal for P114740 (Services Support Project Co-financing and Restructuring). It differs slightly from the July 10, 2009 date for the Project’s Restructuring identified in the ICR data sheet automatically generated by SAP.

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which were the intended beneficiary of the capacity building to local actors specified in the original objective.

12. The closing date was extended to June 30, 2010 under the Additional Financing and to June 30, 2011 under the Co-financing and Restructuring.

1.4. Main Beneficiaries

13. The SSP benefited participating communities that were targeted based on the poverty rates, remoteness, inaccessibility, school enrollment rates, and the lack of basic social services. The Project used these criteria to target disadvantaged, poor, and food insecure communities and, within these communities, also targeted specific vulnerable groups. The Project originally aimed to target around 30 percent of the country’s communities; this was increased to approximately 50 percent at the Project’s Restructuring.

14. The Project also originally envisioned benefiting local government actors; however, as noted above, the Government’s decentralization policy was delayed and local government communes have not yet been established. This activity was removed at the Project’s Restructuring.

1.5. Original Components

15. The original Credit provided financing for:

a) Community-based sub-projects (USD 5.3 million): this component financed small-scale social and economic sub-projects identified by communities, such as classrooms and schools, health posts, small-scale water supply and sanitation, and feeder roads. This included both the rehabilitation and new construction of infrastructures. This component correlates with the Project’s first original PDO to maintain basic social and economic infrastructures, specifically the key indicators relating to the number of students in FADC built/rehabilitated schools and classrooms and the number of persons benefiting from reduced transport time and cost.

b) Capacity building (USD 600,000): this component supported capacity building and social capital formation for communities, including information and education campaigns, related strategic capacity building for civil society, and capacity building of the FADC and various stakeholders. This component correlates with the Project’s second original PDO to build local capacity to conduct development processes, specifically the key indicator regarding the number of communities with development plans meeting participatory criteria.

c) Health services (USD 1.2 million): the technical capacity of selected medical personnel in Comoros was to be strengthened through training in specialized fields and through the acquisition of critical medical equipment. This component correlates with the Project’s first original PDO to maintain basic social and economic infrastructures.

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d) Urban water supply (USD 2.1 million): these activities included rehabilitation and extension of water supply in three towns in Anjouan and two towns in Mohéli. This component also financed capacity building of water management committees and education campaigns on water management, sanitation, and hygiene. This component correlates with the Project’s first original PDO to maintain basic social and economic infrastructures.

e) Project monitoring and evaluation (M&E) and audits (USD 3.1 million): FADC operating costs and technical assistance to undertake the audits were included in this component. In addition, this component supported M&E activities and an impact evaluation of the community-based activities. Additional activities also aimed to promote local accountability and improved long-term development outcomes: participatory monitoring and evaluation by beneficiary communities and external monitoring by the media.

1.6. Revised Components

16. The Co-financing and Restructuring revised the project components, adding a new cash-for-work program and combining the original first and second components into one comprehensive community-driven basic infrastructure activity.

a) Social safety net (cash-for-work) (USD 850,000 from the GFPCR Trust Fund): this component financed a cash-for-work program to increase short-term employment in food-insecure areas to raise incomes and thus improve food consumption, particularly of vulnerable groups. This component correlates with the revised PDO to increase access to short-term employment in food-insecure areas, specifically the key indicator regarding the number of beneficiaries of the cash-for-work program.

b) Community-driven basic infrastructure (USD 6.8 million from the original Credit and USD 3.6 million from the Additional Financing): under the Co-financing and Restructuring, this component merged the first two of the original components and therefore consisted of two interrelated activities, the financing of small-scale social and economic infrastructures identified by the community and capacity building for communities and related capacity building for civil society and various stakeholders. This component correlates with the revised second and third PDOs to increase access to basic social services in poor communities and to contribute to building the capacity of communities to plan their development. The related key indicators are (i) the number of students enrolled in FADC built or rehabilitated schools or classrooms, (ii) the number of people in the project area with access to an improved water source, (iii) the number of people benefiting from improved roads, and (iv) the number of local development plans completed.

c) Health services (USD 900,000 from the Original Credit): this component was not amended by the Co-financing and Restructuring.

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d) Urban water supply (USD 2.7 million from the Original Credit): this component was not amended by the Co-financing and Restructuring.

e) Project management, M&E, and audit (USD 2.9 from the Original Credit, USD1.4 million from the Addition Financing, and USD 150,000 from the GFPCR Trust Fund): under the Co-financing and Restructuring, additional resources were allocated to this component for the operating, M&E, and audit costs of the newly added social safety net component.

1.7. Other significant changes

17. There were also two Reallocations of the original Credit during implementation, as detailed in Table 2 below. The first Reallocation, in February 2006, increased budgetary allocations for (i) Works to benefit the urban water supply component, (ii) Training to benefit the FADC staff and community trainings as well as for medical scholarships, and (iii) Incremental Operating Costs. It was approved by the Regional Vice President. The second Reallocation, in October 2009, increased the allocations for (i) Grants for Sub-project given increased costs due to currency fluctuations and increased import prices, (ii) Works given higher than expected costs of the rehabilitations under the urban water supply component, and (iii) a minimal increase in the allocation to Training. It was approved by the Country Director. Overall, the Project realized lower than expected costs for Goods and Vehicles as well as Consultants’ Services under the original Credit. No reallocations were processed for the Additional Financing (IDA Grant H265-COM) or Co-financing (TF094537).

Table 2. Overview of Reallocations of Original Credit (IDA Credit 3868-COM)

Categories Original Credit Allocations

2006 Reallocation

2009 Reallocation

Amounts in SDR

Grants for Sub-projects 3,580,000 3,580,000 4,030,000

Works 1,290,000 1,699,000 1,808,000

Goods and Vehicles 608,000 308,200 210,200

Consultants’ Services (including audits) 1,140,000 1,140,000 657,000

Training 310,000 855,000 877,000

Incremental Operating Costs 880,000 1,120,000 1,120,000

Refund of Project Preparation Advance 410,000 297,800 297,800

Unallocated 710,000 0 0

TOTAL CREDIT 9,000,000 9,000,000 9,000,000 Source: Project documents

2. Key Factors Affecting Implementation and Outcomes

2.1. Project Preparation, Design and Quality at Entry

18. The Project design was aligned with the Government of Comoros Interim Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (I-PRSP), which was in draft during Project preparation, the World Bank TSSU, and international best practices. The fifth pillar of the draft I-PRSP focused on social services and social service delivery. In support of the Government’s development objectives, the 2004 TSSU reoriented the existing portfolio toward service delivery through

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community structures and identified the SSP as the main instrument of Bank support to Comoros. As noted above, under the TSSU, the SSP was the Bank’s only lending operation in Comoros due to the Government’s limited implementation capacity. International best practices supported this approach. The Low Income Countries Under Stress (LICUS) principles emphasize the provision of basic services by nongovernmental actors in countries, such as Comoros, where conventional channels of social service delivery have broken down. Such contexts are typically characterized by both weak political accountability for policies and performance as well as technical and institutional weaknesses of public service providers. The lessons of the 2004 World Development Report also emphasized the delivery of services through non-traditional channels and increased accountability through community involvement.

19. Given the relative capacity of the FADC and the TSSU’s identification of the SSP as the Bank’s sole lending operation, the SSP’s preparation included health and water supply activities that had been supported under two previous IDA-financed projects that experienced implementation challenges. In continuance of the objectives of the World Bank’s Health Project (IDA Credit 3043-COM), which closed June 30, 2004, the SSP undertook the maintenance and procurement of equipment for public health facilities and also financed the continuing international education of Comorian medical students identified under the Health Project. The SSP also undertook to improve water delivery services in urban areas. These activities were previously supported through the Infrastructure, Water, and Environment Project (IDA Credit 3468-COM), which closed July 31, 2003. The Health Project and the Infrastructure, Water, and Environment Project were rated Unsatisfactory at closure.

20. At appraisal, the SSP’s overall risk rating was Substantial in recognition of the challenging and unstable operating environment. Despite the 2001 Fomboni Accords, the risk of political instability remained high, as did the potential for this instability to interfere with the Project’s implementation. Moreover, the sustainability of SSP-financed sub-projects was at risk given the limited capacity of both the Government (such as its inability to finance teachers) and the beneficiary communities (who would become responsible for ongoing maintenance). The Project also identified risk mitigation measures regarding the FADC’s ability to adopt and implement the participatory methods reinforced under the Project’s design, in particular technical assistance from a World Bank Senior Social Protection Specialist. This rating was maintained at the Project’s Restructuring.

21. No Quality at Entry review was conducted by the Quality Assurance Group.

2.2. Implementation

22. Project implementation was punctuated by the Additional Financing, approved in December 2006, and the Co-financing and Restructuring, approved in July 2009. The Additional Financing was informed by the Project’s Mid-term Review (MTR), which was conducted in September 2006 and reflected the outcomes of the 2005 technical audit of the Project. The MTR found that the Project was Satisfactory and reconfirmed the relevance of the PDOs; however, it did provide recommendations for the strengthening of community and stakeholder trainings, environmental protection measures, and M&E. These lessons were incorporated into the Additional Financing, the Project Operation Manual, and the Administrative and Accounting Procedures Manual. In addition, the Additional Financing included three communal sub-projects pilots; however, the Co-financing and Restructuring removed the three pilots, as these activities

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were closely tied to the implementation of the Government’s decentralization plan, including the creation of local government communes, which experienced delays following the political instability due to the 2007/2008 secession attempt by Anjouan.

23. The Co-financing and Restructuring included a new cash-for-work component to mitigate the negative impacts of the 2008 food price crisis, streamlined the Project’s original components, and focused on overcoming implementation challenges that surfaced in 2007 and 2008. In April 2007, the deterioration of Project management was first formally raised by the World Bank to the Ministry of Finance in an aide memoire transmittal letter. The Project was referred to INT in October 2007 and the Project Management rating was downgraded to Unsatisfactory after the subsequent supervision mission. A preliminary review of Project performance suggested that the root causes of the weaknesses observed in procurement, financial management, and safeguards performance were due to serious failures in Project management. In April 2009, the National Executive Director of the FADC resigned and was replaced by the Regional Director for Anjouan. This change in personnel was accompanied by an institutional audit to outline necessary reforms within the FADC. Both actions corresponded with the steady increase in management performance. In December 2009, project implementation was upgraded to Moderately Satisfactory, as a result of the FADC’s reorganization and adherence to the recommendations of the institutional audit. The INT Final Investigation Report was issued in September 2010; its findings showed that these issues did not have an impact on the achievement of the Project’s outcomes. Moreover, these management challenges did not impact progress toward the PDO, which remained Moderately Satisfactory or Satisfactory throughout the Project.

24. At the national level, although the Project was designed with specific attention to the lack of Government capacity throughout Comoros, the country’s broader institutional environment affected the SSP. The 2007/2008 political crisis, following the island of Anjouan’s attempt to secede from the Union of Comoros, resulted in an international embargo against the island and created delays in the construction of the sub-projects being implemented there during that period. As noted above, the instability resulting from this crisis contributed to the Government’s delayed progress toward decentralization, which prevented the Project from providing capacity building to the local government communes. Moreover, during Project implementation, the Union of Comoros was suspended from IDA on five occasions, resulting from the Government’s delayed loan payments.10 These suspensions prevented the FADC and beneficiary communities from making timely payments to contractors and consultants thus impeding sub-project completion.

2.3. Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Design, Implementation and Utilization

25. The M&E design reflected the low capacity context in which the Project was implemented. Given the limited data available in Comoros, the Project supported the Government’s and UNDP’s undertaking of a household survey, completed in 2005. This information was used to help target beneficiary communities based on relative poverty levels, remoteness, and existing access to social services. Moreover, although the M&E framework was largely output-based to reflect the low capacity context, the design emphasized building the FADC’s M&E capacity and included various studies that served to augment the data available on Project outputs and outcomes. By the Project’s close, the FADC had commissioned a

10 These five IDA suspensions were from March 1 to 14, 2008; August 28 to September 8, 2008; November 18 to December 17, 2008; April 2 to 30, 2009; and July 31 to September 16, 2009.

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beneficiary assessment (2007), an economic analysis (2011), an institutional audit (2009), an initial assessment of the cash-for-work activities (2010), and two technical audits (2005 and 2010).

26. Throughout Project implementation, there was a strong commitment from the FADC to improve and institutionalize its M&E capacity. By the MTR in September 2006, the FADC had established a computerized, integrated system for monitoring as well as a simplified method for data collection. Both the Additional Financing and Co-financing and Restructuring revised the Project’s M&E framework, the former based on findings of the MTR and the latter on the 2009 institutional audit. At the time of the 2009 audit, weaknesses in M&E were recorded due to prolonged absences of key personnel and the M&E rating was Unsatisfactory from June to September 2009. The situation improved following the appointment of an interim director of M&E in April 2009 and the recruitment of a permanent director in October 2009, following the lifting of an IDA suspension. Overall, the FADC was able to adapt to these modifications and maintained a strong database of information on Project outputs and outcomes. The Bank received regular and timely implementation reports throughout the Project.

27. The FADC used the information and lessons learned through its M&E system and various reports to improve Project activities as well as the overall functioning of the organization. The 2005 technical audit, which was based on the FADC’s M&E data, was used to improve the technical quality of the SSP sub-projects. The 2009 institutional audit guided the reorganization of the FADC following its period of mismanagement. In 2009, the FADC also began the recruitment of Bureaux d’études to provide technical support for sub-project construction based on lessons learned. The 2010 audit noted the utility of these external agencies to ensure the quality of the infrastructures constructed by the Project.

28. Under the original Credit, the Project M&E and audits component outlined that the Project would incorporate external monitoring by the media. This activity was not realized given the low capacity of the media in Comoros and was removed under the Co-financing and Restructuring.

2.4. Safeguard and Fiduciary Compliance

29. At closing, the Project’s safeguard and fiduciary compliance was rated Satisfactory. The original Project Appraisal Document (PAD) noted the need for continued capacity building within the FADC. Steady improvements in performance were witnessed in the beginning of the Project and the Task Team worked to institutionalize the FADC’s compliance. However, between 2008 and 2009, compliance deteriorated significantly, in parallel with the overall decline of the FADC’s management performance. Key staff were absent for extended periods of time without adequate back-up; the annual reports and budgets were submitted late and in poor quality. In June 2009, the ratings for financial management, procurement, and safeguard compliance were downgraded to Moderately Unsatisfactory. This coincided with the appointment of a new National Executive Director at the FADC, after which the Project again began realizing increased capacity. Among other changes, the Internal Auditor function was reinforced and revised. By September 2009, financial management was upgraded to Moderately Satisfactory, safeguard compliance was upgraded in December 2009, and procurement was upgraded in June 2010.

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30. Environmental and social safeguards. The Project Environmental Category was rated B, requiring a partial assessment, since the SSP supported construction and rehabilitation of community-based infrastructures with the potential of environmental and social impacts. The Project also triggered OP/BP 4.12, Involuntary Resettlement. The Integrated Safeguards Data Sheet was originally disclosed on January 5, 2004; it was updated and re-disclosed on October 31, 2006 and June 9, 2009 during the preparation of the Additional Financing and Co-financing and Restructuring, respectively. Under the previous FADC-implemented Social Fund Project, an Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF) and a Resettlement Policy Framework (RPF) had been prepared and were disclosed on December 3, 2003. As part of the Co-financing and Restructuring, the ESMF was revised and re-disclosed on March 23, 2010. No safeguard audits were conducted under the Project.

31. Safeguard compliance was rated Moderately Unsatisfactory from June to December 2009. In June 2009, a supervision mission identified that the ESMF and RPF were not systematically applied by the FADC or the communities. Mitigation measures implemented at sub-project sites also were found to be insufficient, particularly in regards to environmental degradation. In response, the FADC hired a full-time safeguard specialist. The mission held a training on the FADC safeguard manuals and recommended the widespread dissemination of these manuals in the local language, which was undertaken in July and August 2009. By the following mission in November 2009, the Task Team witnessed marked improvements, particularly resulting from the recruitment of a new safeguard specialist by FADC in August 2009. The safeguard compliance rating was upgraded to Moderately Satisfactory in December 2009 and to Satisfactory in October 2010. There were no cases throughout the Project in which people were displaced by sub-project construction, although strips of land were acquired along the edges of some road sub-projects.

32. Financial management and procurement. Overall, financial management and procurement compliance were satisfactory and ongoing capacity building allowed the FADC to steadily improve its performance. The MTR noted progress to correct early delays in the recruitment of an Internal Auditor and improvements in the quality of the financial reports. However, in April 2009, a mission outlined several shortcomings within the FADC’s financial management capacity, which resulted in a rating of Moderately Unsatisfactory. A subsequent financial management review of the FADC was conducted in September 2009 and found that the majority of recommendations from the April mission had been implemented. Specifically, the review highlighted the submission of a budget to the World Bank through June 30, 2011 (the Project’s closing date), the ongoing recruitment of an external auditor, and the timely preparation of Project IFRs. The FADC also had begun the processes of updating its financial management software. In 2010, trainings for the FADC’s financial management team further improved general bookkeeping. The rating was upgraded to Moderately Satisfactory by September 2009 and rated Satisfactory as of October 2010.

33. Procurement was rated Unsatisfactory from June 2009 to June 2010. A procurement post review conducted in April 2009 found weaknesses in all procurement areas, including managerial organization, controls and potential conflicts of interest, procurement processes, management of contracts, and filing systems. Two contracts, totaling KMF 1,733,000 (approximately USD 4,840), were found to be ineligible expenditures under the SSP. Of this total, KMF 975,000 had already been disbursed and was subsequently reimbursed; FADC had

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not yet disbursed the remaining KMF 785,000. Under new leadership, the FADC quickly implemented the recommendations of the April 2009 mission and the institutional audit, including more clearly defining the responsibilities of procurement staff as well as hiring additional personnel. By the November 2009 mission, the Task Team witnessed improvements in the quality of procurement submissions. Procurement training was conducted by a World Bank consultant in April 2010 and the procurement rating was upgraded to Moderately Satisfactory following another procurement post review in the first half of 2010. By the Project’s close, the Procurement rating was Satisfactory.

2.5. Post-completion Operation/Next Phase

34. In keeping with the objectives of the SSP, the World Bank has provided financing to the Government for the FADC to continue its support for increased access to short-term employment opportunities through cash-for-work activities and to basic social services through community-driven development processes. The Emergency Food Security and Unemployment Support through Cash-for-Work Program (TF097191) provides USD 2.366 million to cash-for-work activities through the Japan Social Development Fund and the Emergency Crises Response Project (H572-KM) provides SDR 3.5 million to cash-for-work and community-driven development activities. Both Projects were approved in June 2010. In addition, the Coastal Resources Co-management for Sustainable Livelihood Project received approval for financing from the Japanese Social Development Fund in April 2011 and includes USD 1.18 million for activities to be implemented by the FADC that aim to support capacity building and the construction of basic infrastructures within communities of fishermen.

35. The Emergency Crises Response Project includes activities to continue supporting capacity building of communities to manage and oversee their own development processes; however, the social infrastructures supported under the SSP are intended to be maintained by the beneficiary communities themselves. Given the small size of the country, the FADC allows for multiple sub-projects to be completed in one community. It is thus possible that some of the SSP beneficiary communities will receive further training through the ongoing Projects; however, no specific mechanisms have been established to ensure continued support to SSP beneficiary communities. As detailed in Section 4 below, limitations in the ability of these communities to maintain the SSP-financed community sub-projects have already appeared.

36. In the health and water sectors, other donor partners are currently financing and providing technical assistance in continuance of activities that the SSP supported. In regards to the SSP health component, the AFD Projet d’Appui au Secteur de la Santé aux Comores (PASCO), which closes December 31, 2014, includes support for the institutionalization of maintenance capacity for critical medical equipment, although this activity remains under preparation. For the urban water component, the African Development Bank (AfDB), through its Projet d’Alimentation en Eau Potable et d’Assainissement that began in late 2010, will continue to support capacity building efforts for the water users associations and will undertake additional structural rehabilitations necessary to further improve water delivery in the two locations where the SSP was involved. At Project preparation, no such donor financing was available and the SSP, critically, prevented a lapse in donor support to these key sectors.

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3. Assessment of Outcomes

3.1. Relevance of Objectives, Design and Implementation

Rating: Satisfactory

37. The Project’s objectives, design, and implementation remain relevant. At preparation, the Government supported the Project objectives to maintain social and economic infrastructures while building local capacity in development processes. When the Government of Comoros submitted its final I-PRSP to the World Bank in May 2006, the Project remained relevant within this development strategy. The SSP activities aligned with three of the seven core strategic axes of the I-PRSP, including economic growth through infrastructure development, improving health conditions, and promoting education. The Project retained its relevant under the Government’s first full Poverty Reduction and Growth Strategy Paper (PRGSP), adopted in September 2009, which included the objective of improving human development outcomes through better social service delivery. The Project’s indictors, including the number of people benefiting from improved roads and the number of students attending FADC constructed or rehabilitated schools, were relevant to the strategic objectives of both the I-PRSP and the PRGSP.

38. The Project’s design reflected the absence of functioning Government structures capable of providing basic services to the population. The Project leveraged the FADC’s capacity not only to work with communities to prioritize and realize their development needs but also to provide continuing support for the health and water sectors despite the Government’s limited capacity in these areas. While the addition of the health and urban water components rendered the Project design complex, particularly with the LICUS context, their inclusion was justified not only given the Government’s weak capacity in the provision of these services but also the lack of other donors active in the health and water sectors at Project preparation. The M&E design also reflected the low capacity context in which the Project was operating. As noted above, very little national household data exists in Comoros and the SSP therefore contributed resources to a household survey conducted by the Government and UNDP (completed in 2005). This survey helped the FADC to more accurately target poor communities. The M&E system within the organization remained largely based on administrative data; however, the FADC supported a beneficiary assessment (2007), an economic analysis (2011), an institutional audit (2009), an initial assessment of the cash-for-work activities (2010), and two technical audits (2005 and 2010) to augment its information regarding the Project’s outputs and outcomes.

39. The Additional Financing and Co-financing and Restructuring responded to the country’s ongoing and evolving needs while recognizing the continuing relevance of the SSP design and implementation arrangements. In 2006, Comoros remained categorized as a LICUS and the continued use of non-traditional social services providers, such as the FADC, remained relevant. That year, the SSP MTR also confirmed the Project’s design and implementation. The Bank, therefore, allocated an additional USD 5 million from IDA for the expansion of the SSP activities. In 2009, the Co-financing and Restructuring responded to mitigate the negative impacts of the 2008 international food price crisis within food insecure households by adding the cash-for-work component to the SSP. It also streamlined the original community-based sub-project and capacity-building components into a single component that focused comprehensively on community development through both infrastructure construction and capacity building. The Restructuring, however, maintained two independent development objectives related to these activities. The first objective was not substantially revised and continued to reflect the Project’s

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ongoing aim to provide basic social services to beneficiary communities. As noted above, beneficiary targeting remained unchanged. Under the second objective, the Project’s envisioned support for local government communes, which had yet to be established, was removed to reflect delays in the Government’s decentralization process, in part due to the secession attempt by Anjouan and resulting political instability. The key indicators also remained relevant and included the addition of one indicator regarding the number of beneficiaries of the cash-for-work component and another regarding access to improved water sources relating to both the community infrastructure and urban water components.

40. Various World Bank analyses have continued to support the relevance of the Project’s objectives, design, and implementation. The World Bank Interim Strategy Note (ISN) for Fiscal Year 2010-2012 reconfirmed the SSP and related follow-on interventions as key responses to its first objective of reducing social vulnerability through increased access to basic social and economic services and temporary employment opportunities. The ISN also noted the appropriateness of the FADC as “the only institution in Comoros with the management, staffing, administrative capacity, and decentralized structure to be able to effectively implement projects on all three islands under emergency conditions.” The Project’s ongoing relevance is further reinforced by the 2010 Comoros Quick Assessment of the Global Context and of the Bank ISN, which found “obviously huge needs for community type development. Given (i) the lack of experienced operators, (ii) the extremely low overall capacity in the country, (iii) the very low disbursement rates on most donor projects, (iv) the broadly satisfactory progress enjoyed by the FADC project, and (v) the significant management and technical capacity of the project unit, continued support for this operation is fully justified.” The Note also highlighted the utility of leveraging additional resources to respond to the 2008 food price crisis and the relevance of this intervention even after prices normalized internationally, given the lingering effects of the food price increases in Comoros.

41. The rating of Satisfactory is applied for before and after the Project’s Restructuring, as the primary objectives to provide access to basic social services and build capacity within beneficiary communities were maintained and remain a critical component of Government and World Bank development strategies in Comoros. Moreover, the addition of the cash-for-work component highlights the Project’s ability to respond to the evolving country context.

3.2. Achievement of Project Development Objectives


42. The achievement of the Project Development Objectives is rated Satisfactory given the Project’s performance against its key outcome indicators. The 2007 beneficiary assessment and 2011 economic analysis highlight the linkages between these indicators and the positive outcomes within beneficiary communities related to the provision of basic social services and the building of community capacity. A 2010 initial assessment of the cash-for-work component also offers anecdotal evidence of the outcomes within beneficiary communities related to the increase in access to short-term employment.

3.2.1. Original PDO

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Specific Objective 1: maintain basic social and economic infrastructure for a significant number of disadvantaged communities and specific vulnerable groups.

43. The Project’s achievement of the objective to maintain basic social infrastructures is evidenced by the significant progress toward the corresponding outcome and intermediate indicators made prior to the Restructuring. The maintenance of basic social infrastructures was measured by (i) the number of students in FADC built or rehabilitated schools or classrooms and (ii) the number of people benefiting from a reduction in transport time and cost. By the Restructuring in 2009, 3,520 students were enrolled in Project-supported schools, well above the target of 980 students, and 25,695 people had access to improved roads, again above the target of 22,800 people.11 Sixty one sub-projects had been completed and were benefiting 91 communities, in comparison with the respective targets of 70 sub-projects and 78 communities. These 91 communities benefiting from the SSP represent 27 percent of the total 331 communities in Comoros. Moreover, 89 percent of beneficiary communities had met the established deadlines regarding their contributions to the sub-projects and 93 percent reported conducting maintenance on the completed sub-projects, compared with targets of 90 percent and 70 percent respectively.12

44. Sampling 30 sub-projects completed before and after the Restructuring, the 2011 economic analysis of the SSP highlights the positive impact of this increased access to basic social and economic infrastructures on the quality of life within beneficiary communities. Rural road sub-projects helped facilitate better movement of goods and people, improved commerce, and a reduction of prices of basic household goods. Specifically, in the six rural road sub-projects sampled, there was an average increase of seven taxi or truck drivers and 10 market sellers per beneficiary community following the road rehabilitation. In two of these communities, the economic analysis also found a 50 percent and 25 percent reduction in the prices of soap and cooking oil, respectively. The economic analysis, however, did not consider factors exogenous to the road sub-projects that could have contributed to these outcomes. The proximity of improved water sources afforded a significant time savings to community members, particularly women and girls, based on the research of the 2011 economic analysis. In the five sampled communities with improved water sources, people reported savings of 30 minutes to 3.5 hours per day searching for water due to the SSP intervention. Sampled communities also self-reported fewer cases of diseases associated with poor drinking water and unsanitary living conditions, such as diarrhea, malaria, cholera, and typhoid linked to these improved water sources and the sanitation sub-projects. Regarding the classroom constructions, in one community, the addition of the three classrooms financed by the Project allowed the school to offer classes for the fifth and sixth grade. In addition, one of the two sampled communities where the SSP financed the construction of small dikes was able to reclaim arable land as a result of this intervention.

45. The SSP health component contributed to the maintenance of basic social infrastructures and had achieved the corresponding intermediate indicators by the Project’s 2009 Restructuring. The Project financed international scholarships for 22 medical personnel, with a range of

11 The FADC measured this indicator (the number of people benefiting from a reduction in transport time and cost) by the number of people with access to improved roads. 12 The indicators reported in this paragraph are based on the FADC’s administrative data.

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specialties including cardiology, pediatrics, and hospital administration. Before the Restructuring, 95 percent of these students had returned to Comoros to work in the health sector, as compared with a target of 90 percent. The retention of these additional qualified personnel is particularly important in the context of the low overall capacity of this sector. Moreover, the SSP had financed the maintenance or rehabilitation of 41 pieces of medical equipment in five hospitals across the country’s three islands, two in Grande Comore, two in Anjouan, and one in Mohéli. Seventy six percent of this equipment was operational and maintained in a satisfactory manner, although no target was specified against which to compare this percentage. The Project also supported the purchase of medical equipment in three health centers (two on Grande Comore and one on Anjouan) and consumables such as pharmaceuticals and other medical supplies for a health center in Anjouan.

46. In addition, the urban water component reinforced the Project objective to maintain basic social services through its provision of drinking water within 100 meters to 93 percent of the population in the project intervention area. This surpassed the component’s intermediate indicator target of 75 percent of households.13 However, the number of beneficiary communities was reduced during Project implementation when the costs of constructing five water supply systems were realized to exceed the urban water component’s budgetary allocation. The Government decided to focus on constructing two systems, one in the capital city of Mohéli (Fomboni) and the other in the capital city of Anjouan (Mutsamudu). Prior to the Restructuring, although the FADC had progressed in recruiting a contractor to conduct public awareness campaigns on water management, hygiene, and sanitation, the contract was delayed due to IDA suspensions. Therefore, the Project had not met the target that 50 percent of the population with access to drinking water from the Project intervention was knowledgeable about water use and management. The Project also was unable to measure the percent of the population within the Project intervention area that paid for water.

47. The community-based sub-project and capacity building components were successful in targeting disadvantaged communities and specific vulnerable groups. Disadvantaged communities were targeted based on their poverty rate, their remoteness, and their existing access to basic services. The availability of such data in Comoros is very limited; therefore, the SSP provided support for a household survey, finalized in February 2005, that was conducted by the Government’s Commissariat Général au Plan and UNDP. The FADC used this data throughout Project implementation to compare poverty rates, remoteness, primary school enrollment rates, and accessibility to basic social services of communities. The 2011 economic analysis included data regarding the poverty rates of 60 percent of the 30 sampled communities. On average, the poverty rate in these communities was 57.4 percent, well above the national poverty rate of 34.9 percent. Only one of these eighteen communities was below the national average with a poverty rate of 25.9 percent, while the majority was above the national average rural poverty rate, which is 41.1 percent. Regarding the inclusion of vulnerable groups, in the 2007 beneficiary assessment, communities noted that the SSP-initiated planning processes were inclusive of typically marginalized groups, notably youth and the elderly. Moreover, women comprised 33 percent of participants in the community trainings and 50 percent of participants in the community development committees.

13 The Project’s Additional Financing amended this intermediate indicator from 75 percent of the population within the Project intervention area has access to drinking water within 1 kilometer to within 100 meters.

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48. The health and urban water supply components did not specifically target disadvantaged communities or vulnerable groups. Both components focused on increasing access to social services through the strengthening of relatively large-scale infrastructures that serve a broad cross-section of the population. It, therefore, was not possible to track the demographic characteristics of the end users of these systems.

Specific Objective 2: contribute to building the basic capacity of communities and local actors to conduct a local development process.

49. The SSP had made significant progress toward its objective of building community capacity before the Project’s Restructuring as evidenced by the outcome and intermediate indicators related to this PDO. Through trainings provided under the Project, 136 communities had completed local development plans, surpassing the original target of 90.14 One hundred percent of these local development plans had been validated by the community, surpassing the target of 90 percent and, on average, 45 percent of the population of beneficiary communities had participated in the local development plan creation process, as compared with a target of 60 percent. The SSP significantly surpassed the target, introduced under the Additional Financing, that 40 communities would execute activities in their local development plan without funding from the SSP, with 101 communities doing so prior to the Restructuring. These figures highlight the capacity of the communities to organize and work successfully toward local development. In particular, the independent use of the local development plans by communities suggests the Project helped build the capacity of communities to be more proactive in their development processes. The increased capacity of SSP beneficiary communities was confirmed by the Government and donor partners, including AFD, during the ICR mission.

50. The 2007 beneficiary assessment further reinforces the Project’s contribution of building capacity within beneficiary communities. Communities were proud of the development plans created under the FADC’s participatory approach and that this planning process allowed them to adopt a longer-term vision for their futures. Of the 43 sampled communities, 42 reported that the local development plan would be a future priority. Moreover, 60 percent of communities reported that the local development plans helped improve the functioning of community structures, 56 percent reported better circulation of information, and 63 percent reported an improved relationship between the community and local officials. However, at least half of the communities sampled in Grande Comore and Anjouan reported that they required additional training in project management and M&E (although all five communities sampled in Mohéli reported that they had received satisfactory training). The assessment also found that communities tended to include only sub-projects that were eligible for FADC funding, rather than outlining all their priorities. The FADC was proactive in responding to this finding and, as noted above, 101 communities had completed projects specified in their local development plan independently from the FADC by the Project’s Restructuring in 2009.

51. The local government communes originally envisioned as beneficiaries of these activities have not been established by Government through its decentralization processes. The political instability resulting from the secession attempt by the island of Anjouan, which began in 2007,

14 The SSP-supported local development plans are developed at the community level by the communities themselves. They are not developed by local government communes, which have yet to be established.

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contributed to the delay of this reform. The SSP, therefore, was unable to provide capacity building support to actors outside of the communities.

3.2.2. Revised PDO

Specific Objective 1: increase access to short-term employment in food-insecure areas.

52. The Project surpassed its targets regarding the increase of access to short-term employment in food-insecure areas. The Project increased access to short-term employment by engaging 4,343 beneficiaries in 87 cash-for-work sub-projects (above the target of 3,500 beneficiaries in 75 sub-projects) and creating 108,425 days of employment (as compared with a target of 90,000). This component provided each beneficiary with 25 days of work at a daily wage of KMF 2,300 (approximately USD 6). This income represents 18.5 percent of the most recent World Bank estimate of the country’s per capita income (2009) of USD 810. The total cash transfer realized through the public works component was KMF 248,678,300 (approximately USD 695,000). Fifty seven percent of beneficiaries were women, exceeding the target of 50 percent.

53. The Project targeted food insecure areas based on communities’ respective poverty levels, remoteness, and inaccessibility.15 This data was taken from the 2005 household survey supported by the Project. Numerical values were assigned to each criterion and communities were prioritized on this basis. An initial assessment of the cash-for-work component was conducted in 2010 and suggested that this methodology may have been overly complex. Still, given the reliance on relevant data from the 2005 household survey, it seems likely that the short-term employment opportunities were targeted toward food insecure areas.

54. The initial evaluation of the cash-for-work component also highlighted the positive social and economic impacts of short-term employment opportunities. In one community, beneficiaries self-reported that they spent approximately 80 percent of cash-for-work wages on food expenditures and the remaining 20 percent was allocated primarily to health and education expenses. In another, beneficiary households noted being able to supplement their standard diet of cassava and plantains with fish and meat. Respondents also highlighted that the public works undertaken through this component facilitated the movement of goods to market and people to existing social services, as well as minimizing the time spent finding potable water. Communities reported that they benefited from learning the labor intensive techniques applied by the sub-projects and that this learning would be of use in future community works. However, the findings of this initial assessment are anecdotal and based on the self-reporting of only four communities on two of the Union’s three islands.

55. At Project closure, the activities related to this PDO, which included the cash-for-work component, represented approximately five percent of total Project disbursements (USD 904,137).

Specific Objective 2: increase access to basic social services in poor communities.

56. The Project has achieved its goal regarding the increased access of poor communities to basic social services. As noted above, the revision of the first original objective from

15 Funding allocations between the three islands were in accordance with the 2001 Fomboni Accords. Targeting also considered population size.

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maintaining social services in disadvantaged communities and specific vulnerable groups to increasing basic social services in poor communities did not substantially change the intended outcome to provide basic social services to beneficiary communities. Community targeting remained based on relative poverty, remoteness, primary school enrollment rates, and existing access to basic social services.

57. The success in achieving increased access to basic social services is based on the revised key indicators, which include the number of students enrolled in FADC built or rehabilitated schools or classrooms and the number of people benefitting from improved water sources or roads in FADC beneficiary communities.16 At Project completion, 6,025 students were enrolled in schools built or rehabilitated under the Project, an estimated 27,061 people were benefiting from improved roads, and 55,443 people had access to an improved water source within 100 meters of their house. Given the demand-driven nature of the Project target indicators could not be estimated a priori at the Project’s Restructuring; the actual values at completion represent beneficiary community preferences.

58. The Project surpassed its intermediate indicators regarding the increase in access to basic social services. One hundred and two sub-projects were constructed and in use by communities at Project closure, as compared with a target of 100. The 102 communities in which these sub-projects were completed represent 31 percent of the total number of communities in Comoros. These sub-projects included 97 classrooms built or rehabilitated, 38.19 kilometers of rehabilitated roads, and 14 improved community water points as well as the urban water systems rehabilitated in Mutsamudu and Fomboni. Ninety six percent of the community infrastructures were properly maintained one year after completion, above the target of 90 percent. Moreover, the final student who received a SSP-financed scholarship returned to Comoros in late 2009 and, to date, 95 percent of these medical professionals remain in the public health sector in Comoros, again above the target of 90 percent. In addition, the FADC estimates that 96 percent of people with access to the improved water sources under the urban water component are knowledgeable about water management, hygiene, and sanitation, as compared to a target of 50 percent.17

59. As detailed in Section 3.2.1 above, these outputs translate into tangible quality of life improvements for community beneficiaries. The 2011 economic analysis found that beneficiary communities self-reported that the increased access to basic social services resulting from the Project correlated with decreased household expenditures, increased economic activity, and decreased prevalence of water-borne diseases within the Project intervention areas. Section 3.6 and Annex 5 provide additional information regarding the SSP’s beneficiary assessments.

60. The targeting of poor communities was not revised following the Project’s Restructuring and appears to have been successful. As noted above in Section 3.2.1, the 2011 economic analysis found an average poverty rate of 57.4 percent, well above the national poverty rate of 34.9 percent and the national rural poverty rate of 41.1 percent, in the 18 communities for which it compiled this data.

16 The Restructuring added a key outcome indicator regarding increased access to water, which was an intermediate indicator under the original M&E framework. It also revised the language of the two original outcome indicators related to this PDO regarding enrollment in Project financed classrooms and access to improved roads. 17 The indicators reported in this paragraph and the previous paragraph are based on the FADC’s administrative data.

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61. At Project closure, the activities relating to this PDO, which include the community infrastructure component, excluding the community capacity building activities, the health component, and the urban water component, represented approximately 65 percent of total Project disbursements (USD 12,561,088).

Specific Objective 3: contribute to building the capacity of communities to plan their development.

62. The Project has achieved its target regarding the building of community capacity to drive local development processes. The target of 156 local development plans was achieved and represents the involvement of 47 percent of all communities in Comoros in these activities. Women represented 50 percent of the community management committees that wrote these development plans. By the end of the Project, 6,809 people had received training from the FADC, of whom 36 percent were women. The trainings included participatory approaches, community management, financial and procurement management, M&E, maintenance, environmental safeguards, and the creation of local development plans.

63. By the end of the Project, over half of beneficiary communities (86) were successful in using this training and their local development plans to attract funding from other donors, including the Government, UNICEF, the European Union, and the Comorian Diaspora, to complete additional sub-projects. These sub-projects, which ranged from the construction of classrooms and roads to village electrification, allowed communities to increase further their access to basic social services. The Government and donor partners working in Comoros confirmed the utility of these development plans in allowing communities to drive their own development processes by raising additional financing for community needs.

64. Moreover, as outlined in Section 3.2.1, the 2007 beneficiary assessment highlighted the increased capacity that beneficiary communities reported as resulting from their drafting and adopting local development plans through support from the Project.

65. At Project closure, the capacity building activities under the community-drive basic infrastructure component, which relate to this PDO, represented approximately 6 percent of total Project disbursements (USD 1,236,104).

3.3. Efficiency


66. The overall efficiency of the Project is Satisfactory based on the efficiency of (i) the community-based sub-projects, (ii) the cash-for-work sub-projects, (iii) the health component, (iv) the urban water systems, and (x) the FADC’s implementation of these activities.

67. The Economic Rates of Return (ERR) of the community-driven basic infrastructure component, which represents about half of the disbursements, are very high.18 Finalized in June 2011, an economic analysis of this component derived high ERR for several types of sub-projects including rural roads, water supply systems, sanitation, and small dikes. As detailed

18 At Project closure, the community-driven basic infrastructure component represented 52 percent of total disbursements (USD 9,986,692).

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below in Table 3, the ERRs are high for all types of sub-projects, including 86 percent for dikes, about 50 percent for sanitation sub-projects and rural roads, and 28 percent for sub-projects aiming to improve access to water. The economic analysis made the following assumption: a 10-year life span of the sub-projects, attribution of half the observed economic gains to the sub-projects (the other half being attributed to outside factors including economic growth), and a discount rate of 4.5 percent (in line with the real cost of borrowing). The economic analysis sampled 30 sub-projects, representing 29 percent of the sub-projects completed under this component. Further information about the methodology is included in Annex 3.

Table 3. Average Economic Rates of Return by Sub-project Type

Sub-project type Average ERR (Percentage) Rural roads 53.7

Improved water sources 27.6

Hygiene and sanitation 46.9

Dikes 85.6 Source: Rakotomanana, 2011.

68. The economic analysis further outlines the efficiency of this component by noting the economic and social gains realized within beneficiary communities. These findings are self-reported and represent the feedback received from individual interviews held within the 30 sampled communities. As noted in Section 3.2 above, these included increased economic opportunities through improved transportation, greater access to market, and cultivable land, improved health conditions through access to potable water and cleaner public areas, reductions in household time spent finding potable water, and cost savings on market goods, which reportedly decreased resulting from improved market access. The ERR of the dike sub-projects are particularly high given the prevention that this infrastructure provides against loss of life.

69. The economic analysis also found positive economic returns to beneficiary households correlated with the school sub-projects under the community infrastructure component. As noted above, the classroom constructions corresponded to improved ease of access to education, particularly time savings regarding the distances walked by students to reach their classrooms. Moreover, the Ministry of Education (MOE) confirmed that the FADC was the only organization that turned over fully operational schools or classrooms to the communities. In particular, the MOE noted the importance of the environmental safeguards, health considerations (water sources and latrines), and the inclusion of necessary school furnishing (desks, chairs, and blackboards) included in the FADC classrooms. Given that there are very few actors in Comoros that build classrooms, particularly of the same quality as FADC, it is difficult to conduct an accurate cost analysis of these SSP infrastructures. Also, the economic analysis could not estimate the specific ERR of classroom construction given the lack of data regarding the future returns to these investments, such as the future earnings of students.

70. The cash-for-work activities efficiently transferred a substantial portion of the financing for this component to beneficiaries.19 The component’s labor intensity (the share of funding allocated to beneficiary wages as compared to total expenditures) was approximately 75 percent, which is high by international standards. Other public works programs show rates of around 60 percent in India’s National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, 70 percent in Korea’s public

19 At Project closure, the cash-for-work component represented five percent (USD 904,137) of total disbursements.

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works program, 85 percent in Ethiopia’s Productive Safety Net Program, 40-50 percent in Argentina’s Trabajar Program, and 60-70 percent in Bangladesh’s food-for-work program.

71. The management by the FADC was designed to encourage the efficiency and economy of the Project’s health and urban water supply components. 20 The FADC was responsible for the recruitment and oversight of contractors to carry out the main activities under these two components. These contractors were procured through International Competitive Bidding to secure the least cost options for these components. For the health component, 21 of the 22 health specialists who received scholarships through the SSP currently work in Comorian health centers, which is particularly important given the low capacity of this sector. Their training allows them to save lives with incommensurable benefits to the population. For the urban water component, the original PAD estimated the ERR at 20 to 27 percent for Mutsamudu and 5 to 7 percent for Fomboni, including the assumption that households would be willing to pay 4.5 percent of their income for water. While not specifically including the urban water component, the 2011 economic analysis estimated an ERR for the water sub-projects under the community infrastructure component of 27.6 percent, without any cost recovery mechanisms. This ERR highlights the importance of the health and economic returns of the improved water sources and suggests that the impact of these variables, irrespective of the cost recovery, may have resulted in economic returns in keeping with the original estimates of the urban water component. Because of the limited number of actors in the health and water sectors in Comoros, a cost analysis of these two components is not possible.21

72. Under the program management, M&E, and audit component, the Project’s operating ratio was 17 percent, within the revised target of 18 percent, although above the original target of less than 15 percent. As defined in the Project’s M&E framework, the operating ratio includes the remuneration of all FADC staff, who are consultants hired under the World Bank’s Consultants’ Guidelines, and operating costs.22 This ratio is justified by the country’s challenging operating environment and FADC’s decentralized structure, which includes a national office and three regional island offices to ensure that all activities are effectively implemented and monitored. The FADC staff salaries represent approximately 70 percent of the operating ratio. The World Bank reviewed and rationalized the FADC pay scale as part of the Project’s 2009 institutional audit, at which time the organization also was downsized and streamlined to increase efficiency. The Project’s operating costs, as defined in the legal documents, represent approximately 5 percent of total Project disbursements.23

20 At Project closure, the health and urban water components represented five percent (USD 890,543) and 15 percent (USD 2,919,579) of total disbursements, respectively. 21 The support of AFD and AfBD in these two sectors cannot yet serve as an adequate comparison. Although the AFD’s PASCO foresees medical equipment maintenance, this activity is still under preparation. In the water sector, the AfBD’s support began in late 2010 and feasibility and technical studies remain ongoing. 22 The Project indicator defines the operating ratio as the ratio of the sum of cumulative operating costs (travel expenditures and other travel-allowances, equipment rental and maintenance, vehicle operation, maintenance and repair, office rental and maintenance, materials and supplies, and utilities) and cumulative consultant fees of FADC’s employees since the beginning of the Project divided by cumulative disbursements since the beginning of the Project. The Restructuring revised this target slightly upward to reflect the impact of the challenges brought about by the FADC’s management issues in 2008 and early 2009. 23 The operating costs, as detailed in the Project’s legal documents, are distinct from the Project’s operating ratio, which is an intermediate indicator of the Project. The operating costs are defined as the incremental operating expenses under the Project, incurred by the Recipient of FADC, on account of Project implementation, management,

22

73. The rating of Satisfactory is applied for before and after the Project’s Restructuring. The economic analysis was finalized in June 2011 and assessed sub-projects undertaken before and after the PDO revision. Moreover, the Restructuring did not impact the Project’s health and urban water supply components and only slightly increased the allocation for the program management, M&E, and audit component (USD 150,000) to support the new cash-for-work component. Although the cash-for-work component was added under the Restructuring, it represents only five percent of the Project’s total disbursements. Additional information is provided in Annex 3.

3.4. Justification of Overall Outcome Rating


Original PDO Rating (76% disbursement)

Restructured PDO Rating (24% disbursement)

Relevance Satisfactory Satisfactory Achievement of PDOs Satisfactory Satisfactory Efficiency Satisfactory Satisfactory

Overall Outcome Rating Satisfactory Satisfactory

74. Overall, the Project is rated Satisfactory. The Project’s relevance, efficacy, and efficiency helped bring about tangible improvements within beneficiary communities and did so despite the country’s challenging implementing environment. The SSP has remained relevant to the Government and World Bank development strategies as they have evolved since the Project’s preparation. The Government’s current planning documents identify infrastructure development and access to social services as key drivers of human development and economic growth. Under FADC implementation, the Project achieved or surpassed the majority of its PDO indicators and these outcome indicators are linked to tangible improvements within beneficiary communities. Moreover, political instability and overall low national capacity did not have a significant impact on the achievements of the Project’s outcomes. Lastly, the Project’s economic analysis revealed high rates of economic return within its sampling of sub-projects.

3.5. Overarching Themes, Other Outcomes and Impacts

(a) Poverty Impacts, Gender Aspects, and Social Development

75. As detailed throughout Section 3, the Project’s 2007 beneficiary assessment and 2011 economic analysis, as well as the 2010 initial assessment of the cash-for-work component, highlight the positive social and economic impact of the SSP within beneficiary communities. The 2007 beneficiary assessment, which focused on the local development plans and community trainings, underscored the impact reported by the sampled communities of these activities to improve the functioning of community structures. The 2011 economic analysis of the community-driven basic infrastructure component emphasized economic, health, and educational outcomes resulting from the increased access to basic services. Moreover, the 2010 initial assessment of the cash-for-work component highlighted the positive returns of these activities to

management and monitoring, including operation and maintenance costs of office, vehicles and office equipment, water and electricity utilities, telephone, office supplies, bank charges additional staff costs, travel and supervision costs, per diem, but excluding the salaries of officials and public servants of the Recipient’s civil service.

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both direct beneficiaries and their communities. Given the use of the 2005 household survey data under this component, it is likely that the transfer of approximately USD 695,000 to beneficiaries was targeted toward food insecure households. However, the data available in Comoros is insufficient to calculate accurately the impact of the Project on overall poverty and the SSP assessments did not evaluate the overall impacts of its activities on these poverty rates.

76. As noted above, the Project integrated gender into its design. Women represented 57 percent of the cash-for-work beneficiaries, exceeding the targeted 50 percent. Under the community driven development component, 36 percent of participants in the community trainings and 50 percent of participants in the community development committees were women. Moreover, the FADC sought to create processes within these community structures that promoted women’s active participation, such as the creation of initial local development plans that were drafted in single-gender groups. In the 2011 economic analysis, communities self-reported that the construction of improved water sources also directly impacted women and girls.

(b) Institutional Change/Strengthening

77. During the Project, the FADC evolved beyond its original strengths in community and infrastructure development to an organization that can respond, through participatory practices, to chronic and shock-induced community needs. The capacity building objective of the SSP focused on community ownership of the development processes; however, particularly in a low-capacity context such as Comoros, the institutional development of the implementing partner itself should also be emphasized. The SSP design reflected the previous successes of the FADC and its relative capacity within the country to delivery basic services to poor and remote communities. The FADC is recognized throughout the country by communities, the Government, and donor partners as the leading actor in community development. Its efforts supporting the local development plans are highlighted as a key tool to empower communities to access additional development opportunities. Although FADC has developed standard design plans for its sub-projects, no such designs exist at a national level. At the request of the MOE, the FADC is now positioned to assist in efforts to create national standardized designs for public schools. The FADC is also known as an organization that develops the capacity and technical competencies of its staff. Indeed the former President of Anjouan worked for the FADC before his election.

(c) Other Unintended Outcomes and Impacts

78. Anecdotal evidence was offered by donor partners and the FADC staff that the addition of the cash-for-work component has raised community expectations to be paid for working on public sector projects. For example, communities are required to contribute 10 percent (cash or in-kind) toward the overall sub-project cost under the community-driven development component of the SSP. This often includes labor from the community, labor for which beneficiaries of the cash-for-work component are compensated. Programmatically the distinction between these two components is that one emphasizes spending to create social infrastructures while the other emphasizes spending to transfer cash directly to households. Still, this concern merits further attention as the difference in the objectives of these activities appears to remain unclear to certain stakeholders.

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3.6. Summary of Findings of Beneficiary Survey and/or Stakeholder Workshops

79. A beneficiary assessment, conducted in 2007 and updated in 2011 as a component of the Project’s economic analysis, found positive responses from beneficiaries about the SSP community infrastructure development activities. The 2007 assessment sampled 43 communities that had benefitted from the SSP and conducted 15-person focus groups to understand community perceptions regarding the participatory processes and trainings of the Project. As noted above, of these 43 communities, all but one reported that the local development plan would be a future priority. Communities also reported that the development planning processes helped improve the functioning of community structures, although some highlighted the need for additional training in sub-project maintenance. The assessment also revealed that communities tended to include only sub-projects that would elicit FADC funding, rather than outlining all their priorities and, in some cases, excluding small projects that could be undertaken by the communities without external assistance. After the assessment, the FADC began focusing on this shortcoming and, by the Project’s close, 54 percent of communities with development plans had solicited funding from other sources, including the Government, the European Union, UNICEF, and private Diaspora donors.

80. In the 2011 economic analysis, the majority of respondents in the sampled beneficiary communities were satisfied or moderately satisfied with the SSP-financed infrastructure and the community management committee, as well as that these sub-projects had positively impacted their quality of life. As outlined above, beneficiaries self-reported improved health indicators, increased economic activities, reduced prices of common goods, and the reclamation of previously flooded agricultural land. Moreover, of the 30 communities sampled, only two examples existed where the majority of respondents were unsatisfied with the community management committees. This was due to a lack of maintenance of the community’s sub-project. Indeed, despite the high levels of beneficiary satisfaction, most communities reported that, following sub-project completion, the management committees met only in response to specific maintenance needs. The main findings of these assessments are presented in Annex 5.

4. Assessment of Risk to Development Outcome

Rating: Substantial

81. The risk to the development outcomes stems primarily from the limited capacity and willingness of communities and Government authorities to raise the revenues necessary to support the ongoing maintenance of the infrastructures built or rehabilitated under the SSP. As part of the 2011 economic analysis, communities mostly reported that maintenance is satisfactory and that they have in place measures for cleaning and simple maintenance. However, this same analysis also noted that community management communities do not meet regularly or have ongoing maintenance plans and that many lack the means through which to raise revenues for larger repairs that require external inputs. Of 30 communities sampled, three committees were able to raise revenues to complete necessary maintenance, including hiring workers and buying tools. Two of these reported having established regular monetary contributions to a maintenance fund. Three other committees reported having access to community savings for maintenance of the community sub-project. These limitations raise concerns about the longer-term sustainability of the Project-financed sub-projects. Furthermore, the lack of Governmental capacity, particularly at the local level, limits external support that

25

communities are likely to receive regarding maintenance or coordinated social service delivery, particularly in the areas of health, water, and education.

82. Comoros also experiences regular teacher strikes which further puts into question the long-term achievement of the Project’s objectives. The FADC and the MOE have a formal agreement that publically salaried teachers will be supplied by the Ministry to teach in classrooms constructed or rehabilitated under FADC sub-projects. However, according to the MOE, teacher strikes have occurred regularly since 2005 given the relatively low and irregular receipt of salaries. At present, a teacher strike has been ongoing since the 2010/2011 school year and delayed the commencement of the 2011/2012 school year.

83. Although Government capacity in the health and water sectors remains weak, the SSP provided a critical bridge between the closure of the World Bank’s earlier Health and Infrastructure, Water, and Environment projects and the provision of support from other donor partners in these two areas. At Project closure, the Government did not have the capacity to continue the activities under the health services component. However, as noted above, the AFD has become the lead donor in the health sector providing support to the Government through the PASCO, providing EUR 10 million in financing between 2007 and 2014. This project includes efforts begun under the SSP to establish national maintenance workshops to institutionalize the repairs of necessary medical equipment, although these activities have yet to begin.

84. In late 2010, the AfDB launched a project to continue strengthening the water supply systems supported under the SSP. The need for further rehabilitation of the Mutsamudu and Fomboni water systems and additional management capacity has contributed to ongoing difficulties with the recovery of user fees. In Fomboni, service delivery has witnessed some improvements and an increased average cost recovery from private users of the urban water supply project from 42.6 percent in 2009 to 65 percent in 2010. However, ongoing service delivery challenges in Mutsamudu help explain the decreasing rate of cost recovery, which was 13.8 percent in 2009 and fell to 8.8 percent in 2010. To date, the Government itself also has proven unwilling to pay for water usage in these two locations. The AfDB Projet d’Alimentation en Eau provides approximately EUR 12 million in support over three years to undertake further rehabilitation of the water delivery systems and a range of capacity building efforts.

5. Assessment of Bank and Borrower Performance

5.1. Bank Performance

(a) Bank Performance in Ensuring Quality at Entry


85. The Project was developed at the Government’s request and was aligned with both the country’s I-PRSP, in draft during the SSP preparation, and the World Bank’s TSSU. The Project design reflected the need for improved social service delivery while considering the limited implementation capacity. International best practices highlighted the effectiveness of alternative service delivery systems in contexts with limited Government capacity. The FADC was chosen as the implementing partner based on its previous successes implementing World Bank-funded projects aimed at providing basic social services outside of traditional Government institutions.

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As noted above, the service delivery design and implementation mechanisms adopted by the SSP have been reconfirmed within the 2010 Comoros Quick Assessment of the Global Context and of the Bank ISN.

86. Under the TSSU, the SSP was identified as the Bank’s only lending instrument and the Project’s preparation facilitated the continuing support of earlier IDA-financed activities. In particular, the SSP was identified to continue key activities of the previous Health and Infrastructure, Water, and Environment projects given the weak implementation capacity in these sectors. This approach appears to have been appropriate to encourage the sustainability of these activities, particularly given that other donor partners assumed the lead role in these sectors following the SSP-financed interventions.

(b) Quality of Supervision


87. The World Bank Task Team conducted 20 supervision missions between July 2004 and May 2011. The SSP was implemented under challenging circumstances, including political unrest in Anjouan, multiple IDA suspensions unrelated to the Project, as well as the above-mentioned INT investigation of the Project. The Task Team responded proactively to the deterioration of the quality of Project management in 2008 and early 2009, supporting various personnel changes, staff training, and an institutional audit, which helped ensure that the development objectives were not unduly affected. When the Task Team downgraded the safeguard and fiduciary ratings to Moderately Unsatisfactory in June 2009, they responded quickly with missions by the financial management, procurement, and safeguard specialists to address the identified problems. The FADC staff confirms that the competency of the World Bank’s technical and managerial supervision allowed for the organization’s effective restructuring in 2009. The assessments, audits, and missions that the World Bank supported during this period allowed the FADC to realize where changes were necessary in order to improve its effectiveness. The Task Team also was proactive in referring the Project to INT when the necessity arose.

88. The Task Team leveraged additional trust fund resources for the Project to respond to the 2008 global food price crisis and restructured the Project to respond to the evolving country context. The approval of this USD 1 million Co-financing coincided with the implementation challenges experienced within FADC. The World Bank Task Team postponed the original Board date by nearly six months to conduct the due diligence necessary to ensure that the FADC’s capacity had improved to manage properly these additional resources and undertake the new social safety net component to help mitigate the impact of increased food prices in Comoros.

(c) Justification of Rating for Overall Bank Performance


89. Overall, the World Bank supervision of the SSP was Satisfactory. During the Project’s preparation, the Task Team proactively engaged with Government, the Country Management Unit, and other donor partners to ensure that the Project’s objectives were aligned with the country’s development strategies and well coordinated with ongoing development interventions.

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During Project implementation, a multi-sectoral Task Team conducted missions a minimum of twice per year. The missions included regular support from safeguard, financial management, and procurement staff, as well as community-driven development and social protection specialists and an engineer who focused on the urban water supply component, allowing for effective management throughout the Project. Moreover, the Project benefited from the consistency and stability of having only two Task Team Leaders throughout implementation.

5.2. Borrower Performance

(a) Government Performance

Rating: Moderately Satisfactory

90. Although the SSP was designed to be implemented outside of traditional Government structures, the Government’s ongoing commitment to the FADC was critical to the Project’s success. The Project experienced some initial interference from the Commissariat Général au Plan who replaced the National Executive Director in non-conformity with the FADC operational procedures. The situation was resolved quickly following the Task Team’s first supervision mission in July 2004 with confirmation by the Government of the independent oversight role of the FADC Board of Directors. Since then, the Government has respected the autonomy of the FADC, which has been critical to the implementation of its activities and its ability to prioritize the demands of beneficiary communities over any undue external influences. The Minister of Finance did support the replacement of the National Executive Director in 2009 following the evidence of mismanagement within the FADC.

91. However, outside of its relationship with the FADC, the Government’s action negatively impacted the Project on a number of key issues. First, five IDA suspensions occurred during Project implementation due to delayed repayment of the Government’s past credits. The last suspension was lifted in September 2009; however, prior to this, suspensions occurred regularly and resulted in payments arrears to Project contractors given the FADC’s inability to withdraw necessary Project financing. Second, the Government’s decentralization plan has proceeded slower than expected and the Project, therefore, removed its aim to support local government communes, which have not yet been established. Third, the Government’s inability to resolve the country’s recurrent teacher strikes has rendered many of the SSP-financed classrooms vacant at some point. And, fourth, although the AfDB has committed to providing additional capacity building support to the urban water supply systems in Mutsamudu and Fomboni, the Government’s has proven unwilling to pay for its water usage in these areas to date.

(b) Implementing Agency or Agencies Performance


92. The FADC is the leading agency in Comoros working with communities to improve their standards of living. Established by the Government of Comoros in 1993, the FADC is an autonomous public agency governed by a Board of Directors that consists of six Government representatives and eight representatives from the private sector and non-governmental organizations. The FADC’s successful management and implementation of the SSP allowed for the achievement of the PDOs both before and after the Project’s Restructuring. The FADC’s

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interventions have engendered positive social and economic impacts within beneficiary communities and empowered communities to become more proactive in their own development processes. The World Bank’s 2010-2012 ISN reconfirmed the selection of the FADC as the Project’s implementing agency for community development.

93. As noted above, the FADC experienced a period of organizational mismanagement during the Project’s implementation; however, under the leadership of its Board of Directors, the FADC prevented these challenges from impacting the Project’s achievements. In April 2007, the Task Team raised the deterioration of the FADC’s management performance with the Government and the resulting delays in sub-project completion. The Project was referred to INT in October 2007 and the Project Management rating was downgraded to Unsatisfactory in June 2008. By April 2009, the FADC National Executive Director had resigned. Simultaneously, an institutional audit was conducted and found that the organization’s structure and personnel were overly complex and, in some instances, duplicative. The action by the FADC Board of Directors, which resulted in this change of leadership and the organizational restructuring following the audit recommendations, corresponded with the steady improvement in the performance of the implementing agency. The Project also benefited from the appointment of new staff throughout the FADC and intensive trainings where needed. Under the tenure of the new National Executive Director, the FADC was successful in achieving the SSP development objectives despite these implementation setbacks.

94. The FADC emphasized the involvement of beneficiary communities throughout the Project. The SSP design reinforced the community-driven development approach toward the construction and rehabilitation of basic social services and required the rapid expansion of the FADC’s capacity in this regard. At the Co-financing and Restructuring, the FADC successfully undertook a second expansion of its capacity with the addition of the social safety net component, which employed community consultations as part of beneficiary targeting. As noted above, the 2007 beneficiary assessment, the 2010 initial assessment of the cash-for-work activities, and the 2011 economic analysis reveal largely positive community feedback.

(c) Justification of Rating for Overall Borrower Performance

Rating: Moderately Satisfactory

95. Overall, the Borrower’s performance improved throughout the implementation of the SSP. The Project design reflected the low capacity context in which it would be implemented and therefore included significant measures aimed at mitigating this risk. The FADC remained an autonomous agency capable of working directly with communities to improve access to social safety nets and social services. The depth of capacity within the FADC allowed the SSP to achieve its development objectives and the Government’s ongoing commitment to the Project was critical in effecting the necessary changes within the FADC to ensure this success.

6. Lessons Learned

• The Project confirms the effectiveness of non-traditional structures to deliver social services in countries with weak Governmental capacity. A project implementation unit, such as the FADC, can successfully deliver social services to populations that would otherwise be left underserved by traditional state structures. The FADC benefited from its

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deconcentrated structure that allowed for the regular interaction of its staff with even the most remote beneficiary communities. Moreover, the FADC’s organizational capacity allowed for the quick introduction of a new cash-for-work component to mitigate the negative impact of rising food prices on beneficiary households.

• Financing mechanisms and intensive community training for the maintenance of

community-driven infrastructure development need to be included in sub-project design. The SSP community trainings included information on sub-project maintenance; however, some communities surveyed expressed their desire for additional training in this area and only in a few cases did communities establish maintenance funds. Especially in countries with weak or non-existent local government, projects could benefit from the initial assumption that communities will be responsible for all eventual maintenance and could include activities to reflect this reality.

• The cash-for-work activities introduced under the SSP could provide a framework through which to begin a broader dialogue on social protection with the Government. The FADC is perceived among some stakeholders as primarily an organization that constructs social infrastructures. The outputs of these activities are concrete sub-projects, whereas the outcomes of the more recently introduced cash-for-work activities are often less tangible. As the organization evolves and likely increases its focus on social safety nets, it is important to undertake an ongoing policy dialogue with the Government regarding the development of social protection or safety net systems. In the short-term, the FADC should focus on undertaking impact evaluations that analyze the benefits, particularly regarding poverty alleviation, realized by households that participate in these activities. In the medium- and long-term, the World Bank should engage the Government on the importance of having a national policy to guide the social protection sector.

• In low capacity contexts where funding resources are limited, development programming could leverage synergies between donors and implementing agencies. Comoros provides a relatively successful case of donor coordination, with different organizations acting as lead agencies across the social sectors; however, exploiting synergies between projects would help amplify their impacts. For example, the human development objectives of the FADC cash-for-work activities could be increased by adding trainings, such as in land management and water usage, already implemented by other international agencies and local NGOs. This is currently being piloted.

• Projects in low capacity contexts require intensive supervision. The FADC made steady progress toward the SSP PDOs throughout Project implementation; however, serious mismanagement challenges arose that required intensive World Bank supervision. Low capacity countries are particularly susceptible to such developments given the lack of domestic monitoring by a strong judiciary institutions or civil society actors.

7. Comments on Issues Raised by Borrower/Implementing Agencies/Partners

(a) Borrower/implementing agencies

The Borrower has prepared a final evaluation report, which is attached in its entirety in Annex 6.

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(b) Co-financiers

Not applicable.

(c) Other partners and stakeholders

Not applicable.

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Annex 1. Project Costs and Financing

(a) Project Cost by Component (in USD Million equivalent)

Components

Appraisal Estimate of

Original Credit (USD

millions)

Appraisal Estimate of Additional Financing

(USD millions)


Co-financing (USD

millions)

Actual Estimate

(USD millions)

Percentage of Appraisal

at Co-financing

Component 1: Social safety nets 0.904 106%

Component 2: Community-drive basic infrastructure24 9.987 110%

Component 3: Health services

0.891 74%

Component 4: Urban Water Supply

2.920 139%

Component 5: Project M&E and audits 4.599 119%

PPF

Contingencies

Estimated Total Project Costs

Original Credit, Additional Financing,

and Co-financing 19.30

(b) Financing

Source of Funds


Original Credit (USD millions)

Appraisal Estimate of Additional Financing

(USD millions)


Co-financing (USD millions)

Actual/Latest Estimate

(USD millions)

Percentage of Appraisal at Co-financing

Borrower 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0%

International Development Association (IDA)

13.30 5.00 1.00 19.9425 103%

24 This component was revised at Co-financing and Restructuring to include both the community-based sub-project and capacity building components as specified in the original PAD. 25 The difference between the total actual estimate of disbursements in Table (b), which is taken from SAP, and the total actual estimate by Project component as in Table (a) is due to the currency fluctuations between XDR, USD, and KMF.

32

Annex 2. Outputs by Component

A) Overview of Project indicators as revised during implementation

Original Project First Additional Financing Proposed Co-Financing and Restructuring

PDO Outcome Indicators 1. Beneficiaries of cash-for-work program

(cumulative number of individuals) (new)

2.1 Number of students enrolled in FADC built/rehabilitated schools or classrooms (Slightly revised wording from Outcome indicator 1 in Original Project)

1. Number of students in FADC built/rehabilitated schools/classrooms

(not included)

2.2 People in project areas with access to an improved water source (number) (Revised from original intermediate outcome indicator 4.1 to be in line with IDA core indicator wording)

2. Number of persons in sub-project area benefiting from a reduction in transport time and cost

(not included) 2.3 People in project areas benefiting from improved roads (number) (Slight revision of wording to improve ease of measurement)

3. Number of communities with development plans meeting participatory criteria

(not included) 3. Community-development plans completed (number) (similar to Outcome indicator 3 in Original Project)

Intermediate Result Indicators

Component 1: Social safety net (cash-for-work)

1.1 Person-days of employment created (number) (new) 1.2 Social protection sub-projects completed (number) (new) 1.3 Percentage of women among beneficiaries (new)

Component 2: Community-driven basic infrastructure 2.1 Number of completed/rehabilitated small-scale infrastructure projects

Number of sub-projects that have been completed (similar to Result 2.1 in Original Project)

2.1 Community-based sub-projects completed (number) (similar to Result 2.1 in Original Project)

2.2 Number of communities benefiting from at least one subproject

Number of communities that have benefited from at least one Grant (similar to Result 2.2 in Original Project)

Information available but indicator dropped from results framework to simplify the table

2.3 Number of communities who have never benefited from Social Fund financing reduced

Information available but indicator dropped from results framework to simplify the table

2.4 Percentage of population indicating knowledge of/satisfaction with their participation in subproject plans

Percentage of beneficiary communities and communes that have a development plan that has been validated by the community/commune (new)

Indicator dropped since all development plans are systematically validated by the community

33

Percentage of the population of the community that has participated in developing a community or local development plan (new)

Indicator dropped since the percentage of the population is not an appropriate measure of the level of participation given that the communities vary significant in size.

2.5 Number of sub-projects operational and maintained two years after completion

Percentage of beneficiary communities and communes which have maintained their sub-project after implementation (new)

2.2 Community-based sub-projects properly maintained one year after completion (percentage of sub-projects completed) (slightly revised from Result 2.5 in Original Project)

Percentage of beneficiary communities that have respected the deadline related to mobilizing their financial and/or in-kind contribution for their sub-project (new)

Indicator dropped because it does not reflect the willingness of community to participate.

Percentage of beneficiary communities and communes which have applied the environmental mitigation measures defined in the sub-project document (new)

Indicator dropped since the application of environmental mitigation measure is mandatory and systematically implemented by the community

Number of communities that have executed activities not supported by the Project in their development plan (new)

Indicator dropped to simplify results framework.

Indicators added to reflect IDA reporting requirements: 2.3 Classrooms built and/or rehabilitated (number) (new IDA 15 indicator) 2.4 Community water points constructed or rehabilitated (number) (new IDA 15 indicator) 2.5 Roads rehabilitated, rural (km) (new IDA 15 indicator)

Component 3: Health services 3.1 Medical specialists who have been trained are using knowledge acquired

Percentage of health personnel who have benefited from scholarships under the Project who are using the knowledge gained from such training (similar to Result 3.1 in Original Project)

3.1 Medical specialists who have been trained and use knowledge acquired (percentage of) (similar to Result 3.1 in Original Project)

3.2 Equipment that was acquired is operational and maintained in a satisfactory manner

3.2 Hospital-related medical equipment supported under the Project that is operational and maintained in a satisfactory manner (similar to Result 3.1 in Original Project)

3.2 Hospital-related medical equipment supported under the Project that are operational and maintained in a satisfactory manner (percentage of) (similar to Result 3.2 in Original Project)

Component 4: Urban water supply 4.1 Percentage of population with access to drinking water within 1km

Percentage of the population in the Project intervention areas with access to drinking water within less than 100 meters (similar to Result 4.1 in Original Project but change in distance from 1km to 100 meters)

Indicator slightly revised and moved to PDO level

4.2 Percentage of population having access to

Percentage of those people in the Project intervention areas that have

4.1 Population having access to water who are knowledgeable about water

34

water who are knowledgeable about water use and management

access to drinking water who are knowledgeable about water management, hygiene and sanitation (related to Result 4.2 in Original Project)

management, hygiene and sanitation (percentage of) (related to Result 4.2 in Original Project)

Percentage of those households in the Project intervention pay for the water within the agreed/defined deadline (this indicator is included in the PAD but not in the Legal Documents) (new)

Indicator dropped as not in Project Agreement.

Component 5: Project management, monitoring and evaluation and audit 5.1 Base-line and annual surveys completed and data entered into the information management system 5.2 Participatory community-based M&E system created and operational 5.3 Annual technical and financial audits undertaken and demonstrate success of project 5.4 Operating cost of project do not exceed 15 percent of total project

5.1 The monitoring and evaluation system allows for an annual review of the activities of the project and progress on achieving development objectives (new) 5.2 By the end of each Project Year, financial audit reports demonstrate satisfactory management of credit funds (to compare to Result 5.3 in Original Project) 5.3 By the end of the Project, the Incremental operating costs have not exceeded 15 percent of the amount of the Credit (to compare to Result 5.4 in Original Project)

The following more specific indicators proposed to ensure an easier monitoring: 5.1 Operating ratio (to compare to Result 5.4 in Original Project) 5.2 Technical audit (of component 2) completed (to compare to Result 5.3 in Original Project) 5.3 Assessment of cash-for-work program completed (new)

35

B) Project indicators as of April 1, 2009 (prior to Restructuring)26

Project targets April 2009

PDO Outcome Indicators

Number of students in FADC built/rehabilitated schools/classrooms 980 3,520

Number of persons in sub-project area benefiting from a reduction in transport time and cost

22,800 25,695

Number of communities with development plans meeting participatory criteria

90 136

Component 1: Community-based sub-projects

1.1 Number of sub-projects completed 70 61

1.2 Number of communities that have benefitted from at least one grant 78 91

1.3 Percentage of beneficiary communities and communes which have maintained their sub-projects after implementation

70% 93% (Dec. ‘08)

1.4 Percentage of beneficiary communities that have respected the deadline related to mobilizing their financial and/or in-kind contribution for their sub-project

90% 89%

1.5 Percentage of beneficiary communities and communes which have applied the environmental mitigation measures defined in the sub-project document

90% 100%

Component 2: Capacity-building

2.1 Number of communities that have executed activities not supported by the Project in their development plan

40 101

2.2 Percentage of beneficiary communities and communes that have a development plan that has been validated by the community/commune

90% 100%

2.3 Percentage of the population of the community that has participated in developing a community or local development plan

60% 45%


3.1 Percentage of health personnel who have benefitted from scholarships under the Project who are using the knowledge gained from such training

90% 95% (21/22)

3.2 Hospital-related medical equipment supported under the Project that is operational and maintained in a satisfactory manner

Not included 31/41 (June ‘08)


4.1 Percentage of the population in the Project intervention areas with access to drinking water within less than 100 meters

75% 93%

4.2 Percentage of those people in the Project intervention that have access to drinking water who are knowledge about water management, hygiene, and sanitation

50% Not available

4.3 Percentage of those households in the Project intervention that pay for the water within the agreed/defined deadline

50% Not available

Component 5: Project management, M&E, and audit

5.1 The M&E system allows for an annual review of the activities of the Project and progress on achieving the PDOs

Yes No

5.2 By the end of each Project year, financial audit reports demonstrate satisfactory management of credit funds

All audits without findings

‘08 Audit expected May

‘09

5.3 By the end of the Project, the Incremental operating costs have not exceeded 15% of the amount of the Credit

< 15% 16.1%

26 The key indicators are consistent with the original PAD. The intermediate indicators by Project component were revised with the Additional Financing.

36

C) Project indicators after Restructuring as of June 30, 2011 Project Outcome Indicators End-of-Project

target June 30, 2011

1. Beneficiaries of cash-for-work program (cumulative number of individuals)

3,500 4,343

2.1. Students enrolled in FADC built/rehabilitated schools or classrooms (cumulative number)


2.2. People in project areas with access to improved water sources (number)


2.3. People in project areas benefiting from improved roads (number) Not specified16 27,061

3. Community-development plans completed (number) 156 156

Intermediate Result Indicators End-of-Project target

June 30, 2011

Component 1: Social safety net (cash-for-work)

1.1 Person-days of employment created (cumulative number) 90,000 108,425

1.2 Social protection sub-projects completed (cumulative number) 75 87

1.3 Percentage of women among beneficiaries (since beginning of cash-for-work)

>50% 57%

Component 2: Community-driven basic infrastructure

2.1 Community-based sub-projects completed (cumulative number ) 100 102

2.2 Community-based sub-projects properly maintained one year after completion (percentage of sub-projects completed)

>90% 96%

2.3 Classrooms built and/or rehabilitated (number) Not specified16 97

2.4 Community water points constructed or rehabilitated (number) Not specified16 14

2.5 Roads rehabilitated, rural (km) Not specified16 38.19


3.1 Medical specialist who have been trained and use knowledge acquired (percentage of)

90% 95%

(21/22)

3.2 Hospital-related medical equipment supported under the Project operational and maintained in a satisfactory manner (percentage of)

Not included 76%

(As of Sept. 2007)


4.1 Population having access to water who are knowledgeable about water management, hygiene and sanitation (percentage of)

50% 96%

Component 5: Project management, monitoring and evaluation and audit

5.1 Operating ratio <18% 17%

5.2 Technical audit (of component 2) completed 2 audits during implementation

2

5.3 Assessment of cash-for-work completed 1 assessment during

implementation 1

27 Given the demand-driven nature of the Project target indicators could not be estimated at Project preparation.

37

Annex 3. Economic and Financial Analysis

Based on a sample of 30 sub-projects, the economic analysis of the Services Support Project (SSP) shows the achievement of significant economic and social gains resulting from the construction of SSP infrastructures. The analysis sample included communities on all three islands and consisted of 6 rural road sub-projects, 5 water supply infrastructures, 10 schools, 7 sanitation works, and 2 dikes. The implementation of the study included three consecutive phases: the preparatory phase (research and drafting questionnaires), the implementation phase (field work in June 2011), and the analytical and reporting phase. The key objectives of the analysis were to estimate the added value of the sub-projects; to analyze the economic profitability and highlight the economic rate of return on investments on the basis of references such as the Net Present Value (NPV) and the Internal Rate of Return (IRR); to analyze the increase in terms of trade and flow of goods and services generated by the sub-projects; and to assess the impact on household incomes and job creation. The results of the study confirm that the core indicators adopted by the project are generally achieved. Methodology The specific methodology used for the economic evaluation of productive infrastructure focused on the collection and analysis of economic and financial efficiency indicators to lead to a quantified economic assessment of the SSP sub-projects. Qualitative issues were also taken into account. The indicators include economic efficiency, financial profitability, economic benefits to economic agents involved in the sub-projects, and the developments in the local economy linked to FADC subprojects. Three indicators are used to assess the cost efficiency of productive infrastructures:

• The NPV is a measure of the given sub-project’s added or created value. It is calculated as the difference between the current market value of the investment and the total cost incurred for the investment. The discount rate used is 4.5 percent, in line with the real cost of borrowing.

• The IRR is the discount rate for which the sub-project’s NPV is zero. The IRR is used to estimate the overall economic efficiency of the investment and compares the total cost incurred in the construction or rehabilitation and the management and maintenance of the infrastructure to the potential economic gains generated by its construction.

• The return on investment estimates the period after which the amount invested in the construction is considered recovered.

As far as education is concerned, some methods recommend the calculation of economic returns of education by comparing the sum of the gains of the direct and social advantages of education to the sum of the direct opportunity costs. This approach is not feasible here due to the insufficient data available. Thus, the study of the school sub-projects focused on the more immediate impact on households. Method for calculating the profitability and return on investment period The economic rate of return (ERR) is estimated from solving the following equation:

38

Where: i: rate of return n: life of the sub-project, in our case fixed to 10 years year 0: year of investment INV: investment amount Rk: revenue linked to the project for the economic agent Dk: expenses linked to the project for the economic agent (operating expenses) Rk - Dk: surplus of the economic agent in year k The analysis assumed a 10-year life span of the sub-projects and attributed half of the observed economic gains to the sub-projects, with the remaining gains being attributed to factors exogenous to the Project. Rural roads The increase of the product flows and people movements, the creation of new economic activities within the communities served by roads, and the development of the key economic agents’ activities that are operating in these localities explain the positive economic rate of return of the rural roads sub-projects. The local economic development was reflected in the influx of traders in the relevant localities, the creation of direct jobs and jobs induced by sub-project construction, as well as the impacts on the availability and prices of commodities. The construction of rural roads is in line with the transport sector policy, which aims to ensure the opening up of productive rural areas. The economic rates of returns are positive for the road infrastructures on Grande Comore, with 61.6 percent for Hambou and 51.1 percent for Itsandra. The return on the investment period is 35 months for Hambou and 40 months for Itsandra. On Anjouan, the Mramani sub-project appears to be the most profitable, with an economic rate of return of 63.3 percent as compared to 56.5 percent for the town of Domoni and 46.5 percent for Vouani. This is explained by the more intensive use of the road by merchants and carriers operating in Mramani. The returns on investments follow the same pattern, which is 33 months for Mramani, 37 months for Vouani, and 53 months for Domoni. For the Dargoubé rural road on Mohéli, economic performance is slightly lower compared to the infrastructures on the two other islands, with an economic rate of return of 42.9 percent. This is due to the relatively limited number of users. The institutional arrangements for the management of rural roads do not allow for the calculation of financial return because the authorities have no plans for tax or toll collection devices in the use of these infrastructures. This can also be related to the weaknesses in the road care and maintenance system. Local communities have insufficient regular funding to guarantee regular maintenance and rely on occasional contributions from the community. Water supply infrastructures Comoros is characterized by insufficient and limited access to drinking water supplies, as compared to both other African countries and international standards. This situation has had a negative impact on hygiene and health of local community members. The economic and social

39

benefits arising from the construction of water infrastructures has been assessed against the economic value of the impact on health, including the reduction of health care costs associated with the use of unsafe water and the reduction of the time spent on fetching water. The study results from Grande Comore confirmed the positive economic rate of return for Nzdouani and Djongoué with 13 percent and 25.4 percent, respectively. The returns on investments are 82 months for Nzdouani and 52 months for Djongoué. The quantity of consumed water is estimated to 7.9 liters per person per day. Although this represents an increase in consumption following the completion of the infrastructure, this quantity is still below international standards. Infrastructures put in place in Shirove and Hantsahi on Anjouan had economic rates of return amounting 27.5 percent and 44.7 percent. The visible advantages are materialized by the time savings related to water fetching and the savings in water consumption expenditures. In these two towns, time savings that can be spent on other activities averaged 3.5 hours per day and households saved an average of KMF 5000 week on the cost of water after the construction. The development of new economic activities is also observed, such as a perfume plant distillery in Hantsahi. For water supply infrastructure in Mohéli, specifically in Hoani where the construction of a water tank was completed, the economic rate of return is 27.4 percent. The economic benefits are mainly apparent through the significant reduction of health care expenditures. It is important to keep in mind that local residents were previously frequent victims of the diseases such as diarrhea and typhoid. In terms of infrastructure management, management committees are formally set up in most cases and the committee members have received training in the management of infrastructures. However, cost recovery systems are not always operational, which creates difficulties in maintenance and water treatment. Sanitation facilities The documents related to the social conditions in Comoros show significant weaknesses in the hygiene and sanitation sector, highlighted by the growth of unplanned settlements and the proliferation of precarious housing. The characteristics of many cities on the three islands has led FADC to begin constructing gutters and road surfaces with the aim of improving the living and sanitary conditions in disadvantaged communities. The completed constructions in Mitsoudjé, Djmoishongo Hambou, and Sada Oichili on the island of Grande Comore have contributed to improving the movement of goods and people in poor neighborhoods. Specifically in Djmoishongo Hambou, a net increase in the use of vehicles, including taxis and trucks for the social and economic needs of local people, has been noticed. The economic rate of return for the Mitsoudjé infrastructure is 62.4 percent and the period of the return on investment is 33 months. Regarding Djmoishongo Hambou, the economic rate of rate is 52.5 percent and the period of the return on investment is 31 months. The rate of return of 45.8 percent for Sada Oichili is relatively lower. In the towns of Mnadji and Nounga on the island of Anjouan, improving sanitation conditions and health status within beneficiary communities are widely recognized. The satisfaction of social needs, mainly the increased facilities for evacuating households is also noted. The economic rates of return are respectively 56.6 percent and 43.1 percent. In Kopera and Mouzdalifat on the island of Mohéli, which benefited from the concreting of streets and sidewalks to drain unsanitary water and waste, socio-economic impacts include a reduced prevalence of diseases related to poor hygiene, a better capacity for waste

40

removal, and a greater fluidity of people movement. The economic rates of return for these infrastructures are 53.6 percent for Mouzdalifat and 44.6 percent for Kopera. Dikes In a geographical context marked by recurrent flooding risks, protecting people and property through the construction of dikes has particular economic importance. The sampled dike constructions in Hasimpao and in Mromhouli have enormous utility for farmers and fishermen in the two communities, which have experienced the destruction of property and the risk of the loss of life. The economic rates of return calculated on the basis of the statistical value of human life are very high, with a rate of 102.7 percent for Hasimpao and a rate of 68.4 percent for Mromhouli. The construction of the Hasimpao dike also resulted in the increased productive capacity of farmers who were able to reclaim previously flooded arable lands. Schools The SSP-financed classrooms represent 4.3 percent of all classrooms built in the Comoros. The donation of school furniture that accompanied the majority of constructions has helped to increase further the supply of education in the three islands. The impacts on households are realized mainly by the reduction of time students spent walking time to reach school. Specifically, in one community, the addition of the three classrooms financed by the Project allowed the school to offer classes for fifth and sixth grade students. However, it should be noted that the performance and motivation of parents are in some cases altered by exogenous factors such as prolonged strikes of teachers. Organizationally, school boards were established and mobilized for the implementation of infrastructures and officials have benefited from the capacity building sessions to enhance their efficiency. It appears, however, that these local structures are not always operational, especially for the ongoing management of infrastructures. Conclusion and recommendations The study confirmed that the sampled sub-projects have led to positive economic rates of return in all sectors. This is supported by the development of key economic agent activities and potential gains in household income resulting from the implementation of infrastructures. The increased access to basic social services by the poor and correlating improvements in the quality of life also are notable. Despite these advantages, the results highlight some weaknesses that should be addressed with a view to improving future activities: � The sub-projects do not have sufficient mechanisms for the collection of tax revenue,

which could ultimately jeopardize their financial viability; � Despite the dynamism of local management structures, they lack financial means to

ensure adequate ongoing maintenance of infrastructure; and � The synergy and collaboration between local and regional stakeholders (local authorities,

decentralized departments, project managers) still have deficits, which contribute to inefficient cost recovery.

41

Annex 4. Bank Lending and Implementation Support/Supervision Processes

(a) Task Team members

Names Title Unit

Lending

Norosoa Andrianaivo Language Program Assistant AFTED

Slaheddine Ben-Halima Consultant MNAPR

Paul Geli Consultant MNSHD

Susanne Holste Lead Social Development Specialist EASID

Mohamed Konare AFTS1-HIS

Jean-Pierre Manshande Consultant HDNHE

Francois Marie Maurice Rakotoarimanana

Sr Financial Management Specialist AFTFM

Patrick Philippe Ramanantoanina Senior Operations Officer LCSHE

Sylvain Auguste Rambeloson Senior Procurement Specialist AFTPC

Ziva Razafintsalama Senior Rural Development Specialist AFTAR

Nellie Sew Kwan Kan Senior Program Assistant ENV

Maryanne Sharp Senior Operations Officer LCSHH

David Seth Warren Sector Leader LCSHD

Supervision/ICR

Norosoa Andrianaivo Language Program Assistant AFTED

Otieno Ayany Financial Management Specialist AFTFM

Paul-Jean Feno Environmental Specialist AFTEN

Serigne Omar Fye Consultant AFTED

Magaye Gaye Consultant AFTFM

Astania Kamau Language Program Assistant AFTSP

Josiane M. S. Luchmun Program Assistant AFTSP

Jean-Pierre Manshande Consultant HDNHE

Anne Mossige Sr Social Protection Specialist AFTSP

Ulrik Netterstroem Consultant TWIWA

Nadege K. Nouviale Program Assistant AFTSP

Moustapha Ould El Bechir Senior Procurement Specialist AFTPC

Mehmet Onur Ozlu Economist AFTUW

Francois Marie Maurice Rakotoarimanana

Sr Financial Management Specialist AFTFM

Patrice Joachim Nirina Rakotoniaina Municipal Engineer AFTUW

Sylvain Auguste Rambeloson Senior Procurement Specialist AFTPC

Maryanne Sharp Senior Operations Officer LCSHH

Bodil Warming Consultant AFTH3 - HIS

42

(b) Staff Time and Cost under P084315 (Original Credit)

Staff Time and Cost (Bank Budget Only)

Stage of Project Cycle No. of staff weeks

USD Thousands (including travel and consultant costs)

Lending

FY04 33.63 124.041

Total: 124.041

Supervision/ICR

FY05 25.79 96.595

FY06 31.60 110.082

FY07 33.86 118.597

FY08 27.31 124.995

FY09 16.67 120.345

FY10 17.01 129.072

FY11 13.63 89.218

FY12 0.41 9.480

Total: 798.384

(c) Staff Time and Cost under P100804 (Additional Financing)

Staff Time and Cost (Bank Budget Only)

Stage of Project Cycle No. of staff weeks

USD Thousands (including travel and consultant costs)

Lending

FY07 2.69 22.291

Total: 22.291

Supervision/ICR

FY07 0 2.174

Total: 2.174

(c) Staff Time and Cost under P114740 (Co-financing)

Staff Time and Cost (Bank Budget Only) Stage of Project Cycle

No. of staff weeks USD Thousands (including travel and consultant costs)

Lending

FY09 22.52 82. 451

Supervision/ICR

FY10 0 0

FY11 0 0

FY12 0.90 4.521

Total: 86.972

43

Annex 5. Beneficiary Survey Results

The Project’s beneficiary assessments, one conducted in 2007 and another in 2011 as part of the Project’s economic analysis, found positive responses from beneficiaries about the SSP community infrastructure development activities. The 2007 assessment focused primarily on the perceptions of communities toward the participatory processes instituted by the FADC as well as the trainings that the communities received. The 2011 economic assessment included a beneficiary assessment in order to better understand the perceptions of the communities toward the quality and utility of the infrastructures constructed, as well as about the efficacy of the community development committees that are responsible for the management and maintenance of these infrastructures. The following summary is thus organized around these two themes.

Perceptions of the participatory processes and community trainings

The 2007 assessment sampled 43 communities that had benefited from the SSP and emphasized community perceptions regarding the participatory processes and trainings of the Project. In each community, the research team conducted 15-person focus groups that included members of the community management committees, local leaders, the village development agents, other community members, and the sub-project contractor. Discussions were guided by a questionnaire developed by the research team based on its review of relevant FADC project documents. Communities were proud of the development plans created under the FADC’s participatory approach and that this planning process allowed them to adopt a longer-term vision for their futures. Only one community reported that the local development plan would not be a future priority. The focus groups also reported that the planning processes were inclusive of typically marginalized groups, such as youth and the elderly. However, communities tended to include only sub-projects that were eligible for FADC funding, rather than outlining all their priorities and, in some cases, excluding small projects that could be undertaken by the communities without external assistance. After the assessment, FADC began focusing on this shortcoming and, by the Project’s close, 55 percent of communities with development plans had solicited funding from another source. The tables here present a summary of the community perceptions toward the impacts of the local development plans (PDL).

44

Avis des communautées sur les impacts du PDL

au plan organisationnel

74%

47%60% 60%63%

5%

56%

79%

11%

100%

63%

100%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

120%

Grande Comore Anjouan Mohéli Total

Meilleur fonctionnement des structures communautaires

Meilleure circulation de l'information

Meilleure relation de la communauté avec les partenaires administratifs

Overall, the project management training was well received within the sampled communities. Of the sampled 43 communities, 39 held elections to determine who would serve on the

45

management committees, in keeping with the training received. And, contrary to the planning processes, some communities reported that the management training helped them to facilitate the undertaking of various other community projects. At least half of the communities sampled in Grande Comore and Anjouan, however, reported that they required additional training in project management and M&E (although all five communities sampled in Mohéli reported that they had received satisfactory training). Moreover, the assessment stressed that the most commonly reported difficulty during implementation concerned the slowness and inaccessibility of the FADC staff. None of the 43 sampled communities had developed a maintenance plan and all reported that they did not receive adequate support from FADC in this regard.

Perceptions of the infrastructures and the community management committees

As part of the 2011 economic analysis, the majority of respondents in beneficiary communities were satisfied or moderately satisfied with the quality of the SSP-financed infrastructure. In particular, the communities considered the school sub-projects to be in good condition, except the latrines and water source constructed with one school sub-project in Grand Comores. The rate of satisfaction with the two sampled dike sub-projects was 92 percent. Concerning the sanitation and hygiene sub-projects, approximately 85 percent of the beneficiaries sampled were satisfied with the sub-project’s quality. The following charts present specific community satisfaction data concerning the rural road sub-projects sampled and show that, in five of the six sampled road sub-projects, all respondents were either satisfied or moderately satisfied with the quality of these constructions.

Community satisfaction with the quality of the roads sub-projects sampled in Grande Comore

Community satisfaction with the quality of road sub-projects sampled in Anjouan

47

Community satisfaction with the quality and maintenance of the road sub-projects in Mohéli

Regarding the quality of the infrastructures constructed, the most commonly cited problem was with the water sub-projects. In particular, Grande Comore is a volcanic island with very limited water resources. Even after the construction of the improved water sources, one community sampled only had 1.2 liters of water available per person per day. In this location, 98 percent of beneficiaries surveyed were unsatisfied with the quantity of water.

The majority of respondents were satisfied or moderately satisfied with the performance of the community management committee responsible for its construction and maintenance. Of the 30 communities sampled, only two examples existed where the majority of respondents were dissatisfied with the community management committees. This dissatisfaction was correlated with a lack of maintenance of the community’s sub-project. Indeed, despite the high levels of beneficiary satisfaction, most communities reported that, following sub-project completion, the management committees held no regular meetings to plan ongoing maintenance but rather met only in response to specific maintenance needs.

Communities also responded positively regarding the impact of the various sub-projects on their quality of life. The rural road sub-projects were reported to facilitate better movement of goods and people, improved commerce as indicated by an increase in taxi drivers and market sellers in each beneficiary community, and an overall reduction of prices of basic household goods, such as soap and cooking oil. Decreased household expenditures on water were also reported due to improved access to such services. The proximity of the water sources allowed community members, particularly women and girls, to reallocate time previously devoted to finding potable water toward more productive economic activities and education. Sampled communities self-reported fewer cases of diseases associated with poor drinking water and unsanitary living conditions, such as diarrhea, malaria, cholera, and typhoid.

48

Annex 6. Summary of Borrower's ICR and/or Comments on Draft ICR

UNION DES COMORESUNION DES COMORESUNION DES COMORESUNION DES COMORES -------------

FONDS D’APPUI AU DEVELOPPEMENT COMMUNAUTAIRE

F.A.D.C.

Route Hadoudja B. P. 2494

Moroni Comores

--------

RAPPORT D’ACHEVEMENT DU PROJET

PAR L’EMPRUNTEUR ---------------

PROJET DE SOUTIEN AUX SERVICES Crédit N° 3868 – COM

Financement N° H-265 - COM Don FPCR N° TF 094537

Octobre 2011.

49

SOMMAIRE

Avant propos

A. Introduction.

B. Objectifs et description du Projet.

C. Evaluation rétrospective de la préparation et de l’exécution du Projet.

D. Analyse des principaux facteurs ayant affecté l’exécution et les résultats.

E. Description des réalisations du Projet.

F. Analyse de la pérennité des acquis et résultats du Projet.

G. Analyse des performances des parties prenantes.

H. Tableau des coûts des différentes composantes du projet.

I. Les principales leçons apprises.

J. Conclusion

50

AVANT PROPOS

Le présent document constitue le Rapport d’Achèvement de l’Emprunteur relatif à la mise en

œuvre du Projet de Soutien aux Services (PSS), financé à travers un crédit (3868-COM) et deux dons dont un de l’IDA (H-265-COM) et un autre provenant du Trust Fund (TF094537) obtenus par l’Union des Comores.

Le rapport d’achèvement comporte trois objectifs principaux dont :

(i) L’évaluation de la pertinence du projet par rapport au contexte qui prévalait au moment de sa conception et de son exécution;

(ii) L’appréciation dans quelle mesure le projet a atteint les objectifs et les résultats attendus et, (iii) La formulation des leçons apprises de l’expérience passée à travers les processus de

préparation et de mise en œuvre des activités du projet.

La préparation de ce Rapport d’Achèvement a été effectuée par le Fonds d’Appui au Développement Communautaire (FADC), Agence d’Exécution du Projet pour le compte du Gouvernement.

Compte tenu du report de la date de clôture des financements qui est fixée au 30 Juin 2011, ce

document a été rédigé en Octobre 2011.

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A. INTRODUCTION

Le Projet de Soutien aux Services ou PSS financé sous un financement initial d’un montant de

9.000.000 DTS soit 13.300.000 US$ équivalents (crédit 3868-COM28) et dont la mise en vigueur en date du 29/09/2004 a été conçu comme palliatif en attendant que les Comores atteignent un certain niveau de stabilité politique et institutionnelle. Il a donc comme objectif global de satisfaire aux besoins urgents de prestations de service et de prémunir d’une dégradation des infrastructures existantes dans le pays qui venait de sortir d’une crise sociopolitique à l’issue de laquelle les structures publiques n’étaient pas opérationnelles et que l’appui des bailleurs de fonds était en baisse notamment les projets financés par la Banque Mondiale soit achevés et non renouvelés (projet éducation III, projet santé III) soit clôturé (Projet infrastructure eau et environnement IEE).

Lors de la Conférence des Bailleurs de Fonds tenue a Maurice en décembre 2005 au profit de

l’Union des Comores pour accompagner le processus de réconciliation nationale, la Banque Mondiale a annoncé son appui par un financement additionnel à hauteur de 3.400.000 DTS (Don No H-265-COM29) soit 5 millions US$ équivalents pour le Projet de Soutien aux Services (PSS) dont la date de mise en vigueur en date du 22/05/2007 au profit des populations les plus défavorisées. Compte tenu de la réussite du projet et surtout du processus de développement communautaire et de son approche, le financement additionnel est conçu pour étendre l’envergure et la couverture du Projet afin d’approfondir les impacts et les résultats du projet à un plus grand nombre de bénéficiaires

En 2009, L’Union des Comores, avec l’appui de la Banque Mondiale, a préparé un nouveau Don de 1 million USD (Don TF 09453730) en réponse à la crise alimentaire mondiale pour cofinancer le PSS et dont la mise en vigueur en date de Septembre 2009. Le Projet de Soutien aux Services a été alors restructuré et la date d’achèvement est fixée au 30 juin 2011.

Le Projet de Soutien aux Services (PSS) est géré par le Fonds d’Appui au Développement Communautaire (FADC) qui est une institution créée en 1993, régie par des textes juridiques et statutaires.31

Le FADC joue le rôle d’un organisme de financement d’intérêt public, doté de l’autonomie

administrative et financière et jouissant de la personnalité morale. Son siège est à Moroni, la capitale, et intervient sur trois îles de l’Union des Comores : Anjouan, Ngazidja et Mohéli.

A.1 La structure organisationnelle et mode de fonctionnement du FADC :

A.1.1. Structure organisationnelle : La structure organisationnelle du FADC comprend deux niveaux :

� Un niveau central composé d’un organe délibératif qui est le Comité Central de Coordination

(CCC), et d’un organe exécutif et de supervision qui est le Secrétariat Exécutif National (SEN). Le CCC fait office de conseil d’administration, qui trace la politique générale du FADC, tandis que le SEN est chargé de la gestion administrative et financière et de la coordination des activités du Projet.

28 Report No 27225 – COM du 4 Février 2004. 29 Report No 37721-KM du 9 Novembre 2006. 30 Report No: 48765 – KM du 09 Juin 2009. 31 Ordonnance n°93-001/PR du 06/01/93 et décret n°93-068/PR du 13/04/93 portant création, organisation et fonctionnement du FADC, modifié par les décrets n°01-119/CE du 22 octobre 2001 et n°03-13/PR du 28 janvier 2003 pour prendre en compte les nouvelles institutions organisationnelles de l’Union des Comores.

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� Un niveau régional composé d’un Comité Régional (CR) et d’un Secrétariat Exécutif Régional

(SER), opérant sur chacune des trois îles. Le CR assume les fonctions de supervision et de contrôle, alors que le SER constitue l’organe administratif et d’exécution qui assure la gestion quotidienne des opérations au niveau des îles.

A.1.2. Mode de fonctionnement du FADC : A la base, ce sont les comités de pilotage (CP) qui assurent le rôle d’organes intermédiaires entre la population et le FADC. Chaque CP constitue la cellule de base responsable de l'exécution des sous-projets au niveau de la communauté. Les modalités de fonctionnement et de gestion du FADC sont régies par les Manuels de Procédures et le Manuel Administratif et Financier qui ont été élaborés durant la phase préparatoire et approuvés par le CCC et l’IDA puis en 2009 pour ce qui est du Manuel en Protection Sociale.

Les Manuels de Procédures présentent le cadre général, la structure organisationnelle, définissent les conditions de financement, d’éligibilité et de sélection des sous-projets, ainsi que les procédures de soumission, d’évaluation, d’approbation et d’exécution ainsi que celles la passation des marchés, la gestion financière et comptable, le suivi et l’évaluation à postériori des sous-projets.

Le Manuel Administratif et Financier a fait l’objet d’une révision en septembre 2009. Les amendements proposés visent à prendre en compte les recommandations des diverses missions de la Banque, des auditeurs externes et de l’audit institutionnel.

Le cadre de gestion environnementale et sociale et le cadre de politique de réinstallation ont été

diffusés à la banque et dans le pays et le Manuel de gestion environnementale et sociale a été révisé.

Conformément aux termes des accords juridiques, le FADC a été soumis à un audit financier annuellement effectué par des Cabinets indépendants approuvés par l’IDA32. Ces cabinets d’audit ont été chargés d’examiner les comptes financiers et d’évaluer les performances du projet. En outre, 2 audits techniques ont été également effectués par des Consultants indépendants, pour vérifier si les infrastructures financées ont été construites selon les normes techniques et les standards établis par les autorités comoriennes et aussi vérifier si les procédures de mise en œuvre opérationnelle et de passation de marchés sont respectées.

Enfin, les Chargés du Projet à la Banque mondiale ont assuré une supervision générale et

permanente du déroulement du projet en particulier grâce à des visites périodiques associant des spécialistes et des consultants de la Banque selon les besoins.

Une évaluation des bénéficiaires33 a été menée en 2006 dont l’objectif est (i) d’apprécier

l’efficacité des procédures et approches du FADC III, notamment celles qui ont un impact au niveau des communautés bénéficiaires, (ii) évaluer le degré de perception et de satisfaction des populations des communautés bénéficiaires par rapport aux appuis fournis par le FADC et (iii) évaluer l’opérationnalité et la pérennité des Comités de pilotage (CP) en tant que structures de développement communautaire, les capacités de gestion des CP et des Comités de gestion (CG) et le degré d’implication des agents villageois de développement (AVD) dans les activités de développement communautaire. Les résultats de cette

32 Delta Deloitte -Madagascar les 4 premières années et Ernest Young- Sénégal pour les trois dernières années du Projet. 33 Effectuée par le Groupe d’Action pour le Développement (GAD) et l’Association pour la Promotion et pour le Développement Rural (APED)

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évaluation montrent que globalement, le FADC de par ses approches, ses procédures et les résultats enregistrés a obtenu une appréciation positive de la part des bénéficiaires cibles du Projet.

B. OBJECTIFS ET DESCRIPTION DU PROJET :

Lors de la mise en place du don TF094537 provenant du FPCR [Food Price Crisis Response34], il a été convenu avec les autorités que l'opération d'urgence proposée vise à soutenir la réponse du gouvernement à la crise alimentaire en finançant un programme d’Argent Contre Travail (ACT - Cash for Work) dans les zones d’insécurité alimentaire. En conséquence, cette opération avait conduit à réviser les Objectifs de Développement du Projet (Project Development Outcomes ou PDO) et les indicateurs liés afin de refléter au mieux les activités soutenues au titre du crédit initial et le premier financement additionnel, après intégration des fonds supplémentaires provenant du don relatif au FPCR. Les Objectifs de Développement du Projet (Project Development Outcomes ou PDO) ont été ainsi révisés et reformulés comme suit:

(i) accroître l'accès à court terme emploi dans les zones d'insécurité alimentaire (nouvel objectif),

(ii) accroître l'accès aux services sociaux de base dans les communautés pauvres (objectif reformulé), et

(iii) contribuer au renforcement de la capacité des les collectivités à planifier leur développement (objectif reformulé) Tableau 1: Objectifs de Développement de projets

Objectifs de Développement Initiaux Objectifs de Développement révisés

1 Nouveau : Accroître l'accès aux emplois de courte durée dans les zones d'insécurité alimentaire

2

Maintenir les infrastructures de base sociale et économique pour un nombre significatif de communautés défavorisées et groupes vulnérables spécifiques.

Reformulation : Accroître l'accès aux services sociaux de base dans les communautés pauvres.

3 Contribuer au renforcement des capacités des communautés base et les acteurs locaux à mener un processus de développement local.

Reformulation : Contribuer à renforcer la capacité des collectivités à planifier leur développement.

La principale différence entre les Objectifs de Développement du Projet initiaux et révisés est l'introduction d'un nouvel objectif correspondant à la nouvelle activité « filet de protection sociale » financée par le don provenant du FPCR.

Par ailleurs, les deux autres objectifs initiaux ont été reformulés afin de mieux refléter les

activités effectivement menées par le Projet.

� Le premier objectif initial a été modifié qu’au lieu de « maintenir services sociaux de base dans les communautés défavorisées et groupes vulnérables spécifiques » (qui reflète ce que le projet n'a pratiquement effectué comme il finance de nouveaux sous-projets) celui-ci a été reformulé comme « l'accroissement de l’accès aux services sociaux base dans des communautés pauvres » (qui est le groupe cible du projet).

34 Le FPCR est un fonds fiduciaire pour octroyer des dons aux pays fragiles soutenus par l’IDA (International Development Association). Le FPCR est une des facilités offertes par le GFRP [Global Food Crisis Response Program] de la Banque Mondiale qui fournit un cadre global pour apporter un soutien rapide par la Banque une réponse globale à la crise alimentaire.

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� Le deuxième objectif initial a été reformulé pour exclure le renforcement des capacités des

acteurs locaux (gouvernements locaux ou communes), étant donné que ces communes n'ont pas encore été créées. Aux termes de l’Accord de Crédit 3868-COM, de l’Accord de Financement H-265-COM, de

l’Accord de Don FPCR N° TF 094537 et de la restructuration, les différentes Composantes du Projet sont :

a. Composante 1: Filet de Protection Sociale (Argent Contre Travail) - US$ 850.000 provenant

du Cofinancement - FPCR)

Cette composante a servi à financer un programme d’Argent Contre Travail pour accroître l’accès à des emplois temporaires dans des zones d’insécurité alimentaire. Par la création d’emplois, cette composante augmentera les revenus disponibles des groupes vulnérables et augmentant ainsi leur consommation alimentaire, dont les femmes.

Le mécanisme de ciblage est basé sur un processus comportant trois étapes : (i) allocation de fonds à travers les îles suivant la formule convenue entre le FADC et les autorités approuvée par l’IDA relativement à la composante 2; (ii) identification des communautés les plus touchées par la crise alimentaire générée par l’augmentation des prix à travers un processus transparent concerté avec les autorités locales; et (iii) sélection par les communautés elles-mêmes des ménages les plus touchées par la crise du prix des denrées alimentaires .

b. Composante 2 : Infrastructures de base, gérées par les Communautés - US$10.4 millions

incluant : (i) US$6.8 millions déjà décaissés et provenant du crédit initial et (ii) US$3.6 millions provenant du Financement additionnel (dans lesquels US$ 3.1 millions n’ont pas été décaissés au 31/12/2008).

Cette composante a servi à financer le renforcement de capacité et la formation du capital social dans les communautés défavorisées. Le projet a contribué à l’élaboration par les communautés des Plans de Développement Locaux ou PDL dont l’objectif est que, suivant un processus participatif, la communauté s’accorde sur une liste prioritaire de développement et sur les sous-projets y afférents. Cette composante a financé par la suite des sous-projets d’infrastructures communautaires afin d’accroître l’accès aux services sociaux et économiques parmi les communautés participantes. Elle consistait en la réhabilitation et la reconstruction de sous-projets d’infrastructure communautaire de petite envergure identifiés par les communautés, dont les salles de classe et écoles, adduction d’eau et assainissement à petite échelle, voies de desserte et activités de prévention de l’érosion du sol. Les communautés affectées par les crises politiques et économiques sont aussi ciblées. En vertu de la restructuration du projet, cette composante inclurait les deux premiers volets du projet original: la composante communautaire de sous-projets et du composant renforcement des capacités.

c. Composante 3 : Services de Santé – US$ 0.9 million à partir du Crédit initial. Cette composante a servi à financer le renforcement des capacités techniques du personnel médical bien sélectionné à travers la formation dans des domaines spécialisés identifiés comme faisant partie d'un projet de santé financé par l'IDA fermé en Juin 2004) et la maintenance et l’acquisition d’équipements médicaux. Ces activités ont été complétées avec succès au titre du crédit initial. En conséquence, ni le

premier financement additionnel, ni le cofinancement ne financent pas cette composante.

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d. Composante 4 : Approvisionnement en Eau en milieu Urbain – US$ 2,7 millions financés par le Crédit Initial.

La composante hydraulique urbaine (dont les activités avaient été identifiées dans le cadre du projet Infrastructure Eau et Environnement, financé par l'IDA et fermé en août 2003) prévoyait la réhabilitation et l'extension de l'approvisionnement en eau dans les capitales d'Anjouan (Mutsamudu) et de Mohéli (Fomboni). Cette composante a également financé le renforcement des capacités des comités de gestion

de l'eau et campagne d'information, éducation et communication (IEC) sur la gestion de l'eau,

l'assainissement et l’hygiène. Ces 3 activités ont été menées à terme au titre du crédit initial, ni le premier financement additionnel ni le cofinancement ne financent pas cette composante.

e. Composante 5: Gestion de projet, Suivi et Evaluation, et Audit - US$ 4,5 millions dont: (i) US$ 2,9 millions de dollars du crédit initial, (ii) US$ 1,4 millions du premier financement additionnel auquel US$ 1,0 million était encore à décaisser à compter du 31 Décembre 2008 et, (iii) US$ 150 000 provenant du don FPCR pour couvrir les coûts d'exploitation additionnels liés

à la gestion, le suivi et l'évaluation et l’Audit de la composante en espèces contre travail.

Cette composante a financé les coûts de fonctionnement du FADC et l’assistance technique pour les audits afin d’assurer que le projet soit exécuté avec succès, de manière rentable et décentralisée. En outre, cette composante a appuyé les activités de Suivi et Evaluation, en allant même au-delà du suivi des résultats du projet pour évaluer l’impact des activités basées dans la collectivité sur la vie du projet. Cette composante a soutenu aussi des activités additionnelles en vue de promouvoir la responsabilité locale et améliorer les résultats du développement à long terme tels les suivis - évaluation participatifs par les communautés bénéficiaires.

C. EVALUATION RETROSPECTIVE DE LA PREPARATION ET DE L’EXECUTION DU PROJET

Points forts internes : Faisant suite aux 2 projets FADC I et FADC II dont l’approche est basée sur le concept Community

Driven Development (CDD)35

laquelle consiste à cibler toute intervention en fonction des demandes émanant des populations elles-mêmes par le biais de leurs comités de pilotage juridiquement constitués et mandatés par l’ensemble de la communauté, le FADC III (PSS) cherche à cibler les communautés les plus défavorisées et pauvres susceptibles d’être fragilisés par les divers chocs économiques internes (instabilité politico-institutionnelle) ou externe (crise financière mondiale et augmentation des prix des denrées alimentaires et du pétrole).

Cette approche a mis en place un processus transparent pour :

(i) aider les communautés à identifier leurs besoins clés, (ii) renforcer les capacités des communautés et leur donner les outils pour planifier,

préparer les propositions de sous projets pour financement aux bailleurs de fonds, (iii) superviser l’exécution des sous projets et assurer l’entretien, (iv) introduire le suivi et l’évaluation participative et le financement direct des

communautés. L’approche a initié l’intégration dans la conception des sous-projets et

35 Connu aussi sous le sigle DDP ou Développement Décentralisé Participatif.

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marchés connexes des mesures visant à alléger ou corriger l’impact environnemental et social négatif.

a. Ressources humaines / expertise : les expériences acquises lors de la réalisation des deux autres fonds sociaux précédents (FADC I et FADC II) ont constitué une masse significative d’expertise constituée de cadres opérationnels et compétents en réalisation de sous projets.

b. Décaissement : le rythme de décaissement et la qualité de la gestion financière du FADC ont fait que d’une part, aucun problème majeur n’est survenu au cours de la réalisation du Projet et que d’autre part, tous les audits financiers externes réalisés n’ont pas fait l’objet de réserves tels que requis par les Accords de Financement.

c. Organisationnelle : La présence d’unités décentralisées dans chaque île (Secrétariats Exécutifs Régionaux ou SER) a permis une bonne couverture nationale ayant permis un taux élevé de pénétration même au niveau de zones très enclavées.

d. Flexibilité opérationnelle : Les diverses modifications dictées par les réalités vécues par le pays telles le financement additionnel en 2006 et la mise en place d’une nouvelle composante (Protection Sociale) en 2009-2010 ainsi que la restructuration qui s’ensuivit n’ont pas influé l’opérationnalité du Projet. Toutefois, il faut noter que le départ de quelques cadres opérationnels après la restructuration et l’intégration des nouvelles recrues a plus ou moins ralenti l’intensité des opérations durant un délai assez raisonnable.

e. Du point de vue procédurier : La disponibilité d’une procédure opérationnelle suffisamment précise mais souple ainsi que le système d’information comptable et de suivi évaluation adapté a permis une aisance opérationnelle pour l’atteinte des objectifs.

f. Mémoire institutionnelle : Depuis le début de ses activités en 1993, le FADC a engrangé

une masse importante d’informations relatives au développement local dont les PDL, les Evaluations spécifiques et études diverses qui peuvent être mis à la disposition de tous les acteurs (gouvernement, bailleurs, organismes de développement) pour une meilleure vision de la politique de développement des Comores. Cette masse d’information mérite d’être valorisée au mieux et le pays surtout en cette période où le processus de décentralisation est en cours.

Points forts Externes : a. Notoriété de l’institution vis-à-vis des autorités (gouvernement, administration, élus) :

� Les autorités tant nationales (gouvernement) que locales (administration, élus communaux) ont

toujours manifesté une appréciation très positive du FADC. Dernièrement, dans le cadre des réponses aux menaces des diverses crises (crises internes, alimentaire mondiale et économique internationale), le FADC vient d’être choisi comme agence d’exécution des Projets PURC et PUSA.

� De par ses statuts, le FADC est sous la tutelle du Commissariat Général du Plan et sous la tutelle de la Présidence de l’Union des Comores36. Toutefois, cette dernière, dans le cadre des Manuels de Procédures laisse le champ libre au FADC dans la gestion quotidienne et les décisions opérationnelles mettant ainsi le FADC à l’abri des trafics d’influence politique diverses.

36 Auparavant, il a été sous la tutelle du Ministère des Finances

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b. Confiance des bénéficiaires :

Les bénéficiaires ont toujours gardé à travers le FADC l’image de « l’engagement tenu ». En effet, le FADC a toujours tenu ses engagements pour la réalisation des requêtes des bénéficiaires dès qu’il s’est prononcé à les réaliser.

c. Qualité des réalisations :

D’une manière générale, la qualité des infrastructures réalisées par le FADC est appréciée par les bénéficiaires/utilisateurs et autant pour les institutions de tutelle. Particulièrement, les Ecoles réalisées par le FADC sont très appréciées par le Ministère de L‘Education de par la qualité des réalisations et la fonctionnalité immédiate des écoles construites (table bancs, latrines, point d’eau) avec le respect des mesures de sauvegarde environnementale.

d. Disponibilité d’un réseau fiable de partenaires sociaux et techniques (AVD, CP, CP, ENEX).

Les cycles de renforcement de capacités mis en œuvre par le FADC pendant tout le cycle de projet dès l’initiation, passant par la mise en œuvre jusqu’à la livraison des sous projets ont mis à la disposition du FADC un réseau fiable de partenaires sociaux qui peuvent soutenir les activités de développement social et communautaire.

e. Création d’emplois temporaires ou permanents très significative pendant la durée de vie du

Projet. Cette création d’emploi s’est matérialisée par la naissance d’entreprises de BTP et de bureaux d’études techniques ainsi que les emplois générés par les chantiers de Protection Sociale.

Points faibles internes : � Un problème sur le management du Projet a été constaté en 2008. De manière concertée, le

Gouvernement et la Banque Mondiale ont pu faire les redressements nécessaires ce qui a conduit au départ du Directeur en 2009 et à la restructuration du Projet.

� Difficulté et retard dans la mise en place d’un système informatisé de suivi évaluation. � Insuffisance de formation du personnel à l’extérieur.

Points faibles externes :

� Dans la mise en cohérence avec les programmations sectorielles des sous projets approuvées par

le FADC sur la base de requêtes communautaires, cette coordination aurait souffert de la lenteur administrative, de la carence en communication entre les centres de décisions ministériels et leurs services déconcentrés.

� Toujours du point de vue externe, la soutenabilité des réalisations a des fois souffert de la non appropriation par quelques bénéficiaires des réalisations ce qui compromet la pérennisation des acquis.

� Enfin, il mérite des cas de réalisation tardive des apports bénéficiaires dans les régions très pauvres.

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D. ANALYSE DES PRINCIPAUX FACTEURS AYANT AFFECTE L’EXECUTION ET LES RESULTATS

La rigueur et le professionnalisme qui ont prévalu dans l’exécution des activités par le FADC ont affecté de manière favorable à l’atteinte des résultats. Ceci est dû d’une part à la qualité professionnelle et la motivation de ses agents mais aussi et surtout la disposition de manuels de travail (manuels de procédures et manuels d’exécution) clairs et très pertinents d’autre part. Toutefois, les différentes perturbations externes, dues aux crises qu’a traversées le pays avaient eu des impacts plus ou moins négatifs pour une bonne marche des activités (suspension des décaissements....)

E. DESCRIPTION DES REALISATIONS DU PROJET, ET UNE EVALUATION DES

RESULTATS ET IMPACTS DU PROJET Sur un ensemble de 331 communautés villageoises existantes (identifiées lors du RGPH37 2003), dans le cadre de ses programmes annuels de la période de 2004 à juin 2011, le FADC a identifié à apporter un appui technique et financière à 156 communautés pour la création ou restructuration de 156 Comités de Pilotage (CP), 156 Comité de Gestion (CG) et 312 agents villageois de développement (AVD) dont la moitié sont des femmes. Les 156 communautés ont bénéficié d’un appui technique et financier pour l’élaboration et la validation de 156 PDL dont 102 ont eu un financement pour la réalisation d’un sous projet programmé. Sur l’ensemble de 331 communautés villageoises, 87 ont été sélectionnées pour bénéficier d’un sous projet argent contre travail. Sur la base du budget annuel, du Programme de travail annuel et du plan de passation des marchés, le Projet avait prévu de réaliser pendant la période de 2004 à 2011 incluant des périodes suspensions de décaissements :

� 75 sous projets « Argent contre travail » bénéficiant à 3 500 personnes � 100 sous projets IDB � 156 PDL � 22 médecins et para médicaux boursiers formés, � Le plateau technique des centres hospitaliers (national et régionaux) équipés et entretenus, � Les adductions d’eau de Mutsamudu à Anjouan et Fomboni à Mohéli réhabilitées.

37 Recensement Général de la Population.

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1. Composante Protection sociale

En 2011, le FADC a mis en œuvre et achevés 87 sous projets « Argent contre travail » pour un coût total de 331 267 799 KMF dont 248 678 300 KMF au titre de rémunération de 4 343 individus dont 2 457 femmes (57%) répartis dans 87 communautés bénéficiaires.

Au total, 108 425 personnes / jours ont été créés.

Tableau 2 : Les réalisations en sous projets de Protection Sociale :

PS Réceptionnés Coûts (KMF) % Nombre de

bénéficiaires Hommes Jours

créés

Mohéli 11 41 711 063 12.7% 550 13 750

Anjouan 37 140 822 846 42.8% 1 843 46 075

Ngazidja 39 146 787 284 44.7% 1 950 48 600

TOTAL 87 329 321 193 100% 4 343 108 425

Tableau 3 : Répartitions par catégorie de dépenses dans le Sous Projets de Protection Sociale (ACT – HIMO)

RUBRIQUE Mohéli Anjouan Ngazidja TOTAL %

Montant rémunération des travailleurs 31 275 400 105 967 900 111 435 000 248 678 300 76%

Rémunération des ENEX 4 216 663 14 183 321 14 949 987 33 349 971 10%

Montant Matériels et outillages 6 219 000 20 671 625 20 402 297 47 292 922 14% TOTAL 41 711 063 140 822 846 146 787 284 329 321 193 100%

2. Composante Infrastructure de base (IDB) :

2.1 Sous projets Infrastructure de base :

De 2004 à juin 2011, le FADC a achevé 102 sous-projets IDB pour un coût total de 3 546 367 883

KMF dont 3 219 589 242 KMF apporté par le projet et 365 523 641 KMF sous forme d’apport par les bénéficiaires soit un apport de 10,2 %. La population bénéficiaire s’élève à 121 828 habitants soit un coût moyen par bénéficiaire de 29 428 KMF. Ces 102 IDB ont été sélectionnés parmi les plans d’investissement de 156 PDL élaborés par les communautés bénéficiaires soit au total � 49 sous projets écoles ont été réalisés correspondants à 97 salles de classes bénéficiant à 6 025

élèves potentiels. � 14 sous projets adduction d’eau améliorant l’accès à l’eau à 13 033 personnes � 25 sous projets de réalisation de pistes rurales et ouvrage d’assainissement ayant bénéficié 44

755 personnes avec 38,2 km de pistes construites ou réhabilitées. Tableau 4 : Réalisations en IDB et PDL par année :

Crédit 3868 /Don H-265 IDB Réceptionnés Nombre PDL validés

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ANNEE Durant l'année Cumulatif Durant l'année Cumulatif

2004 4 4 0 0 2005 15 19 45 45

2006 8 27 27 72 2007 22 49 37 109

2008 14 63 15 124

2009 2 65 22 146 2010 21 86 10 156 2011 16 102 0 0

Tableau 5: Réalisations en IDB par type au 30 juin 2011 :

Nombre

Réceptions Provisoires

Type de projet Sous

Projets achevés

Nombre Réceptions Définitives

Nombre Population

Financement FADC

(en KMF)

Apport des bénéficiaires

(en KMF)

Coût Total Projet

% apport

bénéficiaire

Ecole 49 49 39 61 425 1 271 639 923 170 176 361 1 441 816 284 11,8 %

Adduction Eau & Citernes

14 14 11 13 033 319 743 374 40 468 714 360 212 088 11,2 %

Pistes Rurales 20 20 20 27 061 1 193 001 672 97 488 751 1 290 490 423 7,6 %

Assainissement 15 15 12 17 694 294 686 180 4 304 261 298 990 441 12,7 %

Autres 4 4 3 2 615 140 518 093 14 340 554 154 858 647 9,3 %

TOTAL 102 102 85 121 828 3 219 589 242 365 523 641 3 546 367 883 10,2 %

Tableau 6 : Répartition des IDB par type et par localisation au 30 Juin 2011:

LOCALISATION Type de sous-projet

Mohéli Anjouan Ngazidja Total

Ecole 8 16 25 49

Adduction Eau & Citerne 2 2 10 14

Piste Rurale 1 11 8 20

Assainissement 5 3 7 15

Autre 0 4 0 4

Total 16 36 48 102

2.2 Renforcement de capacité et élaboration PDL :

� De juin 2004 à juin 2011, le FADC a identifié et apporté un appui technique et financier à 156 communautés pour la création ou restructuration de 156 Comités de Pilotage (CP), 156 Comités de Gestion (CG) et 312 agents villageois de développement (AVD) dont la moitié est composée de femmes.

� Les 156 CP, 156 CG et les AVD ont bénéficiés d’un renforcement de capacités dont l’objectif est

de renforcer la capacité des divers acteurs au niveau local en vue d’améliorer leur efficacité dans l’identification, la préparation, l’évaluation et la mise en œuvre des sous-projets capables d’induire un vaste impact durable dans la vie des communautés et ainsi promouvoir une

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participation accrue des acteurs au processus de développement local, comme la planification communautaire participative, le contrôle et la gestion des dépenses.

� Au total 6 809 personnes ont bénéficiés de ce renforcement de capacités dont 2 291 femmes (34 %) avec un coût moyen de 19 090 KMF par bénéficiaire.

Sept (7) modules de formations sont ainsi dispensés à ces 156 communautés :

1. Formation en gestion communautaire dont l’objectif est familiariser les bénéficiaires des concepts essentiels de la gestion communautaire, Identifier les organes, s’approprier les rôles et responsabilités des organes et familiariser avec les outils essentiels de la gestion communautaire.

2. Formation en gestion financière et passation des marchés, dont l’objectif est de renforcer les capacités des membres des CP, CG et les AVD en gestion financière des projets et d’initier les communautés bénéficiaires aux principes de passation de marchés.

3. Formation en suivi évaluation dont l’objectif est de faire acquérir aux communautés les notions

de base leur permettant d’identifier les indicateurs de performance et d’impact pour le sous projet, d’acquérir les techniques de collecte des données et l’analyse des résultats ainsi que sur le processus de prise de décisions subséquentes permettant de faire un suivi participatif des activités communautaires.

4. Formation en gestion environnementale dont l’objectif est de donner aux membres du CP, CG et aux AVD les notions de base sur la maîtrise des techniques de protection de l'environnement liées à la gestion communautaire.

5. Formation en évaluation participative dont l’objectif de faire acquérir aux membres du CP et aux AVD les notions de base pour la maîtrise de la conduite d’enquête participative et des étapes d’élaboration d’un Plan de Développement Local.

6. Technique d’entretien et de pérennisation dont l’objectif est de d’apporter un appui technique au CP bénéficiaire d’un sous projet sur les technique d’entretien et pérennisation des ouvrages.

Les 156 communautés ciblées ont bénéficié d’un appui technique et financier pour la conduite des enquêtes participatives, l’élaboration et la validation de leurs Plans de Développement Locaux respectifs :

Nombre de personnes formées

Catégories d’acteurs Thèmes de formation

Coût total en KMF

Total Femmes AVD CP CG

Approche participative du FADC 5 021 507 897 248 210 387 121

Gestion communautaire 21 815 158 1045 365 306 522 146

Gestion financière et passation de marchés 25186 615 1038 412 313 519 145

Suivi Evaluation participatif 16 754 225 1015 345 306 500 145

Gestion environnementale 16 574 078 943 352 269 495 179

Enquête participative et élaboration des PDL 24 900 205 1039 366 310 483 169

Technique d’entretien et de pérennisation des IDB

12 428 005 832 203 122 164 240

TOTAL 122 679 793 6809 2 291 1 836 3 070 1 145

Tableau 7 : Répartition des PDL réalisés par localisation et par année

ANNEES 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 Total Anjouan 20 10 14 11 4 4 63

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Ngazidja 20 13 15 12 4 4 68 Mohéli 5 4 7 5 2 2 25

Total 45 27 36 28 10 10 156

3. Composante Services de Santé

� 22 boursiers issus du personnel médical et des paramédicaux ont bénéficié d’une

formation dont 21 (sur 22) sont rentrés et affectés dans les services concernés pour un coût total de 243 467 742 KMF

� Un contrat de maintenance de 3 ans, avec une firme internationale pour la maintenance des équipements médicaux fournis par le projet pour un coût de 47 019 421 KMF.

� La fourniture d’un lot de consommables médicaux et des pièces rechange pour Les équipements fournis pour un montant de 48 099 529 KMF.

4. Approvisionnement en Eau en milieu Urbain

La composante hydraulique urbaine prévoyait la réhabilitation et l'extension de l'approvisionnement en eau dans les capitales d'Anjouan (Mutsamudu) et de Mohéli (Fomboni). Les activités ont porté sur trois points principaux :

4.1. Les Travaux de Génie Civil pour la réhabilitation et l’extension des réseaux d’adduction

d’eau de ces 2 agglomérations pour un coût total de 1 012 769 524 KMF qui consistaient à : (i) La construction de nouveaux captages pour les 2 systèmes et la réhabilitation d’un 2ème

captage pour Mutsamudu, (ii) L’amélioration des pistes d’accès aux ouvrages (terrassement piste, passerelles, escalier,

…) (iii) La pose de nouvelles conduites principales (DN 250 à 300) pour chaque système. La

construction et l’équipement de 3 systèmes de traitement de l’eau dont un pour le réseau de Fomboni et les 2 autres pour les réseaux de Mutsamudu

(iv) La construction d’un réservoir de 1250 m3 à Fomboni et la réhabilitation des 4 réservoirs (2 320 m3) à Mutsamudu.

(v) La mise en place de conduites secondaires (7 700 ml) avec construction de 23 bornes fontaines pour l’approvisionnement en eau de quartiers périphériques qui n’étaient pas connectés à un réseau.

4.2. , L’appui Technique et financier à la restructuration et au renforcement des capacités des 2

Association des Usagers de l’Eau pour un coût total de 39 832 611 KMF qui a en charge la gestion et l’entretien des ouvrages par :

(i) le recensement des ménages bénéficiaires qui a permis l'élaboration d'une base de données constituant un outil de gestion leur permettant de :

a. gérer la consommation et la demande en eau de l'adduction d'eau potable, b. suivre et de contrôler la facturation d'une part et le recouvrement d'autre part, et c. rendre compte aux parties concernées de la situation et des réalisations du secteur

adduction d'eau urbaine. (ii) L’établissement des 2 grilles tarifaires, (iii) La négociation d’un contrat d’affermage avec l’Exploitant privé qui sera chargé de

l’entretien, le traitement de l’eau, la maintenance, la facturation et le recouvrement. Le renforcement de capacités des associations des usagers et des Exploitants.

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Le coût total réalisé sur cette composante est de 1 065 939 135 KMF ayant fait 47 640 bénéficiaires.

4.3. La réalisation d’une campagne d’Information – Education – Communication (IEC) pour un

coût total de 20 405 430 KMF et dont les objectifs sont : (i) D’encourager les populations à participer à la gestion et à l’entretien des systèmes et, (ii) De promouvoir l’hygiène à l’eau.

F. ANALYSE DE LA PERENNITE DES ACQUIS ET RESULTATS DU PROJET

Les principaux résultats obtenus par le Projet s’articulent ainsi autour de trois thèmes principaux : � La mise en place d’infrastructures pour la fourniture des services socio-économiques de base dans

les zones généralement pauvres, � Les activités de renforcement de capacité des communautés de base à travers ses représentants

(AVG, CP, CG), � La création d’emplois temporaires générant des revenus supplémentaires aux couches de la

population vulnérable pour faire face à l’insécurité alimentaire. Les réalisations à travers ces trois domaines sus-évoqués ont servi substantiellement à constituer des actifs au bénéfice et du pays et aux bénéficiaires directs tant en infrastructures de base qu’en accroissement de revenus à travers les chantiers de protection sociale. A ce titre, l’étude économique faite en début 201138 a révélé l’obtention d’importants acquis économiques et sociaux au marché national, induits par les constructions d’infrastructures. Quant aux mesures qui méritent d’être retenues afin d’assurer la pérennité des réalisations du projet, celles-ci devraient s’articuler principalement sur l’institutionnalisation de la culture d’entretien initiée et mise en place lors de la réalisation des infrastructures à travers les Manuels d’Exploitation remis aux Comités de Gestion39. Le manque de moyens est toujours évoqué comme un blocage substantiel pour l’atteinte de ces objectifs mais avec le processus de décentralisation et déconcentration en marche, l’espoir est permis pour une meilleure gestion et entretien du patrimoine communautaire en terme d’infrastructures de base.

Enfin, la valorisation des acquis par les entités bénéficiaires qui ont collaboré avec le Projet est aussi un point qui ne saurait être négligé. En effet, les formations et encadrements fournis aux bénéficiaires méritent d’être poursuivis et renforcés au mieux lors de la mise en œuvre des activités actuelles et futures du FADC.

G. ANALYSE DES PERFORMANCES DES DIFFERENTES PARTIES PRENANTES :

Les différentes parties prenantes du Projet sont principalement : l’agence d’exécution (FADC) qui est, les communautés bénéficiaires représentées par les structures de base impliquées dans le projet, la Banque Mondiale, le Gouvernement ;

a) Le FADC :

38 Cf. Analyse économique d’un échantillon de Projets de soutien aux Services mise en œuvre par le Fond d’appui au Développement Communautaire – FADC 3ème PHASE par Eric Rakotomanana, 39 Dans le moyen et le long terme, cette action devrait être appuyée et relayée par les entités déconcentrées des départements techniques officiels concernés dans leurs secteurs respectifs avec la collaboration des bénéficiaires et les gouvernements locaux.

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Le FADC, en tant qu’agence d’exécution du Projet a toujours mené sa mission telle que celle-ci a été définie dans les accords légaux sous la supervision du Comité Central de Coordination 40(CCC) qui fait office de Conseil d’Administration. En termes de performance, du point de vue gestion de Projet, les audits tant financiers que techniques ont toujours mentionné une conformité de la situation managériale du Projet par rapport aux accords passés, les manuels de procédures et la qualité des interventions. Toutefois, dans des cas précis, l’on peut dire que le Projet a laissé une empreinte non négligeable en ayant façonné une visibilité très objective du développement local surtout au niveau des communautés de base par la mise en place des PDL.

b) Les communautés bénéficiaires et ses structures d’accompagnement : Dans la majorité des cas, les attentes communautés dans le cadre de la réalisation du Projet ont été satisfaites. En effet, la participation de ces bénéficiaires directs dès la conception de leurs sous projets, passant par les apports requis et à travers l’appropriation par la mise en œuvre des plans d’entretien a toujours été citée comme exemplaire. Toutefois, dans certains cas, l’on a constaté une appropriation moins dynamique des réalisations avec une négligence sur les activités d’entretien. Cependant, cet état de fait ne saurait être considéré comme une contre performance de ces entités mais appelle à une revue des renforcements de capacités qui s’y rapportent à l’endroit des bénéficiaires en particulier ces Comités de Gestion (CG).

c) La Banque Mondiale

La Banque Mondiale n’a pas été uniquement un bailleur de fonds pour le Projet. Dans le cadre de relations cordiales et constructives surtout à travers les missions de supervision régulières et son appui technique, elle a été un partenaire technique à part entière qui a permis la bonne performance du Projet en général et du FADC en particulier.

d) Le Gouvernement

Lors de sa création en 1993, les statuts du FADC le mettent sous la tutelle du Ministère des Finances à travers le Commissariat Général du Plan qui, dernièrement est rattaché directement à la Présidence de l’Union. Dans la préparation comme dans l’exécution des programme qui se sont succédés, dont le PSS, le FADC a bénéficié d’un fort soutien de ce dernier en particulier, et du gouvernement en général, pour le prémunir de toute capture politique néfaste qui pourrait nuire à l’atteinte des objectifs de développement du programme.

H. TABLEAU DES COUTS DES DIFFERENTES COMPOSANTES DU PROJET

Les montants des différents crédits alloués au FADC dans le cadre du Programme de Soutien aux Services se résument comme suit : Tableau 8 : Financements du Projet de Soutien aux Services de 2004 à 2009.

Projet N°

Projet Type de

financement Référence

financement Montant

(Millions US$) Signature Mise en vigueur Clôture

Projet de Soutien des Services P084315 Crédit IDA CR 3868-COM 13,30 03/05/2004 29/09/2004

Financement additionnel (don) P100804 Don IDA H-265-COM 5,00 21/02/2007 22/05/2007

30/06/2011

40 Cf. A.1.1.

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Cofinancement / restructuration du PSS P114740 Don TF TF094537 1,00 06/09/2009 22/12/2009

Total financement 19,30 30/06/2011

. Des réallocations ont été opérées suite aux divers évènements auxquels le Projet a dû faire face, et en tenant compte de la dernière configuration du Projet41 au cours de la mise en œuvre du don TF094537 à partir de 2009, les réalisations financières par composante et par crédit se présentent comme suit au 30 Juin 2011: Tableau 9 : Réalisation financières par financement et par composante en US$ au 30 Juin 2011.

Cr 3868-COM et Cr H-265-COM DON TF094537 TOTAL COMPOSANTES / ACTIVITES

Montant alloué

Montant utilisé Montant

alloué Montant

utilisé Montant alloué

Montant utilisé

%

COMPOSANTE 1 : Filets de Sécurité Sociale

0 0 850 000 904 137 850 000 904 137 106,37%

COMPOSANTE 2 : Infrastructures de base communautaires

10 775 570 10 345 726 0 0 10 775 570 10 345 726 96,01%

COMPOSANTE 3 : Services de Santé 1 200 000 902 774 0 0 2 842 115 902 774 75,23%

COMPOSANTE 4 : Approvisionnement Urbain en Eau Potable

2 100 000 2 842 115 0 0 4 209 384 2 842 115 135,34%

COMPOSANTE 5 : Gestion du Projet, Suivi Evaluation et Audit

4 224 430 4 209 384 150 000 95 863 10 345 726 4 305 247 98,42%

TOTAL GENERAL

18 300 000

18 300 000

1 000 000 1 000 000 19 300 000

19 300 000

100,00%

Tableau 10 : Réalisation financières par financement et par composante en KMF au 30 Juin 2011.

Crédit 3868 COM et H265 COM TF094537 TOTAUX COMPOSANTES / ACTIVITES

Allocation Décaissement Allocation Décaissement Allocation Décaissement %

COMPOSANTE 1 : Filets de Sécurité Sociale

0 320 450 000 329 304 271 320 450 000 329 304 271 102,76%

COMPOSANTE 2 : Infrastructures de base communautaires

4 108 163 400 3 880 178 945 0 0 4 108 163 400 3 880 178 945 94,45%

COMPOSANTE 3 : Services de Santé 504 000 000 338 586 692 0 0 504 000 000 338 586 692 67,18%

COMPOSANTE 4 : Approvisionnement Urbain en Eau Potable

882 000 000 1 065 939 135 0 0 882 000 000 1 065 939 135 120,85%

COMPOSANTE 5 : Gestion du Projet, Suivi Evaluation et Audit

1 591 836 600 1 578 735 404 56 550 000 36 885 840 1 648 386 600 1 615 621 244 98,01%

TOTAL GENERAL 7 086 000 000 6 863 440 176 377 000 000 366 190 111 7 463 000 000 7 229 630 287 96,87%

NB : Les différences entre les taux de réalisation en US$ et KMF tiennent de la variation de la parité entre ces deux monnaies en référence aux documents d’évaluation du Projet et des Documents Légaux.

I. LES PRINCIPALES LEÇONS APPRISES DE L’EXPERIENCE DU PROJET.

a) Durant la mise en œuvre du Projet de Soutien aux Services, il a été mis en place un Système

informatisé de suivi évaluation (SISE) en plus du Système Intégré de Gestion informatisée

41 Cf. Section B.

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utilisant un progiciel multisite appelé TOMPRO, agréé par la Banque Mondiale. Ce SISE a permis : (i) d’harmoniser le système de suivi des IDB par les Opérations et par les AVD, (ii) le suivi des phases menant à la validation d’un PDL, (iii) le suivi des phases des formations menant à la gestion efficace des ouvrages par les CG, (iv) suivi des résultats de renforcement des capacités des CP et CG. Cependant ces deux systèmes présentent des difficultés puisqu’il n’y a pas passerelles entre le SIG et le SISE ne permettant un transfert automatique des données financières dans le SISE. Par ailleurs la configuration du SISE n’a pas encore permis d’intégrer le suivi des sous projets de Protection Sociale.

b) La dimension environnementale qui a été intégrée dans le processus de mise en œuvre des sous projets a été un des points qui mérite d’être mentionné étant donné qu’elle a permis d’incrémenter la qualité des réalisations.

c) La mise en phase des activités du Projet par rapport aux politiques sectorielles gagnerait à être plus développée afin de créer plus de synergie avec les autres Projets / Programmes financés par d’autres bailleurs ou autres acteurs de développement (Union Européenne, AFD, Nations Unies,...) et partant de créer une valeur ajoutée substantielle à l’endroit des populations cibles.

d) Le design des sous projets en adduction d’eau potable mérite d’être revu compte tenu des lacunes constatées en post projet (système d’exploitation, recouvrement des redevances, entretien et pérennisation).

J. CONCLUSION :

La mise en œuvre du Projet de Soutien aux Services (ou FADC III) a marqué un point important dans le processus de développement local qui peut soutenir une bonne effectivité de la politique de décentralisation aux Comores. En effet, le Programme a objectivement jeté les bases d’un développement harmonieux émanant des véritables aspirations des communautés de base et partant d’une participation citoyenne significative. De par les impacts des activités du Programme, le gouvernement a ainsi à sa disposition à l’heure actuelle d’un terrain suffisamment « défriché » sur lequel se développera sûrement la politique de décentralisation qui est en cours de mise en œuvre.

Par ailleurs, la mise en œuvre du Projet de Soutien aux Services a contribué à l’amélioration des conditions de vie et du bien-être socio-économique des ménages pauvres, en conformité au Document de Stratégie de Croissance et de Réduction de la Pauvreté.

Enfin, et ce qui n’est pas le moindre, le Programme a aussi permis le développement d’une

institution qu’est le FADC qui peut être qualifié comme une agence d’exécution de référence en termes de réalisation d’un programme requérant une bonne qualité d’expertise en développement social et communautaire.

Et c’est probablement pour cette raison que, depuis Septembre 2010, le FADC fut retenu par le

Gouvernement et la Banque Mondiale pour exécuter deux nouveaux programmes dénommés Projet d'Urgence de Réponse aux Crises (PURC) sur Don IDA et le Projet d'Urgence de Soutien à la Sécurité

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Alimentaire (PUSA) sur Don du FPCR dont le montant total s’élève à US$ 7,68 millions, et dont la mise en œuvre est prévue à s’achever en Juin 2014.

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Annex 7. List of Supporting Documents

Association pour la Promotion et pour le Développement Rural and Groupe d’Action pour le Développement, June 2007. Enquête auprès des Bénéficiaires.

Fonds d’Appui au Développement Communautaire (FADC), June 2009. Audit Institutionnel.

FADC, October 2009. Rapport d’Achèvement de la Composante Sante.

FADC, March 2010 revision. Manuel de Procédures.

FADC, September 2010. Premières Evaluations de la mise en œuvre de la Composante Argent contre Travail du Fonds d’Appui au Développement Communautaire.

FADC, January 2011. Audit Technique 2010.

International Development Association and International Monetary Fund, May 2006. Joint Advisory Note on the Interim Poverty Reduction Strategy for the Union of Comoros.

IDA and IMF, March 2010. Joint Advisory Note on the Poverty Reduction and Growth Strategy Paper for the Union of Comoros.

Rakotomanana, Eric Jean Michel, June 2011. Analyse Economique d’un Echantillon de Projets de Soutien aux Services mis en œuvre par le Fonds d’Appui au Développement Communautaire.

Union of Comoros, January 2003. Décret No. 03-013/PR portant modification de certaines dispositions du décret no. 93-063/PR du 23 avril 1993, portant organisation et fonctionnement du Fonds d’Appui au Développement Communautaire

World Bank, various years. Aide-memoires of Supervision Missions for SSP. 2004-2011.

World Bank, various years. Implementation Status and Results Reports for SSP. 2004-2011.

World Bank, February 2004. Project Appraisal Document for a Services Support Project.

World Bank, November 2006a. Interim Strategy Note for the Union of Comoros for the Period of FY07-08.

World Bank, November 2006b. Project Paper on a Proposal Additional Financing Grant for a Services Support Project.

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World Bank, June 2009. Emergency Project Paper on a Proposal Co-financing for a Services Support Project.

World Bank, February 2010. Comoros: Quick Assessment of the Global Context and of the Bank Interim Strategy Note. [CONFIDENTIAL]

World Bank. April 2010. Interim Strategy Note for the Union of Comoros for the Period of FY10-12.