Document of The World Bank FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Report No: PAD607 INTERNATIONAL BANK FOR RECONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT PROJECT APPRAISAL DOCUMENT ON A PROPOSED GRANT FROM THE GLOBAL ENVIRONMENT FACILITY TRUST FUND IN THE AMOUNT OF US$7.521 MILLION TO THE GABONESE REPUBLIC FOR A PROJECT ON SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT OF CRITICAL WETLAND ECOSYSTEMS March 3, 2014 Environment, Natural Resource Management, Water and Disaster Risk Management (AFTN1) Sustainable Development Department Africa Region This document has a restricted distribution and may be used by recipients only in the performance of their official duties. Its contents may not otherwise be disclosed without World Bank authorization. CURRENCY EQUIVALENTS (Exchange Rate Effective February 2014) Currency Unit = Central African CFA francs (XAF) 454 XAF US$1 FISCAL YEAR January 1 December 31 ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS ABS Access and Benefit Sharing ACD Accord Conversion de Dettes (France-Gabon Debt Relief Agreement) AFD Agence Fran9aise de D6veloppement (French Development Agency) ANPN Agence Nationale des Parcs Nationaux (National Agency of National Parks) CCGL Comit6 Consultatif de Gestion Locale (Local Management Consultative Committee) CDC Caisse de D6p6ts et de Consignation (National Deposit Bank) CEMAC Communaut6 Economique et Mon6taire de l'Afrique Centrale (Central Africa Economic and Monetary Union) CENAREST Centre National pour la Recherche Scientifique et Technologique (National Center for Scientific and Technological Research) CNPN Conseil National des Parcs Nationaux (National Council for National Parks) CPAR Country Procurement Assessment Review CPS Country Partnership Strategy CSO Civil Society Organization CQS Consultant Qualification Selection DCAF Direction Centrale des Affaires Financifres (Central Directorate for Financial Affairs) DGEPN Direction G6n6rale de l'Environnement et de la Protection de la Nature (Directorate for Environment and Nature Protection) EMP Environmental Management Plan ESMF Environment and Social Management Framework FEM Fonds pour l'Environnement Mondial (Global Environment Facility) FM Financial Management FMV Forest Management Verification GDP Gross Domestic Product GEF Global Environment Facility GEO Global Environment Objective GHG Greenhouse Gas GOG Government of Gabon IBRD International Bank for Reconstruction and Development ICB International Competitive Bidding IDA International Development Association IDF Institutional Development Fund IFR Interim Financial Reports IGAD Institut Gabonais d'Appui au D6veloppement/Gabonese Institute for Support and Development M&E Monitoring and Evaluation MDG Millennium Development Goals MEP Ministry of Economy and Prospective MFENR Ministry of Forests, Environment and Protection of Natural Resources METT Management Effectiveness Tracking Tool ii NCB National Competitive Bidding NGO Nongovernmental Organization NRM Natural Resource Management ODDIG l'Observatoire de promotion, de D6veloppement Durable, des produits et services de l'Industrie du Gabon/Observatory for the Promotion and Sustainable Development of Gabonese Products and Services OHADA Organisation pour l'Harmonisation des Affaires en Afrique (Organization for the Harmonization of Business in Africa) ORAF Operational Risk Assessment Framework PDO Project Development Objective PSGE Plan Strategique Gabon Emergent (Strategic Roadmap for an Emerging Gabon) QCBS Quality- and Cost-Based Selection RAS Reimbursement Advisory Services RIS Ramsar Information Sheet SBD Standard Bidding Document SFM Sustainable Forestry Management SLM Sustainable Land Management TEEB The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity for Water and Wetlands ToR Terms of Reference WBG World Bank Group WCS Wildlife Conservation Society Wi Wetlands of International Importance (used interchangeably with "Ramsar wetlands") WWF World Wide Fund for Nature Regional Vice President: Makhtar Diop Country Director: Gregor Binkert Sector Director: Jamal Saghir Sector Manager: Benoit Bosquet Task Team Leader: Salimata Diallo Foll6a 111  GABON SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT OF CRITICAL WETLANDS ECOSYSTEMS CONTENTS Page I. Strategic Context.... ......................................................1 A. Country Context ........................1........................ B. Sectoral and Institutional Context..................................... 2 C. Higher-Level Objectives to Which the Project Contributes .................... 5 II. Project Development Objective(s) (PDO) / Global Environment Objective(s) (GEO) ...7 A. PDO/GEO .................................................... 7 B. Project Beneficiaries .................................... ......... 7 C. PDO-Level Results Indicators ...................8..... .............8 III. Project Description ...................................................................................................... 8 A. Project Components ................................................. 9 B. Project Financing ......................................... ..... 12 I V. Implem entation ................................................................................................................ 13 A. Institutional and Implementation Arrangements .................... ..... 13 B. Results Monitoring and Evaluation . .......................... ........ 14 C. Sustainability ................................................. 14 V. Key Risks and Mitigation Measures............................................................................ 16 VI. Appraisal Summary...................................................................................................... 16 A. Economic and Financial Analysis .............................. ..... 16 B. Technical .................................................... 19 C. Financial Management........................................... 20 D. Procurement ......................................... ......... 21 E. Social (including Safeguards) ...................................... 22 F. Environment (including Safeguards) ................................. 22 Annex 2. Detailed Project Description....................................................................................28 Annex 3. Implementation Arrangements................................................................................ 39 Annex 5. GEF Incremental Reasoning..................................................................................... 63 iv A nnex 6. Implem entation Support Plan................................................................................... 71 Annex 7. Descriptions of Selected Ramsar Project Sites..........................................................74 A nnex 8. Team Composition .................................................................................................... 78 A nn ex 9. M ap ................................................................................................................................ 79 V PAD DATA SHEET Gabon GABON - SUSTAINABLE MANA GEMENT OF CRITICAL WETLANDS ECOSYSTEMS (P1 43914) PROJECT APPRAISAL DOCUMENT AFRICA AFTN1 Report No.: PAD607 Basic Information Project ID EA Category Team Leader P143914 B - Partial Assessment Salimata Diallo Foll6a Lending Instrument Fragile and/or Capacity Constraints [ ] Investment Project Financing Financial Intermediaries [ ] Series of Projects [ ] Project Implementation Start Date Project Implementation End Date 31-Mar-2014 31-Dec-2019 Expected Effectiveness Date Expected Closing Date 28-Aug-2014 30-Apr-2020 Joint IFC GEF Focal Area No Biodiversity Sector Manager Sector Director Country Director Regional Vice President Benoit Bosquet Jamal Saghir Gregor Binkert Makhtar Diop Borrower: REPUBLIC OF GABON Responsible Agency: Direction G6n6rale de l'Environnement et de la Protection de la Nature Contact: Louis L6andre Ebobola Title: Director General TSIBAH Telephone No.: Email: 24106233110 boluis@yahoo.fr Project Financing Data(in USD Million) ] Loan [X] Grant [ ] Guarantee ] Credit [ ] IDA Grant [ ] Other Total Project Cost: 7.52 Total Bank Financing: 0.00 Financing Gap: 0.00 vi Financing Source Amount Borrower 0.00 Global Environment Facility (GEF) 7.52 Total 7.52 Expected Disbursements (in USD Million) Fiscal Year 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 Annual 0.44 1.82 3.06 1.51 0.69 0.00 Cumulative 0.44 2.26 5.32 6.83 7.52 7.52 Proposed Global Environmental Objective(s) The Development Objective of the proposed operation is to enhance protection of biodiversity in selected forested wetlands on the Ramsar list through knowledge creation and development of conservation measures for sustainable wetlands management. Components Component Name Cost (USD Millions) Component 1: Generating Knowledge and Monitoring of 0.60 Selected Critical Wetlands Ecosystems Support for Sustainable Management of Selected Critical 3.11 Wetlands Ecosystems Strengthening Institutional Framework to support Wetlands 3.33 Management Project Management, Monitoring and Evaluation 0.48 Institutional Data Sector Board Environment Sectors / Climate Change Sector (Maximum 5 and total % must equal 100) Major Sector Sector % Adaptation Mitigation Co-benefits Co-benefits % % Agriculture, fishing, and forestry General agriculture, 100 fishing and forestry sector Total 100 I certify that there is no Adaptation and Mitigation Climate Change Co-benefits information applicable to this project. Vii Themes Theme (Maximum 5 and total % must equal 100) Major theme Theme % Environment and natural resources Biodiversity 100 management Total 100 Compliance Policy Does the project depart from the CAS in content or in other significant Yes [ ] No [X] respects? Does the project require any waivers of Bank policies? Yes [ ] No [X] Have these been approved by Bank management? Yes [ ] No [ ] Is approval for any policy waiver sought from the Board? Yes [ ] No [X] Does the project meet the Regional criteria for readiness for implementation? Yes [ X] No [ ] Safeguard Policies Triggered by the Project Yes No Environmental Assessment OP/BP 4.01 X Natural Habitats OP/BP 4.04 X Forests OP/BP 4.36 X Pest Management OP 4.09 X Physical Cultural Resources OP/BP 4.11 X Indigenous Peoples OP/BP 4.10 X Involuntary Resettlement OP/BP 4.12 X Safety of Dams OP/BP 4.37 X Projects on International Waterways OP/BP 7.50 X Projects in Disputed Areas OP/BP 7.60 X Legal Covenants Name Recurrent Due Date Frequency Recruitment of an external auditor Four months after the effective date Description of Covenant The Recipient shall recruit the external auditor referred to Section 2.07 (b) of the Standard Conditions in accordance with Section III of Schedule 2 of the Grant Agreement and pursuant to terms of reference satisfactory to the World Bank. viii Name Recurrent Due Date Frequency Acquisition of a computerized three months after accounting system the effective date Description of Covenant Recipient shall acquire, install and thereafter maintain a computerized accounting system for the Project, acceptable to the World Bank. Name Recurrent Due Date Frequency Recruitment project staff three months after the effective date Description of Covenant Not later than three (3) months after the Effective Date, the Recipient must employ and thereafter maintain, at all times during Project implementation or as agreed with the World Bank: a procurement specialist, a monitoring and evaluation specialist, a research coordinator, an accountant, an environmental specialist, a fisheries specialist, a social development specialist, an administrative assistant. Conditions Name Type Delivery of the Agreement Effectiveness Description of Condition The execution and delivery of the Grant Agreement on behalf of the Recipient has been duly authorized or ratified by all necessary governmental action. Name Type Subsidiary Agreement execution Effectiveness Description of Condition The Subsidiary Agreement referred to in Section I.A.4 of Schedule 2 to the Grant Agreement has been executed on behalf of the Recipient and the Project Implementing Entity. Name Type Grant Agreement authorization Effectiveness Description of Condition On behalf of the Recipient, the Grant Agreement has been duly authorized or ratified by, and executed and delivered on its behalf and is legally binding upon it in accordance with its terms. Name Type Subsidiary Agreement authorization Effectiveness Description of Condition The Subsidiary Agreement referred to in Section I.A.4 of Schedule 2 to the Agreement has been duly authorized or ratified by the Recipient and the Implementing Entity. Name Type Project Implementing Entity continuity Effectiveness lx Description of Condition If the World Bank so requests, the condition of the Project Implementing Entity, as represented or warranted to the World Bank at the date of the Grant Agreement, has undergone no material adverse change after such date. Team Composition Bank Staff Name Title Specialization Unit Virginie A. Vaselopulos Senior Program Senior Program AFTN1 Assistant Assistant Salimata D. Foll6a Natural Resources Team Lead AFTN1 Mgmt. Spec. Lucienne M. M'Baipor Senior Social Senior Social AFTCS Development Specialist Development Specialist Aissatou Diallo Senior Finance Officer Senior Finance Officer CTRLA Kouami Hounsinou Senior Procurement Senior Procurement AFTPW Messan Specialist Specialist Emeran Serge M. Senior Environmental Senior Environmental AFTN1 Menang Evouna Specialist Specialist Enagnon Ernest Eric Financial Management Financial Management AFTMW Adda Specialist Specialist Maya Abi Karam Senior Counsel Senior Counsel LEGAM Sonia Vanecia Boga Team Assistant Team Assistant AFMGA Non Bank Staff Name Title Office Phone City Cynthia Cartier Environmental 33450990637 Divonne France Economist Locations Country First Location Planned Actual Comments Administrative Division x  I. Strategic Context A. Country Context 1. Gabon is a resource-rich country, well endowed with arable land, forest, and mineral resources. It has extraordinary biodiversity as well as rich deposits of magnesium and iron ore. It is the fifth-largest oil producer in Sub-Saharan Africa and the second-largest exporter of manganese. With a gross domestic product (GDP) per capita estimated at US$8,643 in 2010, it is one of Africa's few middle-income countries. 2. Demographic pressure on natural resources is low. Gabon is one of Africa's most urbanized countries. More than 85 percent of its population lives in urban areas, predominantly in Libreville (the capital), Port-Gentil (the economic capital), and Franceville (in a mining region). The Gabonese population is young, with 50 percent under 19 years of age. The rural population is widely dispersed over the hinterland, where access is difficult. With a per capita forest area of 15 hectares, the pressure of population on forest resources in Gabon is significantly less than in most African countries. 3. Despite its wealth, Gabon is unlikely to meet a number of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015. The third national MDG progress report, published in 2010, concluded that MDG targets relating to poverty reduction, infant and maternal mortality, and the prevalence of HIV/AIDS are unlikely to be achieved. With respect to education, Gabon has succeeded in making primary education available to all (net enrollment increased from 88 percent in 1990 to 91 percent in 2005), but qualified teachers and classrooms remain in short supply. Infant mortality dropped from 155 per 1,000 in 1990 to 52.7 per 1,000 in 2010, but it will be difficult to reach the target of 31.5 per 1,000 by 2015. Although maternal mortality fell from 600 deaths per 100,000 live births in 1990 to 420 deaths in 2010, it is also unlikely that the target of 150 deaths per 100,000 live births will be achieved by 2015. 4. In 2009 the new government presented a new economic vision: Emerging Gabon. The strategic road map for an Emerging Gabon (Plan Strategique Gabon Emergent-PSGE) aims at modernizing the country and turning it into an emerging economy by 2025. Its strategy is based on accelerating growth and reducing poverty but also looks to capitalize on Gabon's comparative advantages at both the regional and global levels. The strategy is built on three pillars: * Industrial Gabon, Gabon Industriel, with the aim of developing Gabon into a metallurgic and industrial center of excellence (optimizing oil and mining, construction, building materials, and agro-industrial transformation). * Green Gabon, Gabon Vert, with three major goals: - Instituting sustainable forest management and transforming Gabon into a global leader in certified tropical timber production - Developing agriculture and livestock farming to improve food security - Creating sustainable and responsible fisheries 1 * Gabon Services, Gabon des Services, with the objective of making Gabon a center of excellence in business, ecotourism, and value-added services, such as higher education and research, health, media, and information technologies. 5. Gabon's unique combination of exceptionally abundant and diverse natural resources and a relatively small population presents a favorable context for implementing a sustainable development strategy. B. Sectoral and Institutional Context 6. Gabon is endowed with exceptional biodiversity. As part of the Congo Basin rainforest ecosystem, the world's second-largest area of contiguous rainforest, Gabon has rich faunal and floral wildlife, a variety of landscapes, and an 800-kilometer (km) coastline. Gabon contains three terrestrial ecoregions defined by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) as the world's best examples of each major habitat type: the Congolian Coastal Forest, the Northwestern Congolian Lowland Forests, and the Western Congolian Forest-Savanna Mosaic. In addition, there are significant stands of Central African mangroves along the coast and patches of Congolian-Zairean swamp forests in the northeast. Several priority freshwater systems occur within the country, as well as littoral and marine ecosystems. 7. The 2012 Environmental Performance Index (EPI), published by Yale University (in the United States) in July 2012, named Gabon as the most environmentally sustainable nation in Africa (and 40th in the world).' This high score was achieved because, among other reasons, Gabon's biodiversity is largely intact, and because a large portion of its national territory has been placed under environmental protection. Consequently, Gabon is less likely than any other African nation to experience major environmental deterioration in the short and medium term. 8. General environmental protection in Gabon rests with the Direction G6n6rale de l'Environnement et la Protection de la Nature (DGEPN). The DGEPN was established in 1985 under a decree creating the Ministry of Environment. Its mandate is to: (i) implement national environmental policy; (ii) protect the environment (aquatic, terrestrial, rural, urban, flora, fauna); (iii) carry out environmental impact assessments and management and monitoring plans for industrial activities; (iv) conduct ecosystem research and monitoring; (v) control pollution; and (vi) develop local capacity for environmental monitoring and protection. The DGEPN is also responsible for collaborating with relevant government services and institutions in matters of environmental protection, improvement, education, legislation, and regulation. Hence, it will collaborate on this project with the Agence Nationale des Parcs Nationaux (ANPN) and other government departments, thereby fitting perfectly within its mandate as the national institution promoting the crosscutting issue of environmental protection. The EPI ranks countries on performance indicators tracked across policy categories that cover environment and health, and ecosystem vitality. The indicators gauge at a national level how close countries are to established environmental policy goals. 2 9. National parks are the responsibility of the ANPN. Law 003/2007 established both the ANPN and the Conseil National des Parcs Nationaux (CNPN). The latter is an interministerial government committee that oversees the management of the park network. Since 2002 Gabon has significantly expanded the areas under protection. In August 2002, the late president Omar Bongo and his government created a network of 13 national parks covering 28,371 km2-10.6 percent of Gabon's surface area. 10. The effectiveness of management of the national parks has improved significantly since 2007. A US$10 million Global Environment Facility (GEF) grant (PARCS project), administered by the World Bank, was declared effective a few months after the creation of the ANPN. One of the objectives of the GEF project was to build the capacity of the newly created agency. After five years of implementation (and despite difficulties at the outset) the PARCS project has helped define the roles and operational modalities of the ANPN and to set up systems important for the functioning of the agency-among them fiduciary management, human resources management, and monitoring and evaluation (M&E). Many features developed under the project for three targeted national parks are now applied to the entire network of 13 parks. The partnership with international nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) has been adjusted over the past few years to enhance the ANPN's leadership on issues related to national parks in Gabon. New partnerships with local NGOs have been set up. The project has also increased the efficiency and autonomy of the ANPN Management Unit, with the promise of improving monitoring and control. 11. Biodiversity management outside the national parks network remains a challenge. Over the past few years, major progress has been made in preserving biodiversity within national parks and their immediate buffer zones. But there is an increasing awareness that biodiversity and ecosystem services also need to be preserved outside the national parks. One priority that has been clearly established by the Government of Gabon (GOG) (under the leadership of the ANPN and the General Directorate of Environment) is the preservation of critical wetlands. 12. Wetlands provide major ecosystem functions to the world at large, yet they are often overlooked. The worldwide value of wetlands and their associated ecosystem functions has been estimated at US$15 trillion annually.2 Yet many wetland functions-such as the recharge of groundwater, water purification, mitigation of and adaptation to climate change, and aesthetic and cultural benefits-are rarely explicitly valued. Planners and decision makers at many levels are not fully aware of the connections between wetland conditions and the effective provision of wetland functions. These benefits often have substantial economic value (box 1). 2 Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, Ecosystems and Human Well-Being: Wetlands and Water Synthesis (Washington, DC: World Resources Institute, 2005). 3 Box 1. Key Ecosystem Benefits of Wetlands Wetlands are critical ecosystems and sustain long-term growth. Wetland ecosystems are a major part of natural wealth. At a global scale they provide services worth trillions of U.S. dollars every year, making a vital contribution to human health and well-being. Important key ecosystem functions delivered by wetlands are listed below. * Provisioning services: products such as freshwater, fish, prawns, seaweed, fruit, grain, wild game, fiber, fuel, building materials, natural medicines. * Regulating services: benefits such as climate regulation, natural hazard regulation (droughts, floods, and storms), water purification, and waste treatment. * Cultural services: nonmaterial benefits such as beautiful places for recreation and education, and places of religious significance. * Supporting services: nutrient cycling, sediment retention, and provision of habitats. Source: www.ramsar.org. 13. In Gabon, wetland ecosystems are critical in the provision of drinking water and energy to major urban centers, and also in sustaining fisheries production. For example, the Mb6 watershed, one of the most economically important wetlands in Gabon, is the sole source of freshwater for the population living in the capital city, Libreville. In addition, Libreville's principal electricity source is a hydroelectric plant on the Mb6 operated by Soci6t6 d'Energie et d'Eau du Gabon (SEEG). The Mb6 forest provides other ecosystem services, as well, reducing siltation in two artificial lakes that feed the hydroelectric plant. The forests also regulate water flow and prevent flooding. Coastal mangroves are vital to the fishing industry in Gabon and beyond, as they constitute an irreplaceable habitat for fish breeding. 14. Gabon has been a party to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance (WII) since 1987. With three Gabonese sites initially registered on the WII list, the country now has nine sites registered. Those sites represent a wide variety of aquatic ecosystems (mangroves, savannas, waterfalls and rapids, lagoons, rivers, and lakes) of more than 2.8 million hectares (table 1). Despite the political commitment implicit in adhesion to the Convention, only limited action has been taken so far to operationalize the Convention's pillars. But new priorities set by the government for biodiversity preservation are clearly targeting the WII. Accordingly, the government has decided to use the entire Gabon allocation under the GEF-5 replenishment to foster significant progress on WII management. Table 1. Ramsar Sites in Gabon Name Surface Area (ha) Registration Date Wonga-Wongu6 380,000 December 30, 1986 Petit Loango 480,000 December 30, 1986 Sett6-Cama 220,000 December 30, 1986 Akanda 54,000 April 2, 2007 Pongara 92,969 April 2, 2007 Monts Birougou 536,800 April 2, 2007 Bas Ogoou6 862,700 April 2, 2009 Falls on the Ivindo river 132,500 April 2, 2009 Falls of Mboungou Badouma and Doum6 59,500 April 2, 2009 4 C. Higher-Level Objectives to Which the Project Contributes Country Partnership Strategy (CPS) 15. The Country Partnership Strategy (CPS) for the 2012-16 period aims to set in motion a process of transformative change toward sustainable economic growth. The Board of Executive Directors of the World Bank Group (WBG) approved the CPS on February 23, 2012. The CPS builds on two strategic themes: (i) increasing Gabon's competitiveness and employment; and (ii) reducing vulnerability and supporting resilience (paragraph 77 of the CPS). 16. The proposed project falls directly under the second WBG strategic theme-vulnerability and resilience-and will contribute to the fifth outcome: sustainable management of natural resources.3 Wetlands are among the natural assets needed to respond effectively to climate change. Well-managed wetlands constitute one of our best insurance policies against some of the most damaging effects of global warming: * Coastal wetlands-mangroves, tidal flats, and saltmarshes-absorb some of the energy from storm and tidal surges, while the roots of wetland plants stabilize shorelines and reduce erosion. Where protective wetlands have been destroyed by human activities, costly artificial flood defenses have to be built in their place. * Floodplain wetlands-lakes and freshwater marshes-naturally store and slow down floodwater, protecting downstream areas from destructive flooding. This role becomes more important in areas where the frequency and intensity of extreme rainfall is predicted to increase. 17. Degradation and loss of wetlands would increase people's vulnerability to climate change impacts such as floods, droughts and famine. Preserving and restoring wetlands and maintaining hydrological cycles are of utmost importance in addressing climate change, flood mitigation, water supply, food provision, and biodiversity conservation. National Climate Plan 18. In 2010 Gabon created a National Advisory Committee on Climate Change4 to report directly to the president. This committee has since produced a National Climate Plan. The plan includes strategies to: control greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, improve climate change adaptation capacity, implement the plan, and finance the plan. The present GEF project fits into the strategy to improve adaptation to climate change. The plan notes a lack of information on the vulnerability of land and people to climate change hazards, including information on ecological services and socioeconomic systems. This project will contribute to the information base needed to assess vulnerability to climate change and the capacity to adapt to it. The area where preliminary research has already been done-Gabon's littoral zones-includes one of the most vulnerable urban centers. Project work will contribute IBRD (International Bank for Reconstruction and Development) and IFC (International Finance Corporation), "Country Partnership Strategy FY2012-FY2016 for the Gabonese Republic," February 23, 2012. 4 Conseil National sur les Changements Climatiques. 5 Gamba is in the W11 Sette-Cama. 5 directly to implementing climate change strategy by increasing the knowledge and awareness of local populations and promoting adaptive land-use practices. 19. Consistent with the National Climate Plan, the country has also started to develop a 6 national land-use plan. Better management of land is essential for effective adaptation to climate change. Currently, unclear land tenure and overlapping resource use rights create conflicts and prevent the kind of strategic land-use planning needed for optimal resource allocation and climate change adaptation. This GEF project will contribute to the knowledge base needed for prioritizing land use. 20. Also related to the National Climate Plan, Gabon is starting to prepare a Project Concept Note for a National Capital Accounting initiative. Through the WAVES7 partnership program, the government will work with the World Bank to develop approaches to ecosystem service accounting. This GEF project, with its emphasis on identifying and evaluating the services provided by forested wetland ecosystems, will contribute to the WAVES initiative. The World Bank's Prosperity and Poverty Reduction Goal 21. The project aligns with the Bank's twin goals of shared prosperity and poverty reduction. As noted above, despite Gabon's high per capita income (US$8,643 in 2010), its MDG progress is lagging. Based on the last household survey, conducted in 2005 and supported by the WBG, the share of Gabon's population living below the poverty line increased from 25 percent in 1997 to 33 percent in 2005, with a higher proportion of the poor living in rural areas. A recent review by the consulting firm McKinsey estimated poverty to be approximately 30 percent currently, basically stagnant from previous levels, but a new household survey is necessary for definitive statistics. In addition, new data will allow for detailed disaggregation by geographic area and economic activity, aiding policymakers in designing and monitoring poverty reduction strategies. It will also allow for the study of evolving issues, such as rural depopulation, the urban informal economy, and the impact of natural resource extraction. The government of Gabon has recognized the need for more frequent and more detailed data, and will enter into a RAS (Reimbursable Advisory Service) agreement with the WBG focused on improving statistical capacity. 22. At the local level, this project will identify incentives for improved environmental protection, which benefits the populations who depend on forested wetland ecosystems for subsistence and livelihood. And, to the extent that areas offer opportunities to generate income, more young people will choose to stay put rather than migrate to urban areas. As a case in point, a tourism initiative (implemented by the ANPN) in Sett6-Cama provided positive indications that income-generating activities can stem out-migration and raise local incomes. 23. With respect to shared prosperity, Gabon's wealth is embodied in its large stock of natural resources, which has very high income-generating potential. The country's 6 Plan National d'Affectation des Terres. 7 Wealth Accounting and Valuation of Ecosystem Services. 6 development strategy targets shared prosperity from the sustainable development of that potential. This project supports the sustainable development of natural resources by those living closest to the resources, so that they benefit directly from growing returns on the country's natural wealth. GEF-5 Focal Area Objective 24. The project contributes to three GEF-5 focal areas: biodiversity (BDI), land degradation (LD3), and sustainable forestry management/reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (SFM/REDD+8). As specified herein, this project will enhance Gabon's capacity for cross-sector consultation, collaboration, and on-the-ground action-all of which are fundamental to the development of a national strategy on wetland protection. Gabon's wetlands are rich in biodiversity, but they are unprotected. Multiple activities are underway in these wetlands: forestry, mining, fishing, and agriculture. All stakeholders-government, donor partners, NGOs, and civil society organizations (CSOs)-need to be engaged to successfully address the issue of competing uses of wetland resources and to develop conservation measures to protect wetland biodiversity. The project will build capacity for the development and implementation of integrated land-management plans with sustainable land management (SLM) and SFM activities, as well as other sustainable activities suitable for forested wetland ecosystems. II. Project Development Objective(s) (PDO) / Global Environment Objective(s) (GEO) A. PDO/GEO 25. The PDO/GEO aims to enhance protection of biodiversity in selected forested wetlands on the Ramsar list through knowledge creation and development of conservation measures for sustainable wetlands management. B. Project Beneficiaries 26. Project beneficiaries may be categorized in three groups. National institutions will benefit from capacity building (informational, technical, institutional, and policy-related) to promote sustainable management of forested wetlands. In their respective roles in national environmental management, the DGEPN and ANPN will both benefit from strengthened capacity. Farmers and fishers in the three project sites will benefit from the development and promotion of improved farming and fishing practices to increase productivity and food security, while preserving the ecological functions of wetlands. Communities in and near the project sites will benefit from improved livelihood opportunities arising from the development and implementation of management plans, and from access to investment funds for micro projects. These people will also benefit from more secure environmental services and the increased potential for ecotourism in their regions. REDD+ goes beyond deforestation and forest degradation, and includes the role of conservation, sustainable management of forests and enhancement of forest carbon stocks. (source: www.un-redd.org) 7 27. Direct beneficiaries of the project will be some percentage of the estimated population of 70,000 living within the three WII sites. As the project is implemented, the local populations to be directly affected will be more precisely identified. Similarly, people at the project sites benefiting indirectly from the project will also be more clearly identified. C. PDO-Level Results Indicators 28. Three PDO-level indicators have been identified for the operation. (Annex 1 presents the results framework.) * Indicator 1: Ecosystem services valuations are undertaken for each selected site. * Indicator 2: Management plans are prepared for each selected site and under implementation. * Indicator 3: A national wetlands management strategy is developed. III. Project Description 29. The project is designed around four main components, the collective aim of which is to help the GOG implement the recommendations of the Ramsar Convention and the resolutions of the Conference of the Parties to: * Improve the level of knowledge of Gabon's WII. * Establish a system for monitoring the ecological characteristics of wetland ecosystems. * Establish the conditions necessary for managing an effective WII network in Gabon. * Place an economic value on wetlands ecosystem services. 30. The project will focus on three Ramsar sites: Bas Ogoou6, Monts Birougou, and Petit Loango/Sett6-Cama. These sites were selected by the DGEPN based on: (i) the importance of wetland ecosystem services for local populations (including for climate change adaptation and mitigation); (ii) the threats to the wetland ecosystems from competing land uses (forestry, mining, agriculture); and (iii) conservation initiatives already undertaken at the sites. The selection process also emphasized the diverse representation of marine and terrestrial biodiversity. Thus, the three sites chosen represent three different wetland habitats: coastal, alluvial plain and heavily forested high interior. Applied to these three sites, the project objective of enhancing protection of forested wetlands through conservation measures for sustainable wetland management aligns with the GEF objectives for the BDI, LD3, and SFM/REDD+ focal areas. 31. Component one of the project addresses the acquisition of knowledge about wetlands (including economic valuation), and establishes a monitoring system for Gabon's WII. Component two strengthens capacity for local management of the WII. Component three strengthens national institutional capacity for WII management. Component four supports project management. Summaries of these four components are presented below. A detailed project description can be found in annex 2. 8 A. Project Components Component 1: Generating Knowledge and Monitoring Selected Critical Wetland Ecosystems (GEF-US$0.600 million) 32. This component will generate knowledge on wetlands in Gabon and set up a reliable monitoring system to produce early warnings on potential alterations of wetland ecosystems. The component is divided into two subcomponents. Subcomponent 1.11: Knowledge Creation on Wetland Ecosystems 33. This subcomponent will support research into the biological wealth and socioeconomic dimensions of Gabon's wetland ecosystems. The research will identify and quantify the multiple ecosystem services delivered by the wetlands. The ultimate goal of this information is to help decision makers better understand the importance of wetlands and potential trade- offs with other competing activities (with a specific focus on forested wetlands). Specific activities include: carrying out research activities for Selected Ramsar Sites including (i) diagnostic studies; (ii) economic valuation of services delivered by wetlands ecosystems; and (iii) research on traditional uses of natural resources. 34. Targeted research will focus on three selected Ramsar WII sites: Petit Loango/Sett6- Cama, Monts Birougou, and Bas Ogoou6. The research program will compile existing information and identify research needed for priority issues. With guidance from the Ramsar Handbooks,9 a research coordinator in the DGEPN-in consultation with the ANPN-will prioritize and oversee environmental and socioeconomic research in the three selected WII sites. Research activities, conducted jointly by national and international research entities, will involve: (i) diagnostic studies, (ii) economic valuation of services delivered by wetlands ecosystems, and (iii) research on traditional uses of natural resources (including medicinal plants) contributing to the sustainable use of natural resources. 35. The research coordinator will also consult with the research coordinator for the Arc d'Emeraude project supported by the Agence Franqaise de D6veloppement (AFD) in the WII sites of Akanda and Pongara. The components of the Arc d'Emeraude project are similar to those of this project (see table 2, annex 5). The resulting project synergies will expedite research and the development of a national wetland monitoring system (Subcomponent 1.2) and the development of a national wetland strategy (Component 3). Subcomponent 1.2: Monitoring System for Wetland Ecosystems 36. The objectives of this subcomponent are to define and operationalize the most appropriate monitoring system for ecological, physicochemical, and socioeconomic characteristics of the wetlands in Gabon. The ANPN has developed management plans, including monitoring strategies, for the national park areas that are close to or within the 9 Ramsar Convention Secretariat, "Wise Use of Wetlands: Concepts and Approaches for the Wise Use of Wetlands," Ramsar Handbooks for the Wise Use of Wetlands, 4th edition, Volumes 1-20. Gland, Switzerland: Ramsar Convention Secretariat, 2010. 9 present project's Ramsar sites. Accordingly, the project will build on the monitoring-system work already done by the ANPN in the Petit Loango and Monts Birougou national parks. It will also benefit from similar work being done through the AFD project at the Pongara and Akanda Ramsar sites. 37. The research coordinator will oversee the development and implementation of a monitoring system for Gabon's Ramsar sites. Informed by the Ramsar Handbooks, the research coordinator will work closely with both the DGEPN and ANPN to ensure that information and data capture under Component 1 facilitates the development of an appropriate monitoring system for the sites. The research coordinator will also consult with the AFD-supported project in the Akanda and Pongara Ramsar WII sites to share lessons and promote consistency in the development of monitoring systems. Component 2: Support for Sustainable Management of Selected Critical Wetland Ecosystems (GEF amount-US$3.110 million) 38. The priority under this component is to promote sustainable management of critical mangrove ecosystems through the following three subcomponents: Subcomponent 2.1: Preparing wetland management plans for Selected Ramsar 39. The situations of the Ramsar sites in Gabon are quite varied in terms of their legal status, geographical and hydrological features, and the type of pressures they face. At present, there is no management plan (or any planning tool) that appropriately defines modalities to support sustainable management of the wetland ecosystems. Therefore, these tools need to be developed, but in a targeted manner to ensure that the specific challenges and threats of the different wetland areas are addressed appropriately. 40. To that end, guided by the Ramsar Handbooks and in consultation with other government agencies and development partners active in the sites, this subcomponent will prepare wetland management plans for the selected Ramsar sites, based on extensive consultative work at those sites and on the results of the research activities undertaken in Component 1. 41. Implementation of Subcomponent 2.1 will require cross-sector consultation. The General Directorates of Forests, Fauna and Protected Areas will be consulted for information on SFM opportunities in the selected sites. In particular, synergies will be sought from an AFD- supported project in the forestry sector known as Forest Management Verification (table 2, annex 5). This AFD project reinforces forestry management capacity, which includes, among other things, forestry best practices and forest information communication. The general directorates of Fisheries and Aquatic Ecosystems will be consulted for input on local fisheries improvement possibilities; and the General Directorate of Agriculture will be consulted for input on agricultural production possibilities and opportunities to increase local capacity for SLM. 10 Subcomponent 2.2: Strengthening Monitoring Capacities in the Selected Sites 42. Unless they are in a national park, most of the existing Ramsar sites are not adequately monitored, mostly because of insufficient staff on the ground and lack of equipment. 43. The goal of this subcomponent is to reinforce the capacity of local people in the three selected WII sites to monitor wetland activities through: * Provision of appropriate equipment and infrastructure to reinforce capacities of local staff to perform monitoring in the selected sites, with said equipment including vehicles, boats, camping equipment, and staff quarters. * Training of local staff in monitoring activities, such as the training delivered to ecoguards in the national parks under the previous GEF-financed project and including conservation software systems such as MIST/SMART10 already used by the ANPN to monitor the national parks. * Engagement of local communities in wetland monitoring through regular consultation with management committees in local communities, technical assistance (on fisheries, for example), and other education and awareness-raising activities. Subcomponent 2.3: Sub-grants for micro projects 44. The objective of this subcomponent is to help communities adjacent to the selected Ramsar sites develop income-generating activities for sustainable wetlands management. As appropriate, this will be done in partnership with local communities, including indigenous populations if any, in particular local NGOs, and in collaboration with other government entities, notably those responsible for tourism development, forestry, fisheries, and agriculture. Tourism activities could include, for example, those involving infrastructure (access roads, campsites, docks, boat ramps, watch towers) and community or private enterprises (restaurants and concession stands, lodges, nature guides, transportation services). Apart from tourism, other sustainable economic activities eligible for project financing could include: fisheries development, fiber harvesting, apiculture, plant nurseries, horticulture, transformation of agricultural products, livestock rearing, and development of nontimber forest products. 45. An income-generating manual for micro-projects has been developed and will guide the selection, implementation, and closing of income-generating activities. Annex 2 also provides a summary of the selection process, including eligibility criteria, thresholds for financing, and fund allocation. Component 3: Strengthening Institutional Framework to Support Wetlands Management (GEF-US$3.326 million) 46. This component will establish an institutional framework favorable to the sustainable management of the WII in Gabon at both the national and local levels. 10 SMART (Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tool) and MIST (Management Information System) are software tools used to assist protected-area wildlife law enforcement and site-based conservation activities. 11 47. The project will establish a memorandum of understanding with the Ramsar Convention to provide technical assistance to DGEPN for the development and implementation of a national institutional framework for the management of Gabon's network of Ramsar sites. With guidance from the Ramsar Handbooks, analyses will be undertaken to (i) assess the existing policy framework for wetland protection in Gabon; and (ii) assess the institutional structures currently governing each WII site. The studies will propose recommendations to strengthen policy and institutional frameworks to better achieve wetland protection objectives. With support from the Ramsar Convention (and based on the data analysis and information obtained in Component 1 and the work on priority setting and resource use planning of Component 2), this component will also develop a national wetlands strategy in consultation, as appropriate, with other agencies of the government. 48. Mapping capacity within the DGEPN will also be strengthened to generate wetland maps geocoded with environmental and socioeconomic data (see Subcomponent 1.1). As a basic modality for integrated natural resource management, this component will conduct environmental audits of industrial operations (mining, forestry) in and around the three WII sites. To that end, the component will finance technical assistance to strengthen the DGEPN's capacity by providing specialists in environment, fisheries, and social development. These specialists will provide expertise to both the DGEPN and ANPN, and it is expected that they will be absorbed into the DGEPN or ANPN structure at the end of the project, depending on national budget availability. Component 4: Project Management, Monitoring, and Evaluation (GEF-US$0.485 million) 49. This component supports the overall daily administration of the project to ensure that regular M&E is carried out and that results are fed back into decision making on project implementation. As the DGEPN is responsible for the overall administration, coordination, and implementation of the project, Component 4 will support the DGEPN through the recruitment of the following personnel: (i) a specialist/assistant in procurement, (ii) a financial management specialist/assistant, and (iii) a specialist/assistant in M&E. B. Project Financing 50. The five-year project is financed by an Investment Project Financing (IPF) instrument. Total project financing requirements are estimated at US$7,521 million (GOG's in-kind contribution amounts to US$33,374,000-see details in annex 5). Detailed information on costs and financing sources is provided in table 2. No withdrawal shall be made for payments made prior to the date of the Agreement, except that withdrawals up to an aggregate amount not to exceed $1,000,000 equivalent may be made for payments made prior to this date but on or after January 1, 2014 for Eligible Expenditures. 12 Table 2. Project Cost and Financing Project Cost Total GEF % of (US$) financing Financing 1. Generating knowledge and monitoring of wetland 600,000.0 600,000.0 8 ecosystems in Gabon 1.1 Knowledge creation on wetlands ecosystems 450,000.0 450,000.0 6 1.2 Monitoring system for wetland ecosystems 150,000.0 150,000.0 2 2. Support for sustainable management of selected 3,110,000.0 3,110,000.0 41 critical wetland ecosystems 2.1 Planning for sustainable management of selected sites 150,000.0 150,000.0 2 2.2 Strengthening surveillance capacities in the selected sites. 1,960,000.0 1,960,000.0 26 2.3 Environmental-friendly community-driven activities in wetlands 1,000,000.0 1,000,000.0 13 3. Strengthening institutional framework to support wetlands management 3,326,000.0 3,326,000.0 44 4. Project management, monitoring, and evaluation 485,000.0 485,000.0 6 Total project costs 7,521,000.0 7,521,000.0 100 IV. Implementation A. Institutional and Implementation Arrangements 51. Three key entities are involved in the project. First is the General Directorate of Environment (DGEPN) within the Ministry of Forests, Environment and Protection of Natural Resources. The DGEPN is institutionally responsible for managing the WII sites in Gabon and is the focal point for the Ramsar Convention. Second, the ANPN, part of the office of the President of the Gabonese Republic, is responsible for the country's network of national parks. Third, the Comit6s Consultatifs de Gestion Locale (CCGL) are involved in the implementation of national park management plans at the local level. 52. The project will be jointly executed by the DGEPN and ANPN because of the respective strengths of the two organizations. The ANPN, with its operational presence in the field, is responsible for the execution of Components 1 and 2. The DGEPN, which contains the focal points for the GEF and Ramsar Convention will be responsible for the execution of Component 3. The DGEPN is also responsible for Component 4: the overall coordination of the project. 53. Project implementation will be based on the organization already established to coordinate projects on biodiversity conservation at the ANPN with financing from the government and development partners. The DGEPN will establish a project coordination unit to support its existing structure. 54. Annex 3 provides further details on the implementation arrangements. The government has also prepared detailed project implementation manuals to guide project execution. The manuals were finalized and validated during negotiations. 13 B. Results Monitoring and Evaluation 55. The M&E system is based on the results framework (annex 1), which provides outcome targets for annual work plans and budgets. Progress toward the PDO is measured by consultant reports on wetland ecosystem valuations, management plan documents for the selected wetland sites, and the development of a national wetland strategy. Component 1 on knowledge creation is tracked by the development and implementation of a research scheme and wetland ecosystem monitoring reports. Component 2 for management planning in the selected wetland sites is monitored by progress reports on community activities and Management Effectiveness Tracking Tool (METT) and by land and forest area brought under sustainable management. Progress on Component 3, which builds capacity in the DGEPN, is monitored by the creation and operation of the National Ramsar Committee and its local subcommittees, by completion of environmental audits of operators in the selected wetland sites, and by production of wetland maps. Project management in Component 4 is monitored by progress on the work plan and by the implementation of safeguard instruments. 56. Because the project is jointly executed by the DGEPN and ANPN, both are responsible for data collection and progress assessment on their specific components. The ANPN executes Components 1 and 2; the DGEPN executes Components 3 and 4. The ANPN has experience in project M&E through the recent GEF PARCS project. Although the DGEPN has less experience with M&E on Bank projects, it has executed one project (an IDF grant), and this new project will reinforce its M&E capacity by providing an M&E assistant. The overall budgeted cost for M&E capacity reinforcement and implementation is US$250,000. 57. The project steering committee will consult and review project progress at regular intervals. This joint management mechanism will provide the means for a regular review of indicators and assessment of project effectiveness. At these reviews, implementation gaps can be addressed through appropriate adjustments to work plans. C. Sustainability 58. The project evolved in response to the GOG's stated priorities. The Gabon Vert pillar of the PSGE prioritizes sustainable management of natural resources, and Gabon's National Report to the Ramsar Convention lists government priorities specific to that convention. This project thus aligns with Gabon's goals and objectives: sustainable management of its natural resources-in this case wetlands and their forests-through institutional and capacity development within the Ramsar framework. Because the project is so aligned, it is likely that Gabon will take ownership of the project and sustain its outcomes. 59. The government has sustained its engagement with the Ramsar secretariat since it became a contracting party in 1987, meeting its reporting requirements and participating in other Ramsar initiatives such as the Changwon Declaration on human well-being and wetlands. Most recently, in July 2013 the DGEPN participated in a workshop for the Ramsar project 14 "Globwetland Africa."II It would appear that the GOG is motivated to further the aims of the Ramsar Convention, which align with the objectives of this project. 60. Beyond motivation, other factors critical to the sustainability of the project are related to capacity. Resources-human, equipment, financial-are limited in both the DGEPN and the ANPN. As such, and in accordance with the CPS, this project builds both the long-term capacity of these institutions (for strategic planning and cross-sectoral coordination), and the capacity for project-specific implementation. Capacity building is central to the project in terms of data acquisition, know-how, equipment, on-site implementation of local planning processes, and national-level and cross-sectoral planning processes. Technical assistance in the form of an experienced research coordinator will be available over the life of the project to ensure that capacity development occurs as expected. Therefore, by the end of the project-given adequate financial resources-there should be enough institutional capacity- nationally and locally-to sustain the momentum of the project outcomes. 61. At the national level, the long-term sustainability of the wetlands management effort ultimately depends on government budget allocations. As noted above, the GOG appears to be motivated to further the goals of the Ramsar Convention. Hence, it is likely that the GOG will build on the investments of this project and ensure adequate resources, staffing, and equipment to carry the wetlands strategy forward, to support the National Inter-ministerial Ramsar Committee, to continue planning and management processes at all Ramsar sites in Gabon, and to maintain the long-term surveillance of the WII network. All of this is consistent both with the Ramsar Convention and the green pillar of the PSGE. 62. At the local level, the project will have built wetland management capacity in the community decision-making structures of the three selected WII sites. After the project, it will be up to the CCGL forums,12 with continued support from the national government, to further the implementation of wetland management plans. The momentum of the planning and implementation processes at the local level will be largely driven by the success of the project in bringing all stakeholders into the decision-making process. Local communities, including operators, need to own the local plans. The project designates the ANPN to implement planning activities at the community level. The ANPN has experience in community consultation and is aware of the imperative that local stakeholders must own their plan and participate effectively in decision making. Assuming that plan ownership is achieved and that the GOG remains motivated to work toward its wetland resource management goals, local-level project outcomes are likely to be sustained. 63. Regarding livelihood activities under Subcomponent 2.3, expected financial sustainability is a criterion of selection, among others. Each micro project that is financed and managed by the community will be required to be ultimately self-sustaining in order to provide the required incentives for continued collective management by communities. The project will Joint initiative of the Ramsar Secretariat and the European Space Agency (ESA) to use satellite data to monitor wetlands for sustainable water management. 12 Comite Consultatif de Gestion Locale (CCGL) is the institutionalized forum for dialogue among local people, industrial operators, and park authorities, the goal of which is to achieve equitable natural resource use benefits. 15 ensure adequate capacity building of the communities to promote long-term sustainable management of the micro projects. V. Key Risks and Mitigation Measures 64. Potential risks are summarized in the Operational Risk Assessment Framework (annex 4). The overall risk of the project is "moderate." But the anticipated risks are manageable, and mitigation measures have been identified. The key project risk is related to land-use competition. The potential for development of extractive industries in wetlands could create major pressures on the integrity of the wetlands ecosystems, jeopardizing their capacity to deliver ecosystem services in the medium to long term. While this could certainly create a risk for the operation, it should be highlighted that the mitigation measure is embedded in the design of the operation itself, as the project will strive to develop management plans that are inclusive of diverse stakeholder interests, that take various economic values into account, and that promote sustainable natural resources management. A valuation of economic services provided by the wetlands ecosystems covered by the project will be conducted to inform decision makers about potential conflicting uses and trade-offs. Summary of risk rating table Risk Category Rating Stakeholder Risk M Implementing Agency Risk L -Capacity L -Governance L Project Risk L -Design L -Social and Environmental L -Program and Donor L -Delivery Monitoring and Sustainability M -Other (Optional) -Other (Optional) Overall Implementation Risk M VI. Appraisal Summary A. Economic and Financial Analysis 65. The PDO/GEO of the operation is to enhance protection of biodiversity in selected forested wetlands on the Ramsar list through knowledge creation and development of conservation measures for sustainable wetlands management. Accordingly, project benefits at the national level will be derived from greater capacity for knowledge acquisition, technical expertise, and institutional protection of wetland ecosystems. At the local level, the chief project benefits are better protection of biodiversity through improved capacity to implement conservation measures. Most of the benefits of this project are broad-based public goods. For that reason, government will finance the project, with assistance from international resources (GEF). 16 66. In the absence of this project-in the absence of strengthened national and local capacity to manage forested wetlands-the risk is high that land-use competition by resource industries (mining, petroleum, forestry) will create major pressures on the integrity of those wetland ecosystems. Unfettered exploitation could compromise the medium-to-long-term capacity of these ecosystems to deliver goods and services needed for biodiversity protection and climate change adaptation, among other things. This project has important synergies with national planning strategies (the national climate change plan, development of the national land-use plan) and other projects (Arc d'Emeraude, Forest Management Verification). It can help reduce the risk to forested wetlands from competing land uses by enhancing government capacity to make informed decisions about land-use trade-offs. 67. Although most of the benefits expected from capacity building are nonquantifiable, conservation measures should yield quantifiable benefits at the local level. But these measures have yet to be identified, so the potential benefits to local populations are unknown. Moreover, there are no data on which to base estimates of potential benefits. As the project is implemented, data and information on measures and benefits will become available. At this stage, one can only group the likely benefits as follows: (i) reduced vulnerability and exposure to climate change hazards such as floods, storms, and coastal erosion; (ii) increased off-site benefits such as hydrological management and enhancement of biodiversity; and (iii) socioeconomic benefits from improved protection and productivity of wetland products and services. 68. For the livelihood micro projects of Component 2.3, the costs and benefits of individual proposals for the investment portfolio (total budget, US$1 million) will be clearly identified. But, as above, the net benefit of this component will become clear only over the course of project implementation. 13 Evidence from a Similar Wetland Project 69. Given the inability to quantify benefits of the project at this stage, it is informative to consider the results of a similar wetland project. The Integrated Management of Critical Ecosystems (IMCE) in Rwanda provides an indication of what a project of this type can achieve. The GEF provided some US$4 million for IMCE. Its GEO was to promote the adoption of practices that integrate ecological, economic and social goals into the sustainable management of critical marshland ecosystems.14 The project was very similar to the current GEF project in that it focused on national and local capacity development for wetland management, including knowledge acquisition, community-based wetland management planning, and implementation of community micro projects. 70. As with the current project, there were no data at the outset on which to base an economic analysis. But by the end of the project, although many of the benefits remained 13 Each proposal will be evaluated for financial and economic soundness, prior to subproject selection by a committee composed of the ANPN, DGEPN, and project beneficiaries to be established at the implementation stage. An Income-Generating Activities Manual provides guidance for proposal selection. 14 This is the revised GEO that was adopted at the midterm review of the IMCE project. 17 unquantifiable because they concerned capacity development, benefits were identified. Some were quantifiable-among them (i) increased access to and reliability of water supply for 4,000 people in 24 villages; (ii) increased agricultural output from some 240 households, for an incremental gain in output estimated at a present value (PV) of US$1.3 million, and (iii) restored electric power generation with a PV of US$100 million. 71. National-level capacity benefits of the IMCE project that were not amenable to quantification related to technical and institutional improvements. A national wetland law and decrees were developed and adopted. Biodiversity indicators and a biodiversity information system were established to track trends in land use, biodiversity, and other natural resources. A wetland inventory collected information on hydrology, land use, and vegetation cover, which was incorporated into a geographic information system to enable M&E of wetland areas. 72. Local-level capacity benefits from IMCE included the development of local planning structures, a land survey, and skills for sustainable land management and alternative livelihoods. Nine wetland community-based management plans and four watershed plans were completed and are under implementation. There was widespread adoption of improved land- and water-management practices. Nationwide, awareness of the importance of wetlands was raised substantially, and the conversion of wetlands ceased. World Bank Value Added 73. As the implementing agency for GEF, the contribution that the Bank brings to this project is its experience in promoting the development of institutional capacity for the management of critical wetland ecosystems; such as in the case the Rwanda IMCE project described above. Additionally, in this project the value added by the Bank also stems from the following: 74. Development Momentum. Bank involvement through this critical wetlands project capitalizes on the working relationship already established between the Bank and Gabon's park authority-ANPN. This project builds on the outcomes of the recently closed PARCS" project, by extending the know-how gained through that project into this project. Namely, know-how acquired during the course of the PARCS project will inform both the management of the selected protected areas of this project, and the development of capacity in the DGEPN-the other key government entity tasked with environmental management. 15 The Bank became involved in Gabon's protected area management capacity development through the US$10 million GEF grant for the "PARCS" project, which became effective December 2007 and closed just as this project was being appraised. For the ANPN, the PARCS project helped define roles and operational modalities, and contributed to the establishment of key systems of the agency including fiduciary management, human resource management, and monitoring and evaluation. 18 75. Convening Capacity within Government. Bank involvement in this project brings together the ANPN and the DGEPN-the two entities responsible for the management of Gabon's environment. The project is designed such that through active collaboration the capacity of each entity to undertake their respective mandates is strengthened. 76. Convening Capacity among Development Partners. Bank involvement provides for the identification of synergies among projects of different development partners in Gabon. The Agence Franqaise de D6veloppement (AFD) is undertaking two large projects in Gabon (Arc d'Emeraude and Forest Management Verification). The Bank has established a rapport with AFD aiming to identify synergies for this critical wetlands project, and has consequently built into this project information sharing with the AFD project activities. 77. Micro-Project Experience. Bank involvement provides guidance on micro-project implementation. Similar to the Rwanda IMCE project above, Sub-component 2.3 of this project provides for demand-driven income-generating micro-projects. The World Bank brings its expertise to the implementation of that component by providing assistance in the development of an implementation manual for the micro-project component, and for assistance with its application and update. 78. Annex 5 provides more information on the nature of the project's institutional strengthening and capacity building, as well as on related national and global benefits. B. Technical 79. The approach of the project is consistent with Goal 1 of the Ramsar Strategic Plan: wise use of wetlands. Guidelines for the wise use of wetlands have been formally adopted by the contracting parties (CPs) to the Ramsar Convention. They are contained in the Ramsar Toolkit of Wise Use Handbooks (fourth edition). 16 The components of the present project mesh with these guidelines and will benefit from them. 80. Under the Ramsar system, the wise use of wetlands is defined as "the maintenance of their ecological character, achieved through the implementation of ecosystem approaches, within the context of sustainable development." As a CP to the Ramsar Convention, Gabon is obliged to maintain the ecological character of its WII wetlands. Component I checks the ecological character of the target WII sites by collecting data and building capacity for monitoring. Component 2 will promote ecosystem approaches consistent with sustainable development by preparing and implementing site-management plans. Components 1 and 2 are consistent with priority research actions cited in the Ramsar Handbook 1 (HB-1): improvement of the knowledge base on wetland functions and values, especially socioeconomic values, and development of techniques for monitoring ecological change. 81. In consultation with the DGEPN and ANPN, a research coordinator will set the research program of Component 1. Specific research activities will depend on management needs and priorities (and on identified gaps in existing information). Development of the research 16 Ramsar Convention Secretariat, "Wise Use of Wetlands." 19 program will draw on the Ramsar Handbooks: HB-14 Data Information Needs; HB-15 Wetland Inventory; HB-8 Water-related guidance; HB-9 River Basin Management; and HB- 18 Managing Wetlands. 82. The Ramsar Information Sheet (RIS) tracks the ecological character of each Ramsar site. The "ecological character" of a site is defined as "the combination of the ecosystem components, processes and benefits/services that characterize the wetland at a given point in time." The research under Component 1 provides information to update the RIS; guidance on assessing changes in ecological character can be found in HB-13 Inventory, Assessment and Monitoring. Component 2 activities engage all wetland stakeholders in priority setting and plan development. The ANPN has already done public consultation in two of the selected sites and can build on that experience. Additional relevant guidance is found in Ramsar HB-7 Participatory Skills; HB-16 Impact Assessment; and HB-18 Managing Wetlands. 83. The DGEPN will undertake Components 3, which addresses national institutional needs. Going further, the activities of Component 3 (National Ramsar Committee, institutional analysis and framework, national wetlands strategy) raise the profile of wetlands across sectors that have been identified as critical to the achievement of the Convention's goal of wise use. Important guidance for the DGEPN is found in HB-2 National Wetland Policies; HB-3 Laws and Institutions; HB-6 CEPA; and HB-5 Partnerships. C. Financial Management 84. The assessment of the DGEPN and ANPN observed that the financial management (FM) system of the DGEPN and ANPN has some strengths, notably that some staff are familiar with World Bank financial management procedures and have handled trust-fund-financed projects for the Bank (GEF PARCS Project-P070232, in the case of the ANPN; and Capacity Building in Environment Management of Large Infrastructure Projects-P1 10802, in the case of the DGEPN), with FM performance rated moderately satisfactory. After implementation of the mitigating measures described below, the project's financial management arrangements will comply with the Bank's requirements under OP/BP 10.00 and will be considered adequate. 85. The residual FM risk is considered "substantial" after implementation of mitigation measures consisting of: (i) adoption of the Project Implementation Manual, including the manual of financial procedures; (ii) recruitment of one FM assistant at the DGEPN, (iii) installation of a computerized information management system to record the project's transactions and produce consolidated financial reports, (iv) recruitment of an external auditor acceptable to the Bank, and (v) training of financial staff on FM procedures. The detailed FM arrangements are described in annex 3. 20 D. Procurement 86. Procurement, consulting and anti-corruption guidelines that apply to the project are the following: * "Guidelines on Preventing and Combating Fraud and Corruption in Projects Financed by IBRD Loans and IDA Credits and Grants", dated October 15, 2006 and revised in January 2011. * "Guidelines: Selection and Employment of Consultants under IBRD Loans and IDA Credits and Grants by World Bank Borrowers" dated January 2011. * "Guidelines: Procurement of Goods, Works and Non-consulting Services under IBRD Loans and IDA Credits and Grants by World Bank Borrowers" dated January 2011. 87. The assessment of the ANPN's capacity for the purpose of the project found that (i) the procurement specialist currently on board is qualified and needs only refresher training on the use of the new procurement and consultant guidelines dated January 2011; (ii) the procedural manual needs to be updated (iii) the specific operations manual to guide revenue- generating activities needs to be drawn up; (iv) the professional members are familiar with the Bank's procurement procedures and need only be updated on the new procurement and consultant guidelines dated January 2011. 88. The capacity assessment of the DGEPN for the purpose of the project found that (i) although the DGEPN had a recent experience in the implementation of Bank-financed projects, it appeared that the DGEPN was exposed to a small operation (US$418,370), and their procurement capacity needs to be strengthened through direct assistance from the ANPN procurement specialist who worked on the GEF-PARCS, and through recruitment of a procurement assistant/specialist; (ii) the procedural manual needs to be updated; (iii) the professional staff involved in project implementation and procurement at the DGEPN need to be made more familiar with the Bank's procurement procedures; and (iv) a comprehensive recordkeeping system needs to be established. Mitigation action plans have been developed for both entities (annex 3). 89. The overall project procurement risk at the time of assessment is high. The satisfactory implementation of the action plan in annex 3 will reasonably bring this overall risk to moderate. 90. Procurement Plan. The first draft of the procurement plan for the first 18 months of the project was elaborated during the preparation mission. It was reviewed during the pre- appraisal mission, and discussed and finalized during negotiations. At the implementation stage, the procurement plan will be updated in agreement with the project team at least annually or as required to reflect actual project implementation needs and improvements in institutional capacity. It will be available in the project's database, and a summary will be disclosed on the Bank's external Web site once the project is approved. 21 E. Social (including Safeguards) 91. Beneficiaries. Project beneficiaries include local communities around the wetlands covered by the project, estimated at some 70,000 persons. Community representatives were consulted during project design and preparation, with a particular focus on the income- generating activities that the project will finance under subcomponent 2.3. 92. Gender. In the project area, men and women alike are engaged in natural resource harvesting. The most vulnerable groups, especially women and youth, have been identified and have shown strong interest in working with the project. The project will work closely with these target groups to build their entrepreneurial capacity and to support them in the development and implementation of income-generating activities. 93. OP/BP 4.12. The project will not result in any land-taking or compensation-related issues associated with the Involuntary Resettlement Policy. But to be sure that any potential risk of restriction of access to resource use is addressed, and because the project will prepare management plans for selected Ramsar sites, OP/BP 4.12 Involuntary Resettlement has been triggered. A process framework was duly prepared and disclosed in-country on November 24, 2013 and at the Bank's Infoshop website on February 6, 2014, prior to appraisal. 94. OP/BP 4.10. During appraisal there were no indigenous peoples identified in the project sites. However, this policy is triggered for precautionary measures because Gabon is in the Congo basin, where indigenous people exist. An Indigenous Peoples Planning Framework was therefore prepared and disclosed both in-country, and at the Infoshop on February 6, 2014, before project appraisal. F. Environment (including Safeguards) 95. This is a category B project. By its nature, the project is not expected to generate large- scale adverse social or environmental impacts. Any impacts are likely to be small and site- specific, typical of category B projects. OP/BP 4.01 Environment Assessment has been triggered because under Subcomponent 2.2, the project will build necessary infrastructure to reinforce capacities of local staff to properly implement monitoring activities in the selected sites. Under Subcomponent 2.3 the project also expects to develop tourism. Furthermore, OP/BP 4.04 Natural Habitats has also been triggered because the wetlands ecosystems are undoubtedly critical ecosystems and the project will enhance the quality of the management of these critical ecosystems and reduce risks associated with potential economic development. Given that the project covers national parks, including large mangrove areas, OP/BP 4.36 Forest has also been triggered. 96. Accordingly, an Environmental and Social Management Framework was prepared and disclosed in-country on November 24, 2013 and at the Bank Infoshop website on February 6, 2014, prior to appraisal. 22 Annex 1: Results Framework and Monitoring Country: Gabonese Republic Project Name: SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT OF CRITICAL WETLANDS ECOSYSTEMS (P143914) Results Framework Global Environmental Objectives PDO Statement The Development Objective of the proposed operation is to enhance protection of biodiversity in selected forested wetlands on the Ramsar list through knowledge creation and development of conservation measures for sustainable wetlands management. These results are at Project Level Global Environmental Objective Indicators . Responsibility Cumulative Target Values DataoSorce/ifo Data Source/ for Indicator Name Core Baseline YR1 YR2 YR3 YR4 Frequency Measure Target Collection Indicator 1: Ecosystem services valuations are Number 0 0 0 1 2 3 Mid-term Cos ANPN undertaken for each selected site Indicator 2: Management plans are Number 0 0 0 1 2 3 Mid-term Consultant ANPN prepared for reports each selected site and under 23 implementation Indicator 3: A national wetlands Srtg Number 0 0 0 1 1 1 Mid-term Strategy DGEPN management Document strategy is developed Intermediate Results Indicators ___________-.IResponsibility Cumulative Target Values DataoSorce/ifo Data Source/ for __________ U_jnit of End Methodology Data Indicator Name Core Baseline YR1 YR2 YR3 YR4 Frequency Measure Target Collection Component 1: Generating Knowledge and Monitoring of Selected Critical Wetland Ecosystems Indicator 1: A research scheme for the three selected Ramsar Research ANPN and Yes/No No No Yes Yes Yes Yes Annual agea DNPN sites is agenda DGEPN developed and being implemented Indicator 2: An ecological Ecological monitoring Yes/No No No No Yes Yes Yes Annual monitoring ANPN system of wetlands is implemented Component 2: Support for Sustainable Management of Selected Critical Wetland Ecosystems Indicator 1: [1 hidicaor 1:Mid-Term Progress Land area where Hectare(Ha) 0 0 0 5 7 10 Mid-Terma rores ANPN sustainable land 24 management (SLM) practices have been adopted as a result of the project Indicator 2: Forest area under sustainable forestry Hectare(Ha) 0 0 10000 15000 20000 30000 Annual Progress ANPN management (SFM) (according to forest type) Indicator 3: Scores from the Protected Areas Management See Effectiveness Number breakdown Tracking Tool below (METT)* for selected wetlands sites Scores METT Number METT for Monts Sub-Type 36 36 36 40 45 50 Annual reports ANPN Birougou site Breakdown Scores METT Number METT for Bas Sub-Type 13 13 13 15 20 25 Annual reports ANPN Ougoou6 site Breakdown Scores METT Number METT for Sett6-Cama Sub-Type 36 36 36 40 45 50 Annual ANPN site Breakdown 25 Scores METT Number for Petit Loango Sub-Type 49 49 49 50 55 60 Annual ANPN site Breakdown repos Direct project Number 0 0 0 50 80 100 Mid-Term Progress ANPN beneficiaries reports Female X Percentage e.ae Sub-Type 0 0 0 10 20 30 beneficiaries Splmna 1 ,Supplemental,I Component 3: Strengthening Institutional Framework to Support Wetlands Indicator 1: The National Ramsar H Committee is in Number 0 0 1 1 1 1 Mid-Term Mner DGEPN place and functional Indicator 2: H Ramsar subcommittees Number 0 0 0 1 2 3 Mid-Term Ministerial DGEPN at the selected order sites are in place and functional Indicator 3: Ramsar Progress Information Number 0 0 0 4 4 4 Mid-Term rores DGEPN Sheets (RIS) are updated Indicator 4: Environmental audits for extractive Number 0 0 1 2 3 4 Annual Audit DGEPN industries reports operating in the selected Ramsar sites are 26 conducted Indicator 5: Maps including human settlements, Maps from industrial teAP activities, and Number 0 0 1 2 3 3 Annual te apN ANPN hydrological cartgah systems for the selected Ramsar sites are elaborated Component 4: Project Management, Monitoring and Evaluation Indicator 1: Minimum implementation Progress DGEPN and ofanua wrkPercentage 0 50 70 80 100 100 Annual rprs AP of annual work reports ANPN plan is completed Indicator 2: Proj ect safeguard Yes/No No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Annual Progress DGEPN and instruments are reports ANPN diligently implemented 27 Annex 2. Detailed Project Description Gabon: Sustainable Management of Critical Ecosystems Project 1. The combined project development objective/global environment objective (PDO/GEO) of the operation is to enhance protection of biodiversity in selected forested wetlands on the Ramsar list through knowledge creation and development of conservation measures for sustainable wetlands management. 2. The PDO/GEO is measured by the following three indicators: * Indicator 1: Ecosystem services valuations are undertaken for each selected site. * Indicator 2: Management plans are prepared for each selected site and under implementation. * Indicator 3: A national wetlands management strategy is developed. Selection of Project Areas 3. The project will focus on three Ramsar Wetlands of International Importance (WII) sites: Bas Ogoou6, Monts Birougou, and Petit Loango/Sett6-Cama. These sites were selected by the Direction G6n6rale de l'Environnement et la Protection de la Nature (DGEPN) based on (i) the importance of wetland ecosystem services for local populations (including for climate change adaptation and mitigation); (ii) the threats to the wetland ecosystems from competing land uses; and (iii) initiatives already undertaken at the sites. Annex 7 provides the biodiversity assessment of each site. 4. The selection process also emphasized the diverse representation of marine and terrestrial biodiversity. Thus, the three sites chosen represent three different wetland habitats: coastal, alluvial plain, and heavily forested high interior. Applied to these three sites, the project objective of enhancing protection of forested wetlands through conservation measures for sustainable wetland management aligns with the objectives of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) for the focal areas of Biodiversity (BD 1), Land Degradation (LD3), and Sustainable Forest Management/REDD+. 5. Bas Ogooue (862,700 ha) is a large alluvial plain in the west of the country, with lakes, rivers, riparian marshes, savanna, and dense forest. It constitutes the interior delta of the river Ogoou6, where rivers and lakes combine to provide a navigable waterway for goods and people running between the interior towns of Ndjol6, Lambar6n6, and Port-Gentil on the coast. The flood plains and the high level of vegetation in the area also provide flood protection for downstream areas. The site is a habitat for primates (gorilla, chimpanzee, mandrill), large mammals (hippopotamus, buffalo, elephant, manatee), migrant bird populations, turtles, reptiles (black and Nile crocodiles), and many fish species. Of the three selected sites, Bas Ogoou6 is the most densely populated-which leads to varying pressures on the wetland areas from fishing, hunting, tourism, and to competing land uses such as slash-and-burn agriculture, and forestry. In collaboration with the Ministry of Water and the Ministry of Fisheries, the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) has conducted various research, education, and awareness activities at this site. 28 6. Monts Birougou (536,800 ha) is a high-elevation (800-900 meters), forested wetland area interspersed with swamps and savanna. It is an important water tower for Gabon, as it is the source of the Nyanga and Ngouni6 rivers and their main tributaries. The site is an important breeding and feeding site for several species of freshwater fish. Local people use its ecosystem products for construction, food, and clothing; the area also has cultural and religious value to the country as a whole. The site contains 20 species of primates, including gorilla and chimpanzee. Other large mammals include both the forest and savanna elephants. Population density is low, but the site is threatened by forestry and mining activities, and by destructive (chemical) fishing practices. Some research and planning has been undertaken at the site because it contains within its boundaries the Birougou National Park, for which the Agence Nationale des Parcs Nationaux (ANPN) has prepared a management plan. 7. Petit Loango + Sette-Cama (480,000 + 220,000 ha). These are two linked Ramsar sites that are treated as one for the purpose of this project. Both are coastal plain wetlands. Petit Loango is set in a mangrove and rainforest environment important for flood control, sediment capture, and bank stabilization. Sett6-Cama is a sand plain important for its fish spawning, feeding, and breeding grounds, as for the water it supplies to the nearby town of Gamba. The sites are important habitats for large mammals (hippopotamus, elephant, manatee), turtles, birds, amphibians, and reptiles. Both sites benefit from tourism and have low population density, but both are threatened by nearby oil exploitation. Some research and planning has been done by the ANPN, which prepared a management plan for the Loango National Park. The Petit Loango site is within the boundary of the Loango National Park, and the Sett6-Cama site is within the park's buffer zone. Project Components Component 1: Generating Knowledge and Monitoring Selected Critical Wetland Ecosystems (GEF-US$0.600 million) 8. This component will generate knowledge on wetlands in Gabon and set up a reliable monitoring system to produce early warnings on potential alterations of wetland ecosystems. This component is divided into two subcomponents. Subcomponent 1.1: Knowledge Creation on Wetland Ecosystems 9. Gabonese wetland ecosystems are poorly understood. The existing scientific literature is fragmented and insufficient, as highlighted in the succinct descriptions the government has submitted to the Ramsar Convention. So far, research work has been conducted in an ad hoc manner, which does not provide a comprehensive understanding of the natural and socioeconomic dynamics of these ecosystems. 10. However, it is known that the country's forested wetland ecosystems provide important services such as purification of drinking water for large urban centers, breeding habitats for the fishing industry, and climate change mitigation through carbon sequestration. 11. This subcomponent will support research into the biological wealth and socioeconomic dimensions of Gabon's wetland ecosystems. The research will identify and quantify the multiple 29 ecosystem services delivered by the wetlands. The ultimate goal of this information is to help decision makers better understand the importance of wetlands and potential trade-offs with competing activities (with a specific focus on forested wetlands). 12. Targeted research will focus on three selected Ramsar WII sites: Petit Loango/Sett6-Cama, Monts Birougou, and Bas-Ogoou6. An international research coordinator will be recruited to develop a research program and oversee the research activities of Component 1. 13. Development of the research program will begin by compiling existing research and information to identify gaps and priorities for further data and information collection. Of particular relevance are recent analyses and planning activities undertaken by the ANPN, which has completed management plans for two national parks: Loango and Birougou. Partially contained within the boundaries of these two national parks are two of the three selected WII sites: Petit Loango/Sett6-Cama and Monts Birougou. In the third site-Bas Ogoou6-the WWF has conducted research to assess the site's status and threats to its biodiversity. 14. The WWF has also done data collection and boundary redefinition. From these sources and others, the research program will compile existing research and information on the three sites. 15. The research program will be based on identified research needs for priority issues in the selected Ramsar WII sites. With guidance from the Ramsar Handbooks,17 and in consultation with the DGEPN and ANPN, the research coordinator will prioritize environmental and socioeconomic research for this subcomponent. He/she will develop the terms of reference for individual research activities, which will be undertaken by national and international research entities. Research activities will involve: * Diagnostic studies. The ecological character of the selected wetland sites will be determined through targeted research building on existing knowledge. The research recently completed by the ANPN for its park management plans will be extended as appropriate to cover the WII sites associated with their respective national parks. Targeted research in the Bas Ogoou6 WII site will build on that done by the WWF. The TOR for the diagnostic studies will entail, as appropriate, data collection and analysis of the physical, hydrological, biological, and socioeconomic components of the sites, including identification of resource use pressures and conflicts emanating from within the site, and from the larger catchment area. Research priorities that have already been identified in the ANPN management plans as important to the WII sites within their boundaries may figure in the research program. For example, assessments of the risk of oil spills, threats to the manatee population, and the potential for fish farming are wetland priorities within the management plan of the Loango National Park that could be prioritized for the research under this subcomponent. * Economic valuation of wetland ecosystem services. The economic worth of the ecosystem services provided to society by intact, naturally functioning wetlands has never been 17 Ramsar Convention Secretariat, "Wise Use of Wetlands: Concepts and Approaches for the Wise Use of Wetlands," Ramsar Handbooksfor the Wise Use of Wetlands, 4th edition, Volumes 1-20. Gland, Switzerland: Ramsar Convention Secretariat, 2010. 30 quantified in Gabon. But the valuation work of this project will benefit from recent (2013) water and wetlands valuation research supported by the Ramsar Secretariat.18 The activity will conduct economic valuations of the ecosystem services provided by the three WII sites. This exercise will help assess the potential trade-offs between wetland conservation and conversion to more intensive land use. For all three WII sites, research for the economic valuation work will require an inventory of the wetland goods and services that benefit local populations, both directly and indirectly. For all three sites, some socioeconomic and wetland use data are available, but where lacunae exist, it may be necessary to capture specific data for the valuations. 16. The research coordinator will also consult with the research coordinator for the Arc d'Emeraude project supported by the Agence Franqaise de D6veloppement (AFD) in the WII sites of Akanda and Pongara. The components of the Arc d'Emeraude project are similar to those of this project (table 2, annex 5). The resulting project synergies will facilitate the development of a national wetland monitoring system (Subcomponent 1.2) and the development of a national wetland strategy (Component 4). Subcomponent 1.2: Monitoring System for Wetland Ecosystems 17. Article 3.2 of the Ramsar Convention provides that "Each Contracting Party shall arrange to be informed at the earliest possible time if the ecological character of any wetland in its territory and included in the List has changed, is changing, or is likely to change as the result of technological developments, pollution or other human interference." Such a monitoring system is not in place in Gabon. 18. The objectives of this subcomponent are to define and operationalize the most appropriate monitoring system for ecological, physicochemical, and socioeconomic characteristics of the wetlands in Gabon. The ANPN has developed management plans, including monitoring strategies, for the national park areas that are close to or within the present project's Ramsar sites. Accordingly, the project will build on the monitoring-system work already done by the ANPN in the Petit Loango and Monts Birougou national parks. It will also benefit from similar work being done through the AFD project at the Pongara and Akanda Ramsar sites. 19. The research coordinator will oversee the development and implementation of a monitoring system for Gabon's Ramsar sites. Informed by the Ramsar Handbooks, the research coordinator will work closely with both the DGEPN and ANPN to ensure that information and data capture under Component 1 facilitates the development of an appropriate monitoring system for the sites. The Research Coordinator will consult with the AFD project in the Akanda and Pongara Ramsar WII sites to share lessons and promote consistency in the development of monitoring systems. The research coordinator will also consult with the ODDIG19 for collaborative opportunities for monitoring of industry operations in the sites. The proposed monitoring system will be validated at a DGEPN/ANPN internal workshop. The activities of Subcomponent 1.2 are thus: 18 "The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) for Water and Wetlands," Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP) and the Ramsar Secretariat, 2013, http://www.teebweb.org. 19 Observatoire de promotion, de Developpement Durable, des produits et services de l'Industrie du Gabon (Observatory for the Promotion and Sustainable Development of Gabonese Products and Services). 31 * Wetland monitoring system. Each selected site requires a monitoring strategy, which collectively builds a national monitoring system. These will be based on the site diagnostic work of Component 1.1 which: (i) identifies site-specific threats (fishing or hunting effort/methods, habitat fragmentation, pollution, erosion); (ii) evaluates those threats (actual or potential, extent, severity, and irreversibility); and (iii) prioritizes them (high, medium, low priority). Based on the diagnostic, potential protective interventions (pollution control, fisheries management, community forestry) will be identified. The associated monitoring strategy will be developed to target what needs to be monitored (pollution levels, fish capture methods, forest encroachment, poaching, and so on), and to define the monitoring effort for the particular environmental threats within the different zones of the protected area. Operationalizing the monitoring strategy requires defining and implementing the appropriate monitoring effort for the site: number and type of monitoring posts (permanent or semi-permanent), types of surveillance (VMS, radio, stationary, walking, water, or vehicle patrols), number of personnel, training (basic survival, equipment use, information collection and reporting, legal procedures, ethical conduct), and provision of appropriate equipment and basic needs (navigational and camping equipment, living quarters). It also requires identifying the authorities and other actors in the site: the ANPN, the DGEPN, the police, commercial operators, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and civil society organizations (CSOs). These entities support the monitoring effort variously by providing information and back-up assistance in monitoring and enforcement. The collection and transmission of environmental and socioeconomic information from the sites is essential for site management and tracking of the ecological components of the wetlands and their forests. To monitor the national parks, the ANPN used MIST software until July 2013, when it adopted the SMART software.20 The SMART system of reporting is flexible enough to include various environmental indicators, which are reported by ecoguards and transmitted to the ANPN. SMART will be the reporting software used for the expanded monitoring system developed by this project. * Capacity reinforcement. Technical and human capacity will be an integral part of the activities of this subcomponent to ensure that the wetland monitoring system is functional and sustainable. Gabon's existing environmental monitoring capacity will be evaluated to ensure that the wetland monitoring system is adapted to existing technical and human capacities and to identify where capacity reinforcement is needed. For example, equipment, technical resources, and human capacity will need to be strengthened in the selected sites. Similarly, capacity may need reinforcement at the national laboratories providing analyses to the DGEPN and/or ANPN. 20 The two systems are linked, but SMART (Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tool) is the newer generation of protected-area software, being more comprehensive and flexible than its predecessor, MIST (Management Information System). 32 Component 2: Support for Sustainable Management of Selected Critical Wetland Ecosystems (GEF-US$3. 110 million) 20. The development and implementation of planning tools are essential to the proper management of WII, but they cannot yield the expected results if not accompanied with appropriate equipment and human resources on the ground. Component 2 will target this twofold approach in the selected WII sites: planning tool development with equipped implementation. Subcomponent 2.11: Preparing wetland management plans of Selected Sites 21. The situations of the Ramsar sites in Gabon are quite varied in terms of their legal status, geographical and hydrological features, and the type of pressures they face. At present, there is no management plan (or planning tool) that appropriately defines modalities to support sustainable management of the wetland ecosystems. Therefore, these tools need to be developed, but in a targeted manner to ensure that the specific challenges and threats of each wetland area are addressed appropriately. 22. To that end, guided by the Ramsar Handbooks and in consultation with other government agencies, development partners, and private operators active in the sites, this subcomponent will: prepare wetland management plans for the three selected WII sites, based on extensive consultative work at those sites and on the results of research activities undertaken in Component 1. * Community consultation. Communities in and around the three selected WII sites have been consulted on wetland uses and issues to varying degrees. The ANPN conducted extensive community consultation while developing management plans for two national parks. These two parks overlap two of the selected WII sites: Petit Loango/Sett6-Cama and Monts Birougou. At each, a Comit6 Consultatif de Gestion Locale (CCGL, local management consultative committee)21 is functioning. Hence, consultation at these sites will build on the working relationships and agreements already established with the community by the ANPN. In the case of the project's third WII site-Bas Ogoou6-there has been little contact between local communities and the DGEPN or ANPN, and there is no local CCGL. Thus, at Bas Ogoou6, a first priority of the consultation process for management plan development is the establishment of a CCGL. * Wetland management plans. Management plans for the three selected Ramsar WII sites will be prepared and implementation will begin. The plans will be informed by the diagnostic work of Component 1, coupled with community consultation to set priorities, rank threats, and develop acceptable management strategies. 23. Project implementation will require cross-sector consultation and coordination. The General Directorate of Water and Forests will be consulted about the possibility of collaborating on SFM opportunities in the selected sites. Synergies will be sought with the AFD-supported project in 21 The CCGL is a forum for dialogue between local people, industrial operators, and park authorities, the goal of which is to achieve equitable natural resource use benefits. 33 the forestry sector known as Forest Management Verification (table 2, annex 5). This AFD project reinforces forestry management capacity, which includes, among other things, forestry best practices and forest information communication. The general directorates of Fisheries and Aquatic Ecosystems will be consulted for input on local fisheries improvement possibilities; and the General Directorate of Agriculture and the agricultural institute IGAD22 will be engaged for input on agricultural production possibilities and opportunities to increase local capacity for sustainable land management. Subcomponent 2.2: Strengthening Monitoring Capacities in the Selected Sites 24. Unless they are included in a national park, most of the existing Ramsar sites are not adequately monitored, mostly because of insufficient staff on the ground and lack of equipment. 25. The goal of this subcomponent is to reinforce the capacity of local people in the three selected WII sites to monitor activities through (i) the provision of appropriate equipment and infrastructure; (ii) training in surveillance of protected areas; and (iii) engagement of local people through education and awareness-raising activities. More specifically, for each of the three WII sites, this subcomponent will: * Provide infrastructure and equipment. The capacity of local staff to properly implement monitoring activities on the ground at the three project sites will be reinforced through (i) the construction of permanent staff quarters; and (ii) the provision of equipment including six terrain-appropriate vehicles, size-appropriate boats for particular water bodies, uniforms, camping materials, navigation equipment (a global positioning system), communication equipment (VHF), and camera equipment. * Train ecoguards. Local staff will be trained on monitoring activities. The ANPN has expertise in training guards for duty in protected areas, having efficiently trained ecoguards in the national parks under the previous GEF-financed project. The conservation software system SMART, already used by the ANPN to monitor the national parks, will be adapted for an expanded network of protected areas. * Support community monitoring of wetlands. Community engagement in wetland monitoring is critical to achieving management objectives. Through the CCGL in the three selected sites, communication, education, and awareness building will be ongoing activities. Community engagement for monitoring could involve regular site visits that, for example, deliver technical assistance on sustainable fisheries management; or conduct village seminars and school visits to talk about wetland management objectives, monitoring issues, and resource-use conflict resolution. The national park management plans developed by the ANPN contain strategies for ongoing communication and engagement with local communities. * Provide for recurrent expenditures. Recurrent operating expenses for the equipment supplied to local staff in the selected Ramsar sites will be covered under this subcomponent. Eligible recurrent expenditures include petrol, and equipment maintenance. 22 Institut Gabonais d'Appui au Developpement. 34 Subcomponent 2.3: Sub-grants for micro projects 26. Other economic options exist to support sustainable wetlands management. At COP-Il in July 2012, the Ramsar Convention Secretariat and the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) launched a publication that highlights the considerable value of wetlands for tourism and the economic benefits that tourism can bring for the management of wetland sites. 27. The objective of this subcomponent is to help communities adjacent to the selected Ramsar sites develop income-generating activities for sustainable wetland management. As appropriate, this will be done in partnership with local NGOs and CSOs and in collaboration with other government entities, notably those responsible for tourism development, forestry, fisheries, and agriculture. 28. Eligible livelihood activities for tourism development include (i) infrastructure (access roads, campsites, docks, boat ramps, watchtowers); and (ii) community or private microenterprises (including restaurants and concession stands, lodges, artisanal crafts, nature guides, and transport, both terrestrial and fluvial). The management plans developed by the ANPN for the two national parks that overlap two of the selected WII areas propose strategies for tourism development. These will provide guidance for similar development in the associated wetland sites. 29. Other sustainable economic activities eligible for project financing include (i) the development of fish farming and improvement of local capture fisheries (equipment, transformation, marketing); (ii) fiber harvesting, apiculture, and plant nurseries; (iii) horticulture; (iv) transformation of agricultural products (cassava, groundnut); (v) development of nontimber forest products; and (vi) small livestock production (small ruminants, poultry). 30. Micro projects related to the eligible types of activities described above will be selected based on the following criteria: (i) environmental and social sustainability, (ii) ecological interest, (iii) economic sustainability, (v) proof of land ownership, (vi) financial and technical feasibility of the activity, and (vii) proof of beneficiary financial contribution. 31. Thresholds of financing and funds allocation: maximum financing allowances per micro- project are as follows: * Ceiling for an individual micro-project: 5 million FCFA (US$10,000); * Ceiling for a micro project for a community association: 30 million FCFA (US$60,000). 32. The project is expected to finance development and implementation of about 60 micro projects over the project duration to benefit about 100 households in the project area. 33. Two categories of micro project recipients are eligible for the project's funds: communities organized in groups (community associations) and individuals. The recipients must satisfy the following criteria: (i) be a resident of a village adjacent to a project site, (ii) have experience in the sector of the proposed micro project, (iii) have a bank account, (iv) provide proof of personal 35 contribution (10 percent in cash or in kind for an individual, 5 percent in cash or in kind for a community association), (v) enjoy official recognition (for community associations), (vi) be a functional community association, and (vii) provide a certificate of residence (individuals). 34. A manual on income-generating has been developed by the government to guide the selection, implementation, and closure of income-generating activities. Component 3: Strengthening Institutional Framework to Support Wetlands Management (GEF-US$3.326 million) 35. On the one hand, the diversity of the Ramsar WII in Gabon requires that local governance mechanisms be adjusted to the specific local circumstances; on the other, there is a need to strengthen the overall governance at the national level. This component will establish an institutional framework favorable to the sustainable management of Gabon's WII both at the national and site levels. 36. The National Focal Point for the Ramsar Convention in Gabon is located in the DGEPN, and the DGEPN will oversee the research work and institutional coordination associated with activities under Component 4. These activities involve: * Technical assistance from the Ramsar secretariat. A memorandum of understanding will be established with the Ramsar secretariat to provide technical support to the DGEPN for the development and implementation of a national institutional framework for the management of Gabon's network of Ramsar sites. * Institutional analyses. With guidance from the Ramsar Handbooks, analyses will be undertaken to (i) assess the existing policy framework for wetland protection in Gabon; and (ii) assess the institutional structures currently governing each WII site. The studies will propose recommendations to strengthen the policy and institutional frameworks to better achieve wetland protection objectives. The studies will be validated at internal workshops of interministerial government representatives. * Research coordinator. A research coordinator will be located in the DGEPN. In consultation with the ANPN, and the research coordinator for the AFD Arc d'Emeraude project, he/she will develop the research agenda for the three selected Ramsar sites, ensure the implementation of that agenda, and circulate research results to government entities working on strategic issues (climate change, land-use planning, ecosystem service accounting), and other implicated development partners. * Technical assistance. Capacity at the DGEPN will be strengthened by the provision of specialists in environment, fisheries, and social development. These assistants will provide expertise to both the DGEPN and ANPN. * Cartographic capacity. Mapping capacity in the DGEPN will be strengthened to generate wetland maps geocoded with environmental and socioeconomic data (obtained under Subcomponent 1.1). An evaluation of existing mapping capacity will be undertaken to determine deficiencies in the DGEPN. Appropriate mapping software will be acquired, and 36 training in its use will be provided to those tasked with data input and analysis and map generation. * Environmental audits. As a basic modality for integrated natural resource management, this component will conduct environmental audits of industrial operations (mining, forestry) operating in and around the three WII sites. These audits will assess to what extent industrial operators are implementing their Environmental Management Plans to mitigate impacts from their operations. For this activity, beneficial collaboration will be sought with ODDIG, the newly established industry monitoring body. Information from these audits will raise awareness about land management issues by informing government, operators, and other wetland stakeholders about industrial pressures on wetlands. This activity will also propose potential remedial actions on the part of operators. Information from the audits will inform the management plans of all three WII sites. * The National Ramsar Committee. Consultation and workshops will be conducted to achieve an interministerial decree to create a National Ramsar Committee for Gabon. Subcommittees for each Ramsar WII site will also be created. Meetings will be held regularly to raise awareness across government institutions. The role of the Ramsar Committee is to support cross-sectoral understanding and treatment of wetland issues, and supervise the management of the WII network in Gabon and report back to the Convention. * National Wetland Strategy. Based on the data analysis and information obtained in Component 1, and the priority setting and resource-use planning work of Component 2, this activity will develop a national wetlands strategy, in consultation as appropriate, with other government DGs. * Equipment. This project will provide equipment to enhance the capacity of the DGEPN to undertake the necessary consultation, coordination, and supervisory activities of Components 4 and 5. This includes the provision of up to two vehicles and necessary office equipment (computers, printers), as well as their maintenance costs. Component 4: Project Management, Monitoring, and Evaluation (GEF-US$0.485 million) 37. This component supports the overall daily administration of the project, to ensure that regular monitoring and evaluation (M&E) is carried out and that results are fed back into decision making on project implementation. As the DGEPN is responsible for the overall administration, coordination, and implementation of the project, Component 4 will support the DGEPN through the recruitment of the following personnel: (i) a specialist/assistant in procurement; (ii) a financial management specialist/assistant; (iii) an administrative/research assistant; and (iv) a specialist/assistant in M&E. Support for financial management at the DGEPN includes the acquisition of the SAGE accounting software. 38. The government will also provide contribution of US$2 million to this component to cover salaries of civil servants who will implement the project and to provide office facilities devoted to the project. 37 39. Although the DGEPN is responsible for overall project implementation, the project is jointly executed by the DGEPN and ANPN because of the respective strengths of the two organizations. The ANPN, with its operational presence in the field, is responsible for the execution of Components 1 and 2. The DGEPN, which contains the focal points for the GEF and the Ramsar Convention, will be responsible for the execution of Components 3 and 4. 40. Detailed manuals for the administrative and financial management of the project will guide project implementation. 38 Annex 3. Implementation Arrangements Gabon: Sustainable Management of Critical Wetland Ecosystems Project Project Institutional and Implementation Arrangements Project Administration Mechanisms 1. The General Directorate of Environment and the Protection of Nature (Direction G6n6rale de l'Environnement et de la Protection de la Nature, DGEPN) under the Ministry of Forests, Environment and Protection of Natural Resources is institutionally responsible for managing the Wetlands of International Importance (WII) network in Gabon, and is the focal point for the Ramsar Convention. Therefore, the DGEPN will be responsible for overall project coordination. The DGEPN also has experience in managing and implementing an Institutional Development Fund (IDF) grant that closed in December 2012, and the Bank has rated the overall implementation of the IDF by the DGEPN satisfactory. 2. The Agence Nationale des Parcs Nationaux (ANPN) will play a critical role in project implementation, given that: (i) some WII sites covered by the project lie within the boundaries or in the buffer zones of the national parks that are under the responsibility of the ANPN; (ii) the ANPN has capacity in project management based on its experience implementing the Global Environment Facility (GEF)-PARCS project, which closed on June 30, 2013; and (iii) the ANPN has a presence on the ground to implement conservation activities. 3. The project will be therefore jointly executed by the DGEPN and ANPN because of the respective strengths of the two organizations. The ANPN, with its operational presence in the field, is responsible for the execution of Components 1 and 2. The DGEPN, which contains the focal points for the GEF and the Ramsar Convention, will be responsible for the execution of Components 3 and 4 in regard to overall project coordination for the Ministry of Forests, Environment and Protection of Natural Resources. 4. The DGEPN and ANPN will also take advantage of implementation assistance from government partners. The integrated natural resource planning involved in this project requires that the DGEPN and ANPN consult with other government services and institutions, which is within the mandate of the DGEPN. National wetland strategy development, local wetland management planning and implementation, and development of revenue-generating activities will involve consultation and collaboration with the relevant government departments and their local offices. As appropriate, the DGEPN will establish memoranda of understanding (MOUs) with other government departments, such as the Directorate General (DG) of Forests (for sustainable forest management [SFM] activities in forest concessions within or on the periphery of the selected sites); the DG of Fish and Aquaculture and the DG of Aquatic Ecosystems (for fisheries management and development, and wetland activity planning); and the DG of Agriculture (for assistance with the identification of local 39 agricultural opportunities).23 As the project also foresees the development of local tourism activities, the ministry responsible for tourism will be consulted on Gabon's tourism strategy 24; meanwhile, the project will capitalize on the considerable tourism development planning already undertaken by the ANPN. 5. Other implementing partners of the project include the Agence Franqaise de D6veloppement (AFD), which is undertaking parallel activities in the Ramsar wetlands of Akanda and Pongara. Synergies will also be sought with the AFD forestry project to improve capacity for cross-sectoral natural resource management.25 Various local nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) that have been active in the field for some time, and have worked with the ANPN, will assist project implementation. These include the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), both of whom have been active in Bas Ogoou6, Petit Loango, and Sett6-Cama, as well as some of Gabon's many NGOs engaged in community activity development. For the development of sustainable agriculture activity in the selected sites, the agriculture support institute IGAD26 will be consulted. 6. The project will also look for opportunities for productive collaboration with ODDIG,27 the newly established national system for monitoring industrial activities. ODDIG is developing environmental and social indicators of the impacts of industrial operations to improve sustainability. 7. A Steering Committee will be established, with clear terms of reference, before project effectiveness. It will be chaired by the Ministry of Economy and Prospective and comprised of representatives from the Ministry of Forests, Environment, and Protection of Natural Resources; the ministries concerned with agriculture, fisheries, mining, and tourism; ANPN; and any other key actors (such as NGOs involved with wetlands issues). The Project Steering Committee will be responsible for: (i) approving policy guidelines and providing overall supervision for project implementation; (ii) approving the annual work plans and budget; (iii) approving the annual procurement plan; and (iv) reviewing the project annual implementation performance and overseeing the implementation of corrective actions, when necessary. 8. Detailed implementation and institutional arrangements of the project can be found in the project implementation manual prepared by the government. 23 La Direction G6n6rale des for6ts; la Direction G6n6rale de la peche et de l'aquaculture; la Direction G6n6rale des 6cosystmes aquatiques; la Direction G6n6rale of Agriculture, de l'E16vage, de la P6che et du D6veloppement Rural. 24 Ministre de la Promotion des Investissements, des Travaux Publics, des Transports, de l'Habitat et du tourisme, charg6 de l'am6nagement du territoire. 25 AFD projects Arc d'Emeraude and Forest Management Verification. 26 Institut Gabonais d'Appui au D6v6loppement. 27 Observatoire de promotion, de D6veloppement Durable, des produits et services de l'Industrie du Gabon. 40 Financial Management, Disbursement, and Procurement Arrangements Overview of Project and Implementing Entity Country Issues 9. Gabon has embarked on a series of major reforms and initiatives, including the adoption of a new organic budget law in 201028 and a new procurement code in April 2012,29 the ongoing development of a budget management system (Vectis), the outsourcing of a public investment program to a Contract Management Agency (ANGT) run by Betchel, and the creation of finance and administrative directorates (Directions Centrales des Affaires Financi&res, DCAF) in line ministries with the view to ease the transition to program-based budgeting approach as well as devolve budget authority. 10. Against this background, critical challenges in public financial management (PFM) remain, as highlighted in the Bank's Public Expenditure Review (2012 PER). These challenges relate to (i) misalignment between public spending and development goals, (ii) the lack of a comprehensive public investment management system to manage the current tripling of the investment budget, (iii) low capital budget execution in priority sectors, (iv) poor value-for-money in public spending, and (v) insufficiencies in financial reporting arrangements.30 The underlying causes include, among others, outdated procurement bidding documents, lack of transparency in the procurement process, lack and/or delay in preparing the planning & budget execution tools (for example, procurement/commitment/disbursement plans), lack of manual of procedures guiding the elaboration of the financial reports, and, more generally, weak PFM capacities at sectoral levels. 11. To improve its economic performance, the Government of Gabon (GoG) has requested the Bank for technical assistance in a number of areas, including PFM. To this end, a first Reimbursement Advisory Services (RAS) amounting to US$2 million was signed and disbursed on November 2011. The PFM activities under this first RAS [P 130564], focusing on the improvement of the budget preparation, were duly completed and received both client and Bank recognition. They specifically related to (i) the timely elaboration of a 2013 annual budget, and of procurement, commitment, and disbursement plans in key six lines ministries; (ii) the development of a manual of procedures for the elaboration of administrative accounts; and (iii) the piloting of the performance audit in the health sector with the aim to assess the value-for-money of the underlined spending. The Government will enter into a RAS (Reimbursable Advisory Service) agreement with the WBG to enhance the above results. 28 This is being readapted to comply with the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC) PFM Directives adopted on December 2011. 29 This includes among others, the creation of a Procurement Regulatory Agency (ARMP), the decentralization of the Directorate of Public Procurement in line ministries. 30 Since 2009 the Court of Account is issuing a qualification on the annual financial reports, as a result of comprehensiveness in the administrative accounts produced by the Ministry of Budget. 41 Table A3.1 Risk Assessment and Mitigation Risk Risk Risk Mitigating Risk after Remarks Rating Measures Incorporated Mitigation into Project Design Measures Country Level H The RAS is ongoing with the H Weak capacity in public aim to improve budget financial management (FM). execution and value for money audit performed by the SAI with World Bank support. Entity Level M Rely on the DGEPN and M The DGEPN and ANPN have ANPN. Both entities have been exposed to World previous expenence in Bank-funded procedures managing World Bank-funded through small TF projects. projects. Project Level M .M Define a clear mechanism of Lack of collaboration collaboration in the between the DGEPN and implementation manual. ANPN. Inherent Risk M M Budgeting S Establish a clear timeline and S Preparation Delay in the preparation of the responsibilities for budget PTBA due to late preparation and monitoring in communication of budget the manual of financial and information by the technical administrative procedures. directorate (DGEPN) involved and the ANPN. Accounting S Recruit one FM assistant at the M Preparation/Implementation DGEPN. Accounting transactions not timely recorded at the DGEPN due to workload. Internal Controls and S Include in the project manual S Preparation/Implementation Internal Audit of procedures a clear description of the role and Risk of ineligible function that prevents any expenditures. segregation of duties. Intensive training on FM compliance and procedural issues. Funds Flow S Open two DAs in a M Preparation commercial bank acceptable to Delay in the funds release if the World Bank. One for Caisse de D6p6t et de activities managed by the Consignations (CDC) hosts DGEPN and one for activities the Designated Account (DA) managed by the ANPN. as the latter doesn't comply with eight criteria of the disbursement letter. Financial Reporting S Install a computerized M Preparation/implementation information system at the Delay in producing acceptable DGEPN and ANPN with a consolidated IFRs. consolidation module to record transactions and produce financial statements. Auditing M M da in Recruit an external auditor Implementation Delay mn submitting external according to ToR acceptable to 42 audit report as experienced the World Bank with previous TF managed by Close follow-up of recruitment the DGEPN and ANPN. process and get support from the Supreme Audit Institution. Control Risk S S Overall FM risk S S The overall residual risk rating is deemed Substantial. Strengths 12. The DGEPN and ANPN staffs are familiar with World Bank-financed projects. Weaknesses and Action Plan to Reinforce Fiduciary Arrangements 13. Although there is past experience with the procedures surrounding projects funded by the World Bank, an approved financial and administrative manual of procedures is not yet in place, and the civil servants working at the DGEPN may have little time to dedicate to the project. Other weaknesses and proposed solutions are detailed in table A3.2. Table A3.2 Significant Weaknesses or Risks to Project Fiduciary Arrangements Significant Weaknesses or Action Responsible Completion Risks Body Lack of an acceptable Prepare the project DGEPN Was completed before fiduciary manual implementation manual including negotiations fiduciary procedures Overload of work at the Recruit a FM assistant. DGEPN Three months after DGEPN effectiveness Absence of acceptable Recruit an external auditor DGEPN Four months after external audit arrangements according to TOR acceptable to effectiveness the IBRD. Lack of a computerized Install a computerized information DGEPN/ANPN Three months after accounting system system with a consolidation effectiveness module. 14. Staffing. The DGEPN and ANPN both have a finance and administrative officer and an accountant who has been exposed to the procedures of World Bank-financed projects. These officers are civil servants and will be involved in the management of this project-an example of partial use of a country system. The financial management (FM) staff will record transactions, monitor the compliance of transactions with fiduciary requirements, and prepare the withdrawal application and financial reports. In addition, one FM assistant will be hired at the DGEPN to reduce the workload resulting from the management of the project and will be in charge of consolidating the DGEPN and ANPN financial information. All financial staff will receive training in relevant financial procedures at the launch of the project and 43 periodically. The training will be provided by the World Bank's FM staff and external consultants. 15. Budgeting. Budgeting arrangements will be clearly detailed in the financial manual of procedures and in line with national budget preparation agenda. A consolidated annual work plan and budget for the DGEPN and ANPN, to be approved by the Steering Committee, will describe-in a realistic manner-activities to be performed during the year and will be translated into annual budgets. Budget execution will be monitored via a computerized information system and in accordance with the budgeting procedures specified in the manual of procedures. Any variances will be identified in the Quarterly Unaudited Interim Financial Reports (IFRs) and corrective actions taken. Only budgeted expenditures will be committed and incurred, so as to ensure that resources are used within the agreed-upon allocations and for the intended purposes. 16. Accounting policies and procedures. A computerized accounting system will be installed (multiproject and multisite accounting software) at the DGEPN and ANPN to ensure that accounts of the project activities are kept in order and that the consolidated financial reports are produced in a timely manner and in accordance with the accounting principles of the Organisation pour l'Harmonisation du Droit des Affaires en Afrique (OHADA), which are in line with international accounting standards. 17. Internal control and internal auditing. Internal control as described in the manual of financial procedures comprises segregation of duties principles. In addition, one FM assistant will be recruited to handle the workload generated by the project. The budget controller (Contr6leur budgetaire) of the line ministry and ANPN will be involved according to their respective roles as described in the national decree. Funds Flow and Disbursement Arrangements 18. Designated account. Two designated accounts (DAs) in CFA francs will be opened in a commercial bank acceptable to the Bank and managed by the joint signature of respectively the FMS and the General Director of the DGEPN, and by the FMS and Executive Director of the ANPN. The first DA ("DA-A") will be managed by the ANPN and will be used to pay for eligible expenditures under Components 1 and 2. The ceiling of DA-A will be set at CFAF 122 million. The second DA ("DA-B") will be managed by the DGEPN and will be used to pay for eligible expenditures under Components 3 and 4. The ceiling of DA-B will be set at CFAF 160 million, equivalent to four months of expenditure forecast. Upon project effectiveness, each DA will receive an initial advance of up to the ceiling amount, which will be replenished regularly through monthly withdrawal applications (WAs). All WAs will be signed by signatories appointed by the government (including the director of debt). 19. Disbursement methods and supporting documentation. Upon grant effectiveness, transaction-based disbursements will be used during the first months of project implementation. Thereafter, the option to disburse against submission of quarterly unaudited IFRs could be considered subject to the quality and timeliness of the IFRs submitted to the Bank and the overall FM arrangements as assessed in due course. In the case of the use of the 44 report-based disbursement, the ceiling of each DA will be equal to the cash forecast for two quarters for the relevant components, as provided in the quarterly unaudited IFR. The project will have the ability to submit WAs electronically using the "eDisbursement" module available on the World Bank Group's (WBG's) Client Connection website. The other methods of disbursing the funds (reimbursement, direct payment, and special commitment) will also be available to the project. Figure A3.2 Flow of Disbursements and Supporting Documentation DA-A ANPN) Payments a- DGEPN) . J? FL 5- Documentations. invoices, list of payments 20. Disbursements by category. Table A3.3 sets out the expenditure categories to be financed out of the grant proceeds, which will finance 100 percent of eligible project expenditures. The percentage of expenditures to be financed takes into recognition the prevailing country financing parameters for Gabon. 45 Table A3.3 Table of Eligible Expenditures fFinancing Percentage of Expenditures Components Aont of to be Financed (inclusive of taxes) (1) Goods, works, consultant services, 31 training and operating under 100% Components 1 and 2.1 and 2.2. 100% of amounts disbursed (2) Subgrants under Component 2.3 800,000 under the respective Sub- grants Agreements. (3) Goods, works, consultant services, training, and operating costs under 3,811,000 100% Components 3, 4. Total amount 7,521,000 100% 21. Retroactive Financing: The project will provide retroactive financing up to an aggregate amount of US$1 million for payments for eligible expenditures made on or after January 1, 2014 and before the Grant Agreement signing date. 22. Financial reporting and monitoring. Consolidated IFRs will be submitted to the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) within 45 days after the end of each calendar quarter. The IFR will comprise the sources and uses of funds and the detailed expenditures by component. The format will be validated during the project's negotiations. At the end of each fiscal year, the project will prepare consolidated annual financial statements. 23. The DGEPN and ANPN each will act the fiduciary entity for the components assigned to them, but the DGEPN will be in charge of consolidation of the annual work program and financial reports. 24. Auditing. The consolidated annual financial statements prepared by the DGEPN and ANPN will be audited annually by an independent external auditor. The auditor will provide one single opinion on the annual financial statements, in compliance with the IFAC32 Standards on Auditing. In addition to the audit reports, the external auditors will be expected to prepare a management letter giving observations, comments, and providing recommendations for improvements in accounting records, systems, controls, and compliance with financial covenants in the financing agreement. The project will be required to submit the audited annual financial statements to the World Bank, no later than six months after the end of the fiscal year. Gabon SAI will be involved in external auditor recruitment and will jointly participate in external auditor field mission. 31 This includes $200,000 for technical assistance and training for the development and implementation of income generating activities in sub-component 2.3. 32 International Federation of Accountants. 46 25. The project's FM conditions and covenants entail the following actions: * The recruitment of an external auditor four months after effectiveness. * The installation of a computerized information system three months after effectiveness. * The adoption of the implementation manual, including the manual of financial procedures by negotiations (completed). * The recruitment of a FM assistant three months after effectiveness. Implementation Support Plan 26. The FM implementation support mission will be consistent with a risk-based approach, and will involve a collaborative approach with the entire Task Team (including a procurement specialist). A first implementation support mission will be performed six months after the project effectiveness. Afterwards, the missions will be scheduled using the risk-based model employed by the Financial Management Unit of the World Bank's Africa Region and will include the following diligences: (i) monitoring of the FM arrangements during the supervision process, at intervals determined by the risk rating assigned to the overall FM assessment at entry and subsequently during implementation (ISR); (ii) review of the IFRs; (iii) review of the audit reports and management letters from the external auditors and follow-up on material accountability issues by engaging with the task team leader, client, and/or auditors (the quality of the audit also is to be monitored closely to ensure that it covers all relevant aspects and provides enough confidence on the appropriate use of funds by recipients); (iv) physical supervision on the ground; and (v) assistance to build or maintain appropriate FM capacity. Conclusions of the FM Assessment 27. The residual FM risk is considered substantial. The proposed FM arrangements for this project are considered adequate to meet the Bank's minimum fiduciary requirements under OP/BP10.00. The assessment recommends as mitigating measures, the following: * The recruitment of an external auditor with terms of reference (ToR) acceptable to the IBRD. * The installation of a computerized information system with a consolidation module. * The adoption of the implementation manual including the manual of administrative and financial procedures. * The recruitment of an FM assistant/specialist. Procurement Guidelines 28. Procurement. Procurement for the project will be carried out in accordance with the World Bank "Guidelines: Procurement of Goods, Works, and Non-Consulting Services under IBRD Loans and IDA Credits and Grants by World Bank Borrowers" (hereafter, Procurement Guidelines) and "Guidelines: Selection and Employment of Consultants under 47 IBRD Loans and IDA Credit and Grants by World Bank Borrowers" (hereafter, Consultant Guidelines), dated January 2011, and the provisions stipulated in the legal agreement. Procurement (works, goods, and nonconsulting services) or consultant selection methods, prequalification, estimated costs, prior review requirements, and time frame will be agreed upon in the procurement plan. The procurement plan will be updated at least annually or as required to reflect the actual project implementation. The Bank's Standard Bidding Documents (SBDs) or Gabon's National Standard Bidding Documents, satisfactory to the the World Bank, will be used. To the extent practical, the Bank's standard bidding documents for works, goods, and standard requests for proposals, as well as all standard evaluation forms, will be used throughout project implementation. 29. Advance contracting and retroactive financing. In order to accelerate program implementation, the recipient has expressed its intention to proceed with the initial steps of procurement before signing the related Financial Agreement. The procurement procedures, including advertising, will be done in accordance with the Bank's Guidelines in order for the eventual contracts to be eligible for Bank financing, and the normal review process by the Bank will be followed in accordance with the Procurement and Consultant Guidelines. 30. Advertising. A comprehensive General Procurement Notice (GPN) will be prepared by the recipient and published in the United Nations Development Business online (UNDB online) following board approval, to announce major consulting assignments and any international competitive bidding (ICB). The GPN shall include all ICB for works, goods, and nonconsulting services contracts and all large consulting contracts (that is, those estimated to cost US$300,000 or more). In addition, a specific procurement notice is required for all works and goods to be procured under ICB in UNDB online. Requests for expressions of interest (EOI) for consulting services expected to cost more than US$300,000 shall be advertised on UNDB online. An EOI is required in the national gazette, a national newspaper, or an electronic portal of free access for all consulting firm services regardless of the contract amount. In the case of national competitive bidding (NCB), a specific procurement notice will be published in the national gazette, a national newspaper, or an electronic portal of free access. Contract awards will also be published in UNDB, in accordance with the Bank's Procurement Guidelines (para. 2.60) and Consultant Guidelines (para. 2.31). Requirements for National Competitive Bidding 31. Works, goods, and nonconsulting services contracts will use NCB procurement methods in accordance with national procedures using SBDs acceptable to the IBRD and subject to the additional requirements: * In accordance with paragraph 1.16 (e) of the Procurement Guidelines, each bidding document and contract financed out of the proceeds of the financing shall provide that (i) the bidders, suppliers, contractors and their subcontractors, agents, personnel, consultants, service providers, or suppliers shall permit the World Bank as supervising entity, at its request, to inspect all accounts, records, and other documents relating to the submission of bids and contract performance, and to have said accounts and records audited by auditors appointed by the World Bank/supervising entity; and (ii) the 48 deliberate and material violation of such provision may amount to an obstructive practice as defined in paragraph 1.16 (a)(v) of the Procurement Guidelines: * Invitations to bid shall be advertised in national newspapers with wide circulation. * The bid evaluation, qualification of bidders, and contract award criteria shall be clearly indicated in the bidding documents. * Bidders shall be given adequate response time (at least four weeks) to submit bids from the date of the invitation to bid or the date of availability of bidding documents, whichever is later. * Eligible bidders, including foreign bidders, shall be allowed to participate. * No domestic or CEMAC's regional preference shall be given to domestic or regional contractors, or domestically or regionally manufactured goods; and association with a national or regional firm shall not be a condition for participation in a bidding process. * Bids are awarded to the substantially responsive and the lowest evaluated bidder, after it is proven this bidder is qualified. No scoring system shall be allowed for the evaluation of bids, and no "blanket" limitation on the number of lots that can be awarded to a bidder shall apply. * Qualification criteria shall only concern the bidder's capability and resources to perform the contract, taking into account objective and measurable factors. Procurement Environment 32. No special exceptions, permits, or licenses need to be specified in the grant agreement since the procurement code, approved by the President of the Republic on June 19, 2012, allows World Bank procedures to take precedence over any contrary provisions in local regulations. A procurement regulatory body is being created through legal text. Procurement of Works 33. Under this project no major procurement of works is foreseen. Procurement of works under this project currently consists mainly of construction of surveillance housing for rangers. Civil works costing more than US$5,000,000 equivalent will be procured through ICB. Other works contracts costing less than US$5,000,000 equivalent will use NCB procurement methods in accordance with national procedures using SBDs acceptable to the IBRD and subject to the additional requirements set forth or referred to above in the paragraph on "Requirements for National Competitive Bidding." Small works estimated to cost less than the equivalent of US$200,000 per contract may be procured through shopping, based on price quotations obtained from at least three contractors in response to a written invitation to qualified contractors. Procurement of Goods and Nonconsulting Services 34. Under this project no major procurement of goods or nonconsulting services through ICB is foreseen. Procurement of goods under this project will include: (i) vehicles, (ii) small boats for surveillance, (iii) office equipment, and (iv) acquisition of a geographic information 49 system for wetlands. Taking into account the level of value added, and manufacturing/production capacity in the country, procurement of goods will be bulked where feasible (of similar nature and need during the same time period) into bid packages of at least US$1 million equivalent, so that they can be procured through suitable methods to secure competitive prices. Goods estimated to cost US$1 million equivalent and above per contract will be procured through ICB, which will use the Bank's Standard Bidding Documents. For other goods contracts costing less than US$1 million equivalent, NCB procurement methods will be used in accordance with national procedures using SBDs acceptable to Word Bank and subject to the additional requirements set forth or referred to above in the paragraph on Requirements for National Competitive Bidding: * Procurement of goods and nonconsulting services-including those of readily available off-the-shelf maintenance of the office electronic equipment and other services such as printing and editing-which cannot be grouped into bid packages of US$100,000 or more, may be procured through prudent shopping in conformity with Clause 3.5 of the Procurement Guidelines. * Based on country-specific needs and circumstances, shopping thresholds for the purchase of vehicles and fuel may be increased up to US$500,000, considering that major car dealers and oil providers are consulted. * At the beginning of the project, vehicles procurement packages estimated to cost US$200,000 or less can be procured through the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS). Selection of Consultants 35. Consulting services will be used for the following activities and functions: (i) financial audit, (ii) technical assistance for the coordination of research and monitoring of the surveillance system, (iii) technical assistance on wetlands' biological wealth and socioeconomic analysis, (iv) environment specialist, (v) social development specialist, (vi) fisheries specialist, (vii) FM assistant, (viii) procurement specialist/assistant, (ix) M&E assistant, (x) elaboration of wetland strategy, (xi) recruitment of a NGO to assist in the implementation of revenue generating activities, and (xii) recruitment of an NGO to assist the DGEPN in the overall implementation of project activities. These consulting services will be procured with the most appropriate method among the following, which are allowed by Bank guidelines and included in the approved procurement plan: Quality-and cost-based selection (QCBS), quality-based selection (QBS), selection under a fixed Budget (SFB), and least-cost selection (LCS): * Selection based on consultants' qualifications (CQS) will be used for assignments that shall not exceed US$300,000. Single source selection (SSS) shall also be used in accordance with the provisions of paragraphs 3.9 to 3.13 of the Consultant Guidelines, with the World Bank's prior agreement. All TOR will be subject to the World Bank's prior review. * Assignments of engineering designs and contract supervision in excess of US$300,000, and all other technical assistance assignments above US$100,000, must be procured on 50 the basis of international shortlists and in accordance with provisions of paragraph 2.6 of the Consultant Guidelines. * Consultants for services, meeting the requirements of Section V of the Consultant Guidelines, will be selected under the provisions for "Selection of Individual Consultants," through comparison of qualifications among candidates expressing interest in the assignment or approached directly. Community Participation in Procurement 36. The project will finance environmental-friendly community-driven activities in wetlands through subprojects under the Subcomponent 2.3. This subcomponent will help communities-in partnership with local NGOs-develop revenue-generating activities, including potential viable tourism products in selected wetlands (such as activities for tourism development) and could include small works and equipment, for example, infrastructure (access roads, campsites, docks, boat ramps, and watch towers). These revenue-generating activities are expected to cost less than US$40,000, and would be procured according to paragraph 3.19 of the Procurement Guidelines and the Section D of the "Guidelines for Simplified Procurement and Disbursement for Community-Based Investments" (March 3, 1998), which are: * Local shopping for goods * Local shopping for work * Local call for tenders for goods and works * Direct contracting/off-the-shelf purchases 37. A specific operations manual to guide revenue-generating activities has been prepared to outline the procedures, standard documents, and tools to be used. 38. The procurements will entail minor works and goods to be carried out as part of subprojects' activities. Given their size, the amount, and the fact that works and goods for subprojects are generated by demand, it may not always be practical to prepare detailed procurement plans at the time of negotiations as required under paragraph 1.18. These contracts will be procured, with procedures outlined in the financial agreement and bidding document acceptable to the IBRD, as further detailed in the specific operations manual for the revenue-generating activities. They may be procured under the shopping procurement method for works and goods. Under this procedure, lump-sum, fixed-price contracts are awarded on the basis of the comparison of at least three quotations solicited in writing from at least qualified domestic contractors and suppliers. 39. The invitation shall include a detailed description of the works or goods, including basic specifications, the required completion date, a basic form of agreement acceptable to the IDA, and relevant drawings where applicable. Quotations should be opened at the same time and, to the extent possible, in the presence of community members. The awards will be made to contractors or suppliers offering the lowest-price quotes and having the experience and resources to complete the contract successfully. In some remote areas, it may be difficult to obtain and compare three quotations. Under such circumstances, direct contracting could be considered when the cost to the community of another procedure would be disproportionately 51 high relative to the value of the procurement itself, and where only one contractor or supplier is available locally. The contractor or supplier can thus be chosen without going through the shopping procedures, provided the costs are in line with local market rates. 40. Operating costs financed by the project include, among other items, utilities and office supplies, vehicle operation, maintenance and insurance, and building and equipment maintenance costs. They will be procured using the project's financial and administrative procedures included in the operation manual and based on the annual work plan and budget. For services (such as car maintenance, computers maintenance) to be financed through operating costs, the project will proceed by service contracting for a defined period. 41. Trainings, workshops, seminars, conferences, and study tours will be carried out on the basis of approved annual work plans and budgets that will identify the general framework of training and similar activities for the year, including the nature of training, study tours, workshops, the number of participants, and cost estimates. Institutional Arrangements for Procurement and Capacity Assessment, Including Risk Mitigation Measures 42. Procurement implementation arrangements for Components 1 and 2. The ANPN will be in charge of the implementation of Components 1 and 2. To ensure proper implementation and build on successful past experience with the GEF-PARCS, the project implementation unit will retain key staff with good performance and knowledge of procurement procedures, mainly the procurement specialist. 43. Procurement capacity assessment of the implementation arrangements of Components 1 and 2. An assessment of the capacity of the ANPN for the purpose of the project was carried out on October 18, 2013, and the procurement risk for the implementation of this component was rated as moderate, because: (i) the procurement specialist currently on board is qualified, and needs only a refreshing capacity building on the use of the new procurement and Consultant Guidelines dated January 2011; (ii) the procedural manual needs to be updated; (iii) the professional members are familiar with the Bank's procurement procedures, and need only be updated on the new Procurement and Consultant Guidelines dated January 2011. 44. To mitigate the above-mentioned procurement risks, an action plan (table A3.4) has been agreed upon whose implementation and monitoring will reduce the procurement residual risk to low. 52 Table A3.4 Action Plan to Mitigate Procurement Risks of Components 1 and 2 Action to Be Undertaken Time Frame Responsible Body Finalization and submission to the World Bank for Was completed by ANPN clearance a satisfactory version of the operations manual negotiations comprising a section on procurement for use by the project Elaboration of a specific operations manual to guide Was completed by ANPN revenue generating activities negotiations Elaboration and submission of an 18-month First draft available at ANPN procurement plan to the World Bank. preappraisal for discussions during appraisal and adopted in a manner satisfactory to the Bank at negotiations. Retain the procurement specialist of the former World Three months after ANPN Bank closed project. effectiveness. Strengthen the capacity of the procurement specialist Three months after the ANPN, with the and the key professional staff involved in the project project effectiveness and as participation of the implementation activities on the Procurement and needed during project life. World Bank Consultant Guidelines dated January 2011. procurement staff. 45. Procurement implementation arrangement of Components 3 to 4. The DGEPN will be in charge of implementing Components 3 to 4. The DGEPN will be strengthened by a procurement assistant/specialist to enhance its capacity to manage the project. 46. Procurement capacity assessment of the implementation arrangements of Components 3- 5. The assessment of the capacity of the DGEPN for the purpose of the project revealed the following: (i) although the DGEPN has recent experience in the implementation of Bank- financed projects, it appeared that it was exposed to a small operation and its capacity needed to be strengthened in procurement through direct assistance from the recently closed GEF- PARCS procurement specialist at the ANPN and the recruitment of a procurement assistant/specialist; (ii) the procedural manual needs to be updated; (iii) professional staff involved in the project implementation activities and the procurement unit staff members of the DGEPN, were unfamiliar with the Bank's procurement procedures; and (iv) a comprehensive recordkeeping system needed to be established. The procurement risk rating is high. The mitigation action plan described in table A3.5 has been agreed upon. If properly implemented and monitored, the action plan will bring this risk to moderate. 53 Table A3.5 Action Plan to Mitigate Procurement Risks of Components 3-4 Action to Be Undertaken Time Frame Responsible Body Elaboration and submission of the first 18-month First draft available at DGEPN procurement plan to the World Bank. preappraisal for discussions during appraisal and negotiations. Finalization of a satisfactory version of the operations Was completed before DGEPN manual, comprising a section on procurement for use by negotiations the project, to be submitted to the World Bank for approval Direct assistance from the ANPN's recently closed Three months after DGEPN World Bank-financed project procurement specialist effectiveness. and the recruitment of a procurement assistant/specialist to be based at the DGEPN for the purpose of the project Strengthen the capacity of the procurement assistant/ Three months after the DGEPN, with the specialist, the procurement unit staff members, and the project effectiveness and as participation of World key professional staff involved in the project needed during project life. Bank procurement staff. implementation activities on the Procurement and Consultant Guidelines dated January 2011. 47. Procurement plan. During the preparation mission, a first draft of a simplified procurement plan for project implementation was elaborated, providing the basis for procurement methods. This plan, covering the first 18 months of project implementation, was reviewed at preappraisal. The final version of this procurement plan was discussed and agreed upon by the recipient and the project team at negotiations. It will be available in the project's database and a summary will be disclosed on the Bank's external website once the project is approved by the board. The procurement plan will be updated in agreement with the project team annually, or as required to reflect actual project implementation needs and improvements in institutional capacity. 48. Publication of results and debriefing. Publication of results of the bidding process is required for all ICBs, limited international biddings (LIBs), and direct contracting. Publication should take place as soon as the no-objection is received, except for direct contracting-which may be done quarterly and in a simplified format. Publication of results for NCB and shopping should follow the requirements of the procurement code of Gabon. The disclosure of results is also required for the selection of consultants. All consultants competing for the assignment should be informed of the result of the technical evaluation (number of points that each firm received) before the opening of the financial proposals, and at the end of the selection process, the results should be published. The publication of results in the selection of consultants applies to all methods. For CQS and SSS, however, the publication may be done quarterly and in a simplified format. The publication of results may be done through the Client Connection website. Losing bidders/consultants shall be debriefed on the reasons why they were not awarded the contract, if they request an explanation. 49. Fraud and corruption. The procuring entity as well as bidders/suppliers/contractors /service providers shall observe the highest standard of ethics during the procurement and execution of contracts financed under the program in accordance with paragraphs 1.14 and 1.15 of the Procurement Guidelines and paragraphs 1.22 and 1.23 of the Consultant 54 Guidelines. The "Guidelines on Preventing and Combating Fraud and Corruption in Projects Financed by IBRD Loans and IDA Credits and Grants" (dated October 15, 2006, and revised in January 2011) will apply to this project. 50. Frequency of procurement supervision. The capacity assessment of the implementing agency has recommended supervision missions to visit the field at least two times a year; a post review of procurement actions will be conducted on an annual basis. Summarized Procurement Plan 51. The main works, goods, and nonconsulting services to be procured in the project are listed in table A3.6. Table A3.6 List of Works, Goods, and Nonconsulting Service Contract Packages to be Procured Ref. Description Estimated Procurement Domestic Review by World Comments/ No. Cost Method Preference Bank Completion Date (US$ million) (yes/no) (Prior/Post) I Component 1: Generating Knowledge and Monitoring of Wetlands Ecosystems 1.2- Equipment for 0.1 million Shopping No Post June 2016 A2 marking out Ramsar pilot sites II Component 2: Support for Sustainable Management of Selected Critical Wetlands Ecosystems 2.2- Vehicles 0.36 million Shopping No Post April 2015 A 2.2- Small boats for 0.200 million NCB No Post April 2017 B surveillance 2.2- Camping 0.15 million NCB No Prior June 2015 (first NCB C materials for Goods/ANPN) 2.2- Construction of 0.55 million NCB No Prior December 2016 (first D surveillance NCB for housing for Works/ANPN). rangers IV Component 3: Strengthening Institutional Framework to Support Wetlands Management 4-E Vehicles 0.12 million Shopping No Post June 2015 4-F Office equipment 0.05 million Shopping No Post June 20 4-H Acquisition of a December 2016 (First GIS for wetlands 0.35 million NCB No Prior NCB for Goods) Prior Review Thresholds for Works, Goods, and Nonconsultant Services 52. Contracts estimated to cost above US$5 million for works and US$500,000 for goods per contract, the first NCB contracts for works and goods, eventually others as identified in the procurement plan, and all direct contracting will be subject to prior review by the World Bank. The main consulting assignments of the project are listed in table A3.7. 55 Table A3.7 List of Consulting Assignments with Selection Methods and Time Schedule Ref. Description of Assignment Estimated Selection Review by Comments/ No. Cost Method World Bank Completion Date (US$ million) (Prior / Post) I Component 1: Generating Knowledge and Monitoring of Wetlands Ecosystems Technical assistance for 1.1-A. research in biological wealth 0.40 million QCBS Prior June 2016 and socioeconomic analysis for the wetlands 1.2-Al Elaboration of a capacity- 0.05 million IC Post June 2016 building strategy I I H Component 2: Support for Sustainable Management of Selected Critical Wetlands Ecosystems 2.3-A Recruitment of a NGO to 0.200 million QCBS Prior June 2016 assist in the implementation of revenue-generating activities III Component 3: Strengthening Institutional Framework to support Wetlands Management 3-B Diagnostic of the 0.02 million IC Post June 2015 institutional context 3-I Elaboration of the wetlands 0.03 million IC Post June 2016 strategy 3-K Recruitment of a NGO for 0.20 million QCBS Prior June 2017 assisting the DGEPN in the implementation Technical assistance for the 3-L coordination of research and 0.5 million QCBS Prior December 2018 monitoring of the surveillance system 3-M Administrative assistant to 0.09 million IC Post December 2018 support research 3-N Environment specialist 0.25 million IC Prior December 2018 3-0 Fishing technical assistance 0.096 million IC Post December 2018 3-P Social specialist 0.25 million IC Prior December 2018 IV Component 4: Project Management Procurement June 2016 (First two years 4-A-1 specialist/assistant 0.048 million IC Prior contract) June 2016 (First two years 4-A-2 Accountant assistant 0.048 million IC Prior contract) 4-A-3 Monitoring and evaluation 0.048 million IC Prior June 2016 (First two years assistant contract) 4-A-4 Recruitment of the financial 0.05 million LCS Prior December 2014 (First two years) auditor 53. Prior review of thresholds for consultant services. Consultant services estimated to cost above US$200,000 for firms and US$100,000 for individuals per contract, and SSS of consultants (firms and individuals) will be subject to prior review by the World Bank. Similarly, all audit contracts will be subject to prior review, as will be the first contracts to be awarded in accordance with each selection method of consulting firms and individual consultants, regardless of the contract amount. Short Lists of Consultants for Assignments of 56 Engineering Designs and Contract Supervisions estimated to cost less than US$300,000, and all other consultancy assignments whose estimated costs do not exceed US$100,000 per contract may be composed entirely of national consultants in accordance with the provisions of para. 2.7 of the Consultant Guidelines. Environmental and Social Impacts (including safeguards) 54. Project types and locations. The project is a category B because the potential impacts are likely to be small scale, and site specific, and thus could be manageable. The environmental and social safeguards concerns of the proposed project are associated with the activities of Subcomponents 2.2 (strengthen surveillance capacities in the selected sites) and 2.3 (environmentally friendly community-driven activities in wetlands). 55. Environmental impacts. The project's environmental impacts are likely to be site specific, small scale, nonsensitive, and reversible, that is, typical of category B projects. The project therefore triggers OP/BP 4.01 (Environment Assessment). Infrastructure investments supported by the project (construction of permanent staff quarters) will involve minor civil works with no significant negative environmental or social implications. Expected impacts during these small infrastructure rehabilitation works include: (i) air/dust pollution (due to contractors' activities such as site clearance), which is expected to be minimal and temporary within the wetlands area; (ii) noise and vibration resulting from use and movement of machinery; and (iii) occupational health and safety concerns, as civil construction/rehabilitation workers face the risk of being injured at the work site possibly from moving machinery, unguarded parts of equipment, and a disregard for health and safety issues. All these will be manageable as it is expected that the contractors will follow mitigation measures and environmental and social management clauses inserted into their contracts, based on the Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF). 56. The project also triggers OP/BP 4.04 Natural Habitats for the positive impacts the project is expected to have on natural habitats. Given that the project covers national parks, including large mangrove areas, OP 4.36 Forest is also triggered. 57. Social impacts. It is expected that project interventions will positively impact the project's main beneficiaries, which are the local communities that live around the project sites (Bas Ogoou6, Monts Birougou and Petit Loango + Sett6-Cama), composed of a population of about 70,000. It is expected that the local economy as a whole will benefit from the outside money injected through the supported income-generating activities (IGAs), either from sales on nearby or remote markets, or from increased local consumption of good and services by game-viewing tourists attracted by the better infrastructure and enhanced fauna resulting from project interventions. Consultations will be carried out with local populations in the target areas and the preparation of each activity will be based on a participative process that will ensure that all stakeholders will be able to express their views. 58. Gender. In the project area, men and women alike are engaged in natural resource harvesting. The most vulnerable groups, especially women and youth, have been identified and have shown strong interest in working with the project. The project will work closely 57 with these target groups to build their entrepreneurial capacity and to support them in the development and implementation of income-generating activities. 59. OP/BP 4.12. As part of social safeguards, OP/BP 4.12 Involuntary Resettlement will be triggered, not because households are expected to be physically resettled, but to be sure that potential risk of restriction of access to resource use in a protected area is addressed. The resulting process framework describes: (i) project components and any activity susceptible to infringe on communities access to natural resources or to cause other possible prejudices to the communities; (ii) potential conflicts and possible claims related to the project; (iii) consultative and participatory definition of eligibility criteria for reparation for loss of livelihood; (iv) definition of measures to support the population in their efforts to improve or reinstate their livelihood infringed upon; (iv) definition of measures to support the population in their efforts to improve or reinstate their livelihood infringed upon; (v) financial reparation methods and procedures; and (vi) a monitoring system to ensure that financial reparations are effectively provided by the government. 60. OP/BP 4.10. During appraisal there were no indigenous peoples identified in the project sites. However, this policy is triggered for precautionary measures because Gabon is in the Congo basin, where these populations exist. An Indigenous Peoples Planning Framework was therefore prepared and disclosed in-country, and at the Infoshop on February 6, 2014, before project appraisal. Key Measures to Be Taken by the Recipient to Address Safeguards Policy Issues 61. The government has prepared, conducted consultations, reviewed, and disclosed three safeguards instruments required under this project: an Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF) to cover the small-scale rehabilitation of park infrastructures and community micro-enterprises; a Process Framework in case of restriction of access; and an Indigenous People Planning Framework in the event that indigenous peoples would be affected by project interventions. 62. Mitigation measures. The ESMF recommends mitigating measures to ensure that civil works are executed in an environmentally sound manner-such as sprinkling construction sites with water and limiting construction activities to normal working hours, and notifying the local community in advance if construction activities have to be performed outside these hours. For the construction of surveillance infrastructure for park rangers, the ESMF also addresses: (i) the sourcing of construction materials and the disposal of construction-related wastes; and (ii) generic rules for contractors and construction workers to follow, including prohibitions on hunting, fishing, wildlife capture, illegal bush-meat purchases, burning of vegetation, washing vehicles or changing lubricants in or near waterways or wetlands, and any inappropriate interactions with local residents, along with transparent penalties for noncompliance. 63. Capacity for safeguard implementation. The project will recruit an environmental and social specialist consultant that will be responsible for following up safeguard issues during project implementation. The specialist or consultant will be responsible for (i) preparing TOR for the environmental management plans (EMPs) if needed and (ii) ensuring that the 58 contractors comply with the recommendations of these studies and environmental and social management clauses (inserted into their contract) during the construction phase. The Bank will provide guidance on the elaboration of the TOR and the DGEPN will be responsible for providing overall quality control through the review and clearance of the EMPs. Specific capacity building on environmental management and environmental assessment will be provided to the technical services departments of the DGEPN, in addition to the key staff of the ANPN, and other implementing focal points. In accordance with the Bank's guidelines, all environmental assessment studies will need to be reviewed and cleared by the Bank prior to the commencement of civil works. 64. Public consultations. The safeguard instruments were prepared after consultation with key stakeholders, both at the national and local levels. The proposal in the process framework to establish committees to manage the compensation process in the event of conflicts and possible claims was perceived by the populations as an indication that the project might lead to actual resettlement. The objective of the process framework was therefore better clarified during the consultations and in the revised process framework to clear up any possible misunderstanding of its content. The stakeholders also expressed interest in participating in elaboration of the project's annual work plans, as well in training provided by the project. These concerns were all noted, and recommendations were incorporated in the revised safeguard documents accordingly. 59 Annex 4 Operational Risk Assessment Framework (ORAF) Gabon Republic: SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT OF CRITICAL WETLANDS ECOSYSTEMS (P143914) Proe S tkhle R S isk Stakeholder Risk Rating Moderate Risk Description: Risk Management: Multiple stakeholders (communities living inside or Project will focus on management plans that are inclusive of diverse stakeholder interests, around the project sites) that directly benefit from the emphasize different economic values as well promote sustainable natural resources wetlands ecosystems services, and extractive industries management. A comprehensive valuation of economic services provisioned by the wetland operating in the project sites. There are risks of social ecosystems in Gabon will be conducted to inform decision makers on potential conflicting tensions between these stakeholders due to land use uses and trade-offs competition. Resp: Status: Stage: Recurrent: Due Date: Frequency: Client In Progress Both CONTINUOUS Capacity Rating Low Risk Description: Risk Management: The General Directorate of Environment (under the The project institutional and organizational structure has been developed to share Ministry of Forests, Environment and Protection of responsibilities between the two entities based on their respective experiences and strengths Natural Resources) is institutionally responsible for the as follows: the ANPN will be responsible for Components 1 and 2 and the DGEPN for Wetlands of International Importance (WII) sites and is Components 3 to 4. This sharing of responsibilities has been done in a participatory manner the focal point for the Ramsar Convention. But it has and should function smoothly at implementation. much less capacity in terms of project management (including fiduciary and safeguards) than the Agence Nationale des Parcs Nationaux (ANPN) which has been Both In Progress Implementation implementing a Global Environment Facility (GEF)- financed project over the past five years. 60 Governance Rating Low Risk Description: Risk Management: Governance performance in Gabon is ranked low but the The Bank will be vigilant and will maintain a close dialog with the DGEPN and ANPN new administration has taken steps to change this pointing out such issues when they emerge and demanding that they are addressed and situation. The ANPN has satisfactorily implemented the possibly linking them to release of financing. PARCS project. The Direction G6n6rale de l'Evionemet t e a Potctonde a atreResp: Status: Stage: Recurrent: Due Date: Frequency: l'Environnement et de la Protection de la Nature (DGEPN) has also implemented an Institutional Both In Progress Implementation Development Fund (IDF) project, which familiarized it to the World Bank procedures. In both cases, the World Bank team has closely monitored the implementation. Design Rating Low Risk Description: Risk Management: Risk that project design might not be appropriate to reach The project has been designed in a participatory manner with key stakeholders. The results the project development objective (PDO) and global framework has also been carefully crafted and in a participatory manner to ensure that environment objective (GEO). project activities, inputs, outputs, and outcomes are aligned with the project objective. Resp: Status: Stage: Recurrent: Due Date: Frequency: Both In Progress Both Social and Environmental Rating Low Risk Description: Risk Management: Risk of significant social and environmental negative The nature of the project is to enhance the quality of management of these critical impacts. ecosystems, and reduce risks associated with potential economic development. As such the project is expected to have major positive outcomes in terms of environmental sustainability. Social dimensions will be addressed through a very consultative approach that will be part of the preparation of the management plans of selected sites. Resp: Status: Stage: Recurrent: Due Date: Frequency: Both In Progress Both 61 Program and Donor Rating Low Risk Description: Risk Management: Risk of poor coordination with donors intervening in the The project team has been working in close coordination with the French Development sector thereby creating a redundancy for activities Agency (AFD) currently implementing a wetland and forestry projects in Gabon, thereby financing. ensuring synergies among the Bank and AFD interventions in Gabon. This collaboration will be further fostered through joint implementation support missions. Resp: Status: Stage: Recurrent: Due Date: Frequency: Bank In Progress Both [ Delivery Monitoring and Sustainability Rating Moderate Risk Description: Risk Management: Risks of low capacity at the national and local levels to The project will focus specifically on building national capacity for sustainable deliver project results, and to ensure close monitoring and management of wetlands and monitoring in a way that is complementary to existing natural sustainability of project results resource management practices. Resp: Status: Stage: Recurrent: Due Date: Frequency: Both In Progress Both Resp: Status: Stage: Recurrent: Due Date: Frequency: D Overall Implementation Risk: Rating Moderate Risk Description: The overall rating is Moderate. The proposed rating is mostly based on the key project risk related to land-use competition. Prospects for development of extractive industry activities in wetlands exist and this could create major pressures on the integrity of the wetland ecosystems, jeopardizing in the medium to long term their capacity to deliver ecosystem services. While this could certainly create a risk for the operation, it should be highlighted that the mitigation measure is embedded to the design of the operation itself. 62 Annex 5. GEF Incremental Reasoning Background Context 1. Gabon became a party to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance (WII) in 1987. The country has since registered nine sites on its list of WII, covering in total 2.8 million hectares and representing a wide variety of aquatic ecosystems: mangroves, savannas, waterfalls and rapids, lagoons, rivers, lakes, and alluvial plains. 2. Despite the political engagement through the adhesion to the Convention, only limited actions have been taken so far to operationalize the pillars of the Convention. These include the designation of Ramsar sites; the establishment of the Ramsar Focal Point in the Direction G6n6rale de l'Environnement et de la Protection de la Nature (DGEPN); the submission to the Ramsar Secretariat of a Ramsar Information Sheet (RIS) for each designated WII; the designation of an evaluation group (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique et Technologique, CENAREST); and a government and nongovernmental organization (NGO) contact for communication, education, and public awareness (CEPA). Beyond these institutional prerequisites, activities to implement the Ramsar Convention have stayed in the realm of public awareness, with a workshop for commercial operators in wetlands, and the presentation of a documentary on petroleum production in wetlands. 3. Gabon reported to the Ramsar Secretariat33 that its greatest obstacle to implementing the Convention is the lack of funding and capacity to undertake the necessary activities. At present, there is no national policy or action plan for wetlands, and no national inventory of wetlands or the species contained therein. Gabon's reported priorities for the Convention are: (i) establishment of the National Inter-ministerial Committee for Ramsar, (ii) implementation of management plans for the WII sites, and (iii) identification and registration of additional WIls. 4. Laws protecting nature and environment in Gabon are the Environment Law (1993), the National Parks Law (2007), the Forestry Code (2001), and the Fish and Aquaculture Code (2005).34 There is a National Action Plan for Environment (2000), a National Action Plan for Forestry (1999), and a National Strategy on Biodiversity.35 5. The Environment Law provides general principles for national policy on the protection of the environment. Environmental protection is to be achieved largely by way of impact studies, which commercial operators are regulated to undertake. Thus, the protection of Gabon's wetlands currently relies solely on impact studies and the implementation of impact mitigation plans. Rapport National sur l'Application de la Convention de Ramsar sur Les Zones Humides. National reports to submit to the 10th Session of the Conference of the Contracted Parties, Romania, June 2012. 34 Loi sur l'Environment; Loi sur les Parcs Nationaux; Loi portant code forestier ("Code Forestier"); Loi portant code de la p6che et de l'aquaculture ("Code de la P6che et de l'Aquaculture"). Le Plan National d'Action Environnementale; Le Plan d'Action Forestier National; La Strategie Nationale sur la Biodiversite. 63 Baseline Scenario 6. Inadvertently some of Gabon's Ramsar WII sites benefit from the conservation activities of the Agence Nationale des Parcs Nationaux (ANPN). Five of the nine WII sites are-in whole or in part-also designated as national parks (NPs). To the extent that conservation activities in NP areas overlap with the WII areas, the latter benefit from government or partner resources. Table A5.1 lists Gabon's Ramsar sites and, where applicable, the associated national parks. 7. To varying degrees, the development or implementation of management plans is under way in five national parks (see table A5.1). For NP Petit Loango, a management plan has been developed that benefits WII Petit Loango somewhat-but not entirely since the wetland is more than twice the size of its associated national park. Similarly, the ANPN is developing a management plan for NP Birougou, but the latter represents only 13 percent of the Monts Birougou WII. The WII site on the river Ivindo is more fortunate, as it is contained within the NP Ivindo, for which a plan has been developed. The WII sites of Akanda and Pongara overlap the respective national parks exactly, and these areas are currently the focus of conservation work supported by the Agence Frangaise de D6veloppement (AFD).3 Table A5.1 Ramsar WI Sites and Associated National Parks Ramsar Site Area (ha) Created Associated Created Area (ha) National Park Wongha-Wongu6 380,000 1986 Petit Loango 480,000 1986 E 2002 155,000 Sett6-Cama 220,000 1986 Akanda 54,000 2007 E 2002 54,000 Pongara 92,969 2007 E 2002 92,900 Monts Birougou 536,800 2007 E 2002 69,000 Bas Ogoou6 862,700 2007 Falls and Rapids on the Ivindo River 132,500 2007 E 2002 300,000 Falls of Mboungou Badouma and Doum6 59,500 2007 8. The remaining four WII sites, those without an associated NP status, currently do not benefit from any targeted government resources. But a variety of conservation activities in these WII sites are supported by local and international NGOs. 9. Another AFD project targets improved management of forestry concessions throughout the country: Forestry Management Verification (FMV).37 The goal of the FMV project is to assist Gabon in developing the capacity to effect partnership agreements with importers who demand 36 Project Arc d'Emeraude financed through the France-Gabon Debt Relief Agreement-Accord de Conversion de Dettes (ACD). 37 Contr6le de l'Amenagement Forestier (CAF) is the original version of the project name. It is also part of the ACD. 64 certifiable good governance in forestry.38 All nine provinces will benefit from reinforced capacity in terms of equipment, infrastructure, human resources, and training. To the extent that forest concessions fall inside or beside Ramsar sites, these wetlands will benefit from improved forestry surveillance, practices, and management. The selected sites for the proposed Global Environment Facility (GEF) project are: Petit Loango/Sett6-Cama, Bas Ogoou6, and Monts Birougou (described in annex 2). All three of these sites will benefit from the activities of the FMV Project: the FMV first priority areas include forestry territories in and around the Monts Birougou WII site; second priority areas include forestry territories in and around the Bas Ogoou6 and Petit Loango/Sett6 WII sites. 10. Table A5.2 summarizes current activities that directly or indirectly benefit Gabon's network of WIl. These are supported by the DGEPN, ANPN, AFD, and various local and international NGOs. Table A5.2 Activities Directly or Indirectly Benefiting Ramsar WII Sites in Gabon Organization Focus Area Activities Direction G6n&rale de National * Maintenance of National Focal Point for Ramsar. l'Environnement et de la * Liaison with the Ramsar Secretariat. Protection de la Nature * Communication, education, and public awareness (CEPA). (DGEPN) Agence Nationale des Birougou National Park * Finish management plan for the Birougou National Park. Parcs Nationaux (ANPN) Petit Loango National Park * Start implementation of management plan for the Petit Loango National Park. Agence Franqaise de Mondah Forest, * Improve knowledge of focus area ecosystems. D&veloppement (AFD) Akanda National Park, and * Develop and implement a monitoring system for focus area Pongara National Park ecosystems. Project: Arc d'Emeraude * Reinforce capacity to monitor focus areas (equipment, personnel, de Libreville infrastructure, technical assistance for fisheries management). * Implement the ANPN management plans for national parks. * Construct and launch tourism/educative interpretive center and canopy attraction in the Mondah Forest (Raponda Walker Arboretum). * Build capacity for integrated land-use planning for Libreville region (Komo estuary and Mondah catchment area). AFD National and Provincial Project: Reinforce central and decentralized capacity (equipment, Projget Vrfto Forestry Frtritoriaes:o infr7astructure, quarters, information and communication systems) Management Verification Forestry territories to permit deployment of more forestry staff nationwide. Ivindo, Minkb, and Reinforce capacity to implement forestry regulations, best Birougou.practices, forestry certification programs. Secodpririt ares: Development of a third-party system of forestry production and Second priority areas: Forestry territories of verification practices. Gamba and the Estuaire. World Wildlife Fund Bas Ogoou& W11 Site i Assess status and threats to biodiversity in focus sites. (WWF) Ndougou Basin Coastal Data collection, mapping, and description of focus sites. Lagoon (includes Petit Conservation strategy for hippos and manatees. Loango/Sett&-Cama W11) * Rapid assessment of artisanal and small-scale mining in and around protected areas. 38 The Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) initiative in the European Union; the Lacy Act in the United States. 65 Costs and Challenges of the Baseline Scenario 11. The total expenditure related to the baseline scenario has been estimated at US$33,740,000, all of which is attributable to Government of Gabon's investment and in-kind support for environmental activities having synergies with this GEF project. This includes: (i) US$2 million of government contribution to project implementation for salaries of civil servants seconded to the project coordination unit, and office facilities allocated to the project; and (ii) government investment for the Arc d'Emeraude and the FMV projects-both are projects financed by the France-Gabon Debt Relief Agreement and implemented by the AFD, for a total amount of 31,740,000. 12. The baseline scenario does not allow for the development of a strategic approach to wetland resource management in Gabon, as envisioned by the pillars of the Ramsar convention. As it is, only some of Gabon's WII areas are "incidentally" benefiting from planning and protection activities. 13. Specific shortcomings of the baseline scenario include: * No national institutional framework for wetland management. * No interministerial treatment of wetland issues. * No mainstreaming of wetland issues in national and provincial governments. * Complete absence of management activities in four WII sites39 and partial absence of site management activities in two WII sites (Monts Birougou, Petit Loango). Hence, 82 percent of Gabon's 2.8 million hectares of critical wetland ecosystems does not benefit from any kind of protective activity. * Continued unplanned urban development and resource exploitation (deforestation, mining, petroleum exploration) in and around unmanaged wetland areas. * Continued unchecked reliance on commercial operators to adequately account for wetland ecosystem impacts, and to also implement impact mitigation actions for the protection of wetlands. Proposed GEF Alternative 14. The GEF alternative to the baseline scenario provides resources to extend the coverage of management activities in Gabon's wetlands. The project treatment of the three selected sites (not already benefiting from ANPN activities) would bring some degree of planning activity to 1.9 million hectares of WII. In this case, 84 percent of the country's WII area would benefit from- to varying degrees-national and local management capacity development through information collection and consolidation regarding land use, resources use rights and claims, environmental components, socioeconomic data and analyses, monitoring and control, management plan development, and plan implementation. 15. The GEF alternative starts the process of building a national institutional framework to protect and manage sustainably Gabon's wetlands. The establishment of a national 39 These are Wongha-Wongu6, Sett6-Cama, Bas Ogoou6, and the Mboungou Badouma and Doum6 Falls (see table A5.1 for W11 sites not benefiting from the presence of a national park). 66 interministerial committee, as envisioned under the Ramsar Convention, will be a first step at mainstreaming wetland issues across sectors and levels of government. The development of a national wetlands strategy will require interministerial collaboration to set wetland management priorities, which will guide land-use decisions that affect wetlands. Linkages with Baseline Activities 16. The GEF alternative meshes well with the baseline activities. Importantly, it addresses government priorities for wetland resources as expressed by the DGEPN to the Ramsar Secretariat. It also capitalizes on the momentum and availability of recent work in wetland areas. The management plans developed by the ANPN for the national parks of Birougou and Loango will serve as a basis on which the GEF alternative can build, by extending the scope of inquiry and planning to cover the entire Ramsar sites associated with these two national park areas. The work conducted by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) will inform the inquiry and planning activities of the Bas Ogoou6 WII. 17. The Arc d'Emeraude project in the Akanda and Pongara National Parks, which are also designated Ramsar WII sites, compliments the GEF alternative. The Arc d'Emeraude project unfolds in a manner parallel to the GEF alternative: in selected sites there is knowledge acquisition, establishment of a monitoring system, management planning and implementation, and development of local activities. The GEF alternative project has similar components in three different (WII) sites, but the GEF alternative goes further by establishing a national institutional framework for wetlands management and monitoring. This national framework for management will be bolstered and enriched by the site-specific activities of both projects. 18. The nationwide FMV project provides an opportunity for cross-sector collaboration. As forestry concessions overlap with WII sites, wetland priority setting and planning should inform forestry management and planning, and vice versa. At the national level, project synergies and information could be identified and shared through the Piloting Committee of stakeholders, established by the FMV project, and the National Ramsar Committee established as part of the GEF alternative. The FMV project plans to establish project coordination committees in each province to bring together stakeholders implicated in forest management. Similarly, the GEF alternative will create regional Ramsar subcommittees to inform the national committee. Through these subnational and national forums, resource-use planning and management of natural resources in the Ramsar sites may achieve greater consistency. Value Added by the Proposed GEF Alternative 19. Gabon's wetland ecosystems are critical for the environmental sustainability of much larger landscapes and seascapes-both in Gabon and globally. The local and global benefits expected from the GEF alternative include the following: Biodiversity Benefits * Increased information about the endemic species contained in Gabon's wetlands. * Improved protection of wetland biodiversity through identification of species under threat. and targeted protection of habitats of species under threat. * Improved protection of freshwater fish species through implementation of sustainable 67 management of fish stocks that includes improved upstream protection of fish breeding and feeding habitats. Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Benefits * Maintenance of wetland services for climate change impact attenuation in terms of protection from coastal erosion from storm and tidal surges, and flood protection from greater precipitation variability and intensity. * Maintenance of carbon stored in wetlands through better control of extractive land-use activities in WII sites. * Maintenance of carbon storage and sequestration capacity of forested wetland areas through improved management of forestry activities in WII sites. Land and Water benefits * Reduced land and water degradation through wetland area management activities that reduce pollution loading and land degradation impacts from commercial activities in wetland areas. * Reduced water and wetland degradation from inappropriate agricultural practices in wetland areas, through the promotion of sustainable land management practices in WII management plans. Contribution to the GEF Focal Areas 20. Wetlands are extremely rich in biodiversity with a high rate of endemism. The proposed project is consistent with the GEF Strategy for Biodiversity on a number of fronts, as well as several cross-cutting capacity development strategic objectives. 21. With its support for the diverse and majestic biodiversity found in Gabon's wetlands, it aligns with Biodiversity Objective 1 (BDI), which seeks to "improve sustainability of protected area systems." The project provides for a more diverse representation of marine and terrestrial biodiversity in Gabon's system of protected areas through: (i) enhanced management and monitoring of the overall Ramsar site network in Gabon; (ii) preparation of management plans for the selected sites; and (iii) coverage of unprotected ecosystems. The legal status (and level of protection) of Ramsar sites varies in Gabon. The proposed project on wetlands will bolster protected areas that already encompass wetlands, as well as extend into areas that fall outside of the formal protected areas. 22. Through its integrated landscape approach, the project will also directly contribute to the Land Degradation Objective 3 (LD3), which seeks to "reduce pressures on natural resources from competing land uses in the wider landscape." Specifically, under Component 2, the management plans for selected wetland areas will be based on an inclusive approach that balances the interests of stakeholders with development objectives. Interests include extractive industries and agricultural production, as well as local community use and conservation. The focus on building policies and management practices that integrate the various needs and stakeholders, as well as the diversity of uses of the wetlands landscape (including associated forest areas), promotes a landscape approach to sustainable land management in a productive and dynamic mosaic. In addition, under Component 1, an economic valuation of wetland economic services will assess the potential trade-offs between wetlands conservation, and conversion to 68 "more valuable" intensive economic activities. The project is therefore expected to be critical to build the necessary awareness and foster the political engagement for a sustainable and environmentally friendly development path in the critical wetlands ecosystems. 23. Sustainable management of wetlands, as proposed under the project, holds significant potential for supporting forest management and the flow of associated ecosystem services in line with the SFM/REDD+ Objectives 1 (SFM/REDD+) aiming at "reducing pressures on forest resources and generating sustainable flows of ecosystem services." All of the selected sites contain large areas of forested wetlands; and one of the sites (Petit Loango/Sett6-Cama) contains mangroves. The project will contribute to reduced pressure on these vulnerable ecosystems. Notably the project will: (i) support the preservation of wetlands under increasing pressures from other competing land uses; and (ii) conduct audits of extractive industries in and around the selected sites. Incremental Costs 24. Table A5.3 presents the incremental costs of the GEF alternative project, as compared to the baseline scenario. The components of the GEF alternative project are described in more detail in annex 2 of the project document. The total cost associated with the GEF alternative is estimated to be US$7.521 million. Table A5.3 Incremental Cost Matrix Components Category Cost (US$) Domestic benefits Global benefits 1 Generating Baseline Government Institutional capacity for Increased knowledge about the knowledge and scenario of Gabon planning, management is WII and increased national monitoring of (GOG): strengthened for two Wetlands of capacity to protect wetland wetland 13,350,000 International Importance (WII) biodiversity and integrity, ecosystems in sites; a monitoring system is allowing ecosystem services to Gabon. implemented for both sites. continue flow across borders. Global 13,950,000 Institutional capacity for planning Environment and management is strengthened Facility for an additional three WII sites; a (GEF) monitoring system is alternative implemented for the sites. Increment 600,000 2 Support for Baseline GOG: Reinforced local capacity- Reduced human pressure on sustainable scenario 15,971,606 equipment, planning, and fauna and flora, and improved management of monitoring-to manage wetland conservation of biological selected critical sites. resources of global significance. wetland Local livelihood improvement for ecosystems. local communities through tourism development, and reduction of human pressure on W11 resources near Libreville through integrated land-use planning for the Libreville region. GEF 19,081,606 The above plus: Reduced pressure on wetlands of alternative Reinforced local capacity- global significance. Stabilized or equipment, planning, and improved biological diversity in monitoring-to manage an these areas. additional three WII sites. 69 Components Category Cost (US$) Domestic benefits Global benefits Local livelihood improvement for Secured global public goods such rural communities and reduction as retention of greenhouse gases of human pressure on WII (GHG), nitrogen fixation, ecosystems in an additional three groundwater recharge and WII sites outside the Libreville biodiversity, and reduced climate region through increased capacity change impacts from coastal to monitor wetland use, and the erosion and flooding. implementation of management plans. Draft national plan of action for Gabon's wetlands. Increment 3,110,000 3 Strengthening Baseline GOG: Institutional framework for Reduced loss in biodiversity institutional scenario 3,418,344 wetlands management improved resources in wetlands ecosystems framework to and clarified at both national and of global significance through support local levels, improved national management wetlands Mainstreaming of wetland of these resources. management. concerns through an interministerial structure that addresses cross-sector wetland management issues and priorities. GEF 6,744,344 alternative Increment 3,326,000 4 Project Baseline GOG: Management scenario 1,000,000 GEF 1,485,000 alternative Increment 485,000 Total Baseline 33,740.000 scenario GEF 41,261,000 alternative Increment 7,521,000 Requested from the GEF 7,521,000 70 Annex 6. Implementation Support Plan 1. The strategy for implementation support (IS) has been developed based on the nature of the project and its risk profile. It will aim at making implementation support to the client more flexible and efficient, and will focus on implementation of risk mitigation measures defined in the Operational Risk Assessment Framework (ORAF). * Procurement. Implementation support will include: (i) providing training to the Direction G6n6rale de l'Environnement et de la Protection de la Nature (DGEPN) and Agence Nationale des Parcs Nationaux (ANPN) staff as needed, (ii) reviewing procurement documents and providing timely feedback to the DGEPN and ANPN, (iii) providing detailed guidance on the Bank's Procurement Guidelines to the DGEPN and ANPN, and (iv) monitoring procurement progress against the detailed Procurement Plan. * Financial management (FM). Supervision will review the project's FM system at the DGEPN and ANPN, including but not limited to, accounting, reporting, and internal controls. Supervision will also cover micro-enterprises on a random sample basis. * Environmental and social safeguards. The Bank safeguard specialists in the project task team will supervise the implementation of the Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF) and Process Framework through specific Environmental Management Plans (EMPs) and will provide guidance to the DGEPN and ANPN as needed. * Anti-Corruption. The Bank team will supervise the implementation of the agreed Governance and Accountability Framework, and provide guidance in resolving any issues identified. 2. Most of the Bank team members are based in the region (Cameroon and C6te d'Ivoire) and the fiduciary staff in the Cameroon Country office to ensure timely, efficient, and effective implementation support to the client. Formal implementation support missions and field visits will be carried out semi-annually. Detailed inputs from the Bank team and partners are outlined below: * Technical inputs. In terms of biodiversity conservation, technical inputs will be provided to the DGEPN and ANPN by the team environmental economist (consultant) with background in biodiversity and wetlands conservation. * Fiduciary requirements and inputs. Training will be provided by the Bank's financial management specialist and procurement specialist as needed to project staff. Both the financial management and the procurement specialist are based in the country office of Cameroon to provide timely support. Formal supervision of FM will be carried out semi- annually, while procurement supervision will be carried out on a timely basis as required by the client. 3. Based on the outcome of the FM risk assessment, the following implementation support plan is proposed. The objective of the implementation support plan is to ensure that the project maintains a satisfactory FM system throughout the project's life. 71 Table A6.1 Implementation Support Plan for Financial Management FM Activity Frequency Desk reviews Interim financial reports review. Quarterly Audit report review of the project. Annually Review of other relevant information such as interim internal Continuous as they become available control systems reports. On site visits Review of overall operation of the financial management system. Annual with field visits at the local level (Implementation Support Mission) Monitoring of actions taken on issues highlighted in audit reports, As needed auditors' management letters, and internal audit and other reports. Transaction reviews (if needed), As needed Capacity building support Financial management training sessions During implementation and as and when needed. * Financial review of the DGEPN's and ANPN's corporate finance. Input is required from a financial specialist for regular review of the DGEPN's and ANPN's financial status to verify compliance of financial covenants. This exercise will be done through semi-annual review. * Safeguards. Inputs from an environment specialist and a social specialist are required, though the project's social and environmental impacts are limited and client capacity is generally adequate. Capacity building will be required on environment monitoring and reporting. On the social side, supervision will focus on the implementation of the process framework. Field visits are required on a semi-annual basis. The social and environmental specialists are based in the region (Cameroon and CMte d'Ivoire). * Operation. The task team leader (TTL) will provide timely supervision of all operational aspects through regular videoconference and audio meetings, as well as coordinating with the client and Bank team members. The TTL will lead two formal field supervisions a year and, as needed, conduct punctual missions to resolve operational issues. To ensure that annual work plans and implementation support and supervision action plans will be carried out as planned, a short-term consultant will be recruited and based in the Libreville country office for daily follow-up of project activities with the DGEPN and ANPN. He/she will also participate in monitoring and evaluation (M&E) activities in the project sites. 72 The main focus areas for implementation support are summarized in table A6.2. Table A6.2 Implementation Support Focus Areas Time Focus Resource Estimate Partner Role First 12 Financial management (FM) training and FM specialist 4 SWs n.a. months supervision Procurement training and supervision Procurement specialist 4 SWs n.a. Social safeguards Social specialist 2 SWs n.a. Environmental training and supervision Environmental specialist(s) 2 SWs n.a. Task Team Leader (TTL)/Natural Project implementation support and Resource Management (NRM) n.a. coordination na specialist 4 SWs Environmental economist/biodiversity and Biodiversity and wetlands management wetlands specialist 4 SWs n.a. Project implementation and monitoring and M&E consultant CO based 30 SWs n.a. evaluation (M&E) support Environmental economist/biodiversity and 12-60 months Biodiversity and wetlands management wetlands specialist 16 SWs n.a. Environment and social monitoring and Environmental specialist(s) 16 SWs n.a. reporting Social specialist 16 SWs FM disbursement and reporting FM specialist 16 SWs n.a. Procurement supervision Procurement specialist 16 SWs n.a. Project implementation support and supervision TTL/NRM specialist 16 SWs coordination Project implementation support and M&E M&E consultant CO based 120 SW n.a. Note: SW staff week. n.a. Not applicable. The staff skill mix required is summarized in table A6.3. Table A6.3 Staff Skill Matrix 'Skills Needed Number of Staff Weeks Number of Trips Comments Wetlands management 6 SWs annually Two France based Procurement 4 SWs annually Fields trips as required Country office based Social specialist 4 SWs annually Fields trips as required Country office based Environment specialist 4 SWs annually Fields trips as required Country office based Financial management specialist 4 SWs annually Fields trips as required Country office based Task team leader (TTL)/natural 4 SWs annually Two annually Washington based resource management (NRM) Specialist Project implementation support 30 SWs annually Field trips as required Country office based and M&E III. Partners Name Institution/Country Role TBD Ramsar Convention Wetlands conservation 73 Annex 7. Descriptions of Selected Ramsar Project SiteS40 Petit Loango Location and Size * 480,000 ha grouping of three (previously designated) protected areas: Petit Loango Nature Reserve, and two hunting reserves-Igu61a and Ngov6-Ndogo. * Southwest of Gabon in the province of Ogoou6 Maritime, straddling the borders of the Departments of Etimbou6 to the north and Ndougou to the south. * City of Gamba, 50 km to the south; city of Ombou6, 70 km to the north. * 5 km north of the Ramsar site, Sett6-Cama. * Coastal sedimentary basin, with average elevations at 25-30 meters, but also with some small hills reaching at most 100 meters. Summary Description Wildlife reserve. A mosaic of forest-savanna, characteristic of refugia, and flooded forests and alluvial depressions. A slightly undulating coastal plain with several lakes, dissected by small rivers and temporary and permanent swamps, set in a savanna, mangrove, and rainforest environment. The site supports rare and vulnerable species like the hippo, gorilla, and elephant, and provides a nesting site for the three threatened turtle species-Leatherback, Green, and Hawksbill. Birds, mainly of the Sterna genus, use the sandbanks for breeding. The site plays an important role for flood control, sediment capture, and bank stabilization through riverside vegetation. Given the very low population density and the area's classification as a wildlife reserve, the site is scarcely used. The surroundings are used for tourism and for oil exploitation; the latter could constitute a threat in the future, especially if expanded. Research interests include large mammals (elephant, gorilla, whales) and marine turtles that nest on the beaches. Flora Summary * 374 tree species; Fabaceae and Euphorbiacae, common to the Congo basin, dominate. * Mangrove trees include two species of Rhizophora-one of Avicennia and two of combretaceae. * On firm soil, the primary tree species are Aucoumea klaineana, Saccoglottis gabonensis, Desbordesia glaucescens, Dacryodes buettneri, Pentaclethra macrophylla, Erythrophleum ivorense, Baillonella toxisperma, Irvingia gabonensis, and Mimusops africana. * Secondary species tree species include Musanga cecropioides, Anthocleista schweinfurthii, and Pycnanthus angolensis. Fauna Summary * 82 reptile species (22 lizards, 3 crocodiles, 46 snakes, 11 turtles); 75 amphibians; 15 bat species; 42 large mammals including elephant, buffalo, hippopotamus, antelope; 84 fish species; 455 birds. * Large mammals include elephants (Loxodonta africana), buffaloes (Syncerus caffer), hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius), and two species of duiker: Cephalophus monticola and Cephalophus sylvicultor. * Main fish species are Tarpon atlanticus, Caranx hippos, Lutjanus dentatus, Liza falcipinnis, Sphyraena afra, and Polydactylus quadrifilis. * Refugia for water birds such as the Egretta alba, Platalea alba, and Pelecanus rufescens. * The beaches are favorite nesting areas for marine turtles (notably, Dermochelys coriacea), the most abundant, Chelonia mydas and Eretmochelys imbricata. Human Inhabitants * At the site population is at 0.2 persons per km2 (2013 estimate). 40 Descriptions obtained from the Ramsar Secretariat summaries of the WII, and Ramsar Information Sheets. 74 Sett6-Cama Location, Elevation, and Size * 220,000 ha, grouping the hunting reserve of Sette-Cama (200,000 ha) and the nature reserve of Plaine Ouanga (20,000 ha). * Southwest of Gabon in the province of Ogoou6 Maritime, in the Department of Ndougou. * 5 km south of Ramsar site, Petit Loango * Town of Gamba is within the site. * Like Petit Loango, Sett6 Cama is in the coastal sedimentary basin, known as the Gabonese coastal plain, which has average elevations at 25-30 meters, but also with some small hills reaching at most 100 meters. Sett6 Cama itself reaches elevations of about 20 meters. Summary Description Wildlife reserve. Located a few kilometers south of Petit Loango, the site comprises a wildlife reserve and a hunting concession. The landscape consists of a slightly undulating sand plain with several lakes, marshes, and swamps, interspersed with patches of savanna. The area has significant biodiversity, with 15 species of bats, approximately 80 of amphibians and reptiles, and more than 450 of birds. It is also important for several endangered mammals, including elephant, duikers, and hippopotamus. Several fish species use the wetland as spawning, feeding, and breeding grounds, while turtles nest along the coast. The site is used by the local population for agriculture and fishing at a low scale, while water is pumped from the lagoon for supply to the town of Gamba. Oil exploitation has been taking place at the Ndougou lagoon for the past 50 years, with the company putting in place regulatory measures against hunting, as well as other environmental regulations. As in Petit Loango, the area is also used for tourism and for scientific research on mammals, whales, and turtles. The Sett6-Cama site belongs to the Ndougou-Nyanga complex. It is permanently flooded and includes the Ndougou lagoon, fed by two large independent hydrological systems commanded by, respectively, the rivers Rembo Ndougou and Nyanga. The site, located along the southern coast of Gabon, constitutes two terminal accumulation zones for a large coastal sedimentary basin. Flora Summary * 374 tree species; Fabaceae and Euphorbiacae species, common to the Congo basin, dominate. * Mangrove species include two species of Rhizophora, one species of Avicennia and two species of combretaceae. * On firm soil, tree species include Aucoumea klaineana, Saccoglottis gabonensis, Desbordesia glaucescens, Dacryodes buettneri, Pentaclethra macrophylla, Erythrophleum ivorense, Baillonella toxisperma, Irvingia gabonensis, and Mimusops africana. * Secondary stands are generally composed of Musanga cecropioides, Anthocleista schweinfurthii, and Pycnanthus angolensis. Fauna Summary * See Petit Loango. Human Inhabitants * Population density at the site is at 1 person per km2 (2013 estimate). * Town of Gamba with 11,000 inhabitants (2013 estimate). * Industrial operations: Shell Gabon exploiting sites around Gamba. 75 Bas Ogoou6 Location, Elevation, and Size * 862,700 ha with elevation ranging 158m to 993m. * West of Gabon straddling the provinces of Moyen Ogoou6 (departments of Ogoou6 and Lacs et Abanga Bign6) and Ogoou6 Maritime (department of Bendj6). * Central large urban center is Lambar6n6. * The area of Bas Ogoou6 is a small part of the Ogoou6 watershed. Summary Description In the west of the country, Bas Ogoou6 is a vast alluvial plain (over 70 km) containing marshes, lakes, rivers, and sandy banks exposed during the dry season. Luxuriant vegetation covers half of the site in dense forests, riparian marshes, savanna, and so on. It supports several threatened species such as the gorilla, chimpanzee, elephant, buffalo, mandrills, the African manatee, and the hippopotamus. Other noteworthy species include various waterbirds (such as Herons, the African cormorant, and falcons), as well as various fish populations (such as sharks, tilapia, carp, and introduced species such as Heterotis niloticus). As the site is rich in natural resources, it is commonly used by those who inhabit it as well as populations from the surrounding areas and large towns for various purposes, some of which are uncontrolled and lead to detrimental effects on the ecosystem; these range from exploitation of the forest for timber and other forest products, agriculture, hunting, fishing, tourism, livestock rearing, and transport of people and goods. Research on fish species and other biodiversity, as well as education and awareness-raising projects are carried out by the Ministries of Water and Forests and of Fisheries in collaboration with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). Flora Summary * Deltatic lake vegetation with many floating islands of Polygonum species, papyrus arbustive, and reedbeds anchored to Echinochloa grasses in thickets of Alchornea cordifolia. * Tree vegetation with semi-floating thickets of Alchonea cordifolia and Ceiba pentandra. * Dense forest ecosystems include species of picnanthus angolensis, Ficus vogeliana, pterocarpus soyauxii, anthocleista vogelii, and hylodendron gabonensis. * Flooded forests of the type igapo are dominated by Anthostema aubryanum. * Forests on firm ground are dominated by Aucoumea Klaineana and Sacoglottis gabonensis. * Other tree species include Dacryodes buettneri, Uapaca guineensis, Sacoglottis gabonensis, Desbordesia glaucescens, and Testulea gabonensis, among others. * Savannas ecosystems include savannas of Ctenium and Rhynchelytrum, savannas of Hyparrhenia and/or Pobeguina, and flooded savannas. Fauna Summary * Gorilla (Gorilla gorilla), chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes), elephant (Loxodonta africana), buffalo (Syncerus caffer), and a large concentration of mandrills (Mandrillus sphinx). * Birds include many migratory water birds, and Pelecanus rufescens, Phalacrocorax africanus, Egretta alba, Ardea purpurea, Nycticorax nycticorax, and Sterna hirundo. * The lagoons of the l'Ogoou6 basin have populations of Ardea cinerea and Agretta garzetta. Sterna Maxima migrates here at the end of August, as Gabonese coasts are its principle winter location. * Fish species are numerous. Human Inhabitants * Economic activities: agriculture, hunting, fishing, tourism, and a small amount of livestock rearing. * Water navigation is very important for moving goods and people between the cities of Ndjol6 et Port-Gentil, via Lambar6n6. * Estimated population density of provinces containing Bas Ogoou6 at 6 persons per km2 (2013). * Urban populations of Lambar6n6 and Ndjol6 at 40,000 (estimate 2013). 76 Monts Birougou Location, Elevation, and Size * 536,800 ha; elevation varies from 800 to 900 meters within the site, and 1,022 meters at the periphery * Southern Gabon in the provinces of Ngouni6 and Ogoou6-Lolo. * South of the Chaillu forest refuge * Closest urban centers are Malinga and Mbigou to the west (Ngouni6 Province) and Dienda, Pana et Koulamoutou to the east (l'Ogoou6-lolo province). Summary Description Being the source of the Nyanga and Ngouni6 rivers, and their main tributaries, the Mont Birougou site is considered a water tower of the country. The region most difficult to access in the country, with a high degree of endemism. The site comprises forests, swamps, savanna, falls, caves, valleys, and mountainous zones between 800 and 900 meters. Forest ecosystems are varied: mountainous, submountainous, marshy, seasonally flooded, secondary, white sand, and grassy. The woody and nonwoody products of the forests provide resources for feeding, building, clothing, and construction of artistic objects. The diversity of the site gives it a rich flora as well as one of the most remarkable faunas in Africa. Primates are dominant, with about 20 different species found in the Birougou Mountains. The endangered Gorilla (Gorilla gorilla), chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes), the vulnerable sun-tailed monkey (Cercopithecus solatus), mandril (Mandrillus sphinx), the West African dwarf crocodile (Osteolaemus tetraspis), the forest elephant (Loxodonta africana cyclotis), and the savanna elephant (Loxodonta africana africana), among others, are found here. The area is noted for its cultural and religious value in the country. Fishing with chemical products and overexploitation of forest and mining practiced on the outskirts pose a threat. Research in the site has been limited to preliminary inventories of flora and fauna. Flora Summary * Dense forest vegetation, of average humidity. Trees species include Aucoumea klaineana, Burseraceae, Gheombi, Sindoropsis, Dacryodes buettneri, Tetraberlinia bifoliolata, Dialium pachyphyllum, et Pterocarpus soyauxii. Pycnanthus angolensis, and Alstonia boonei. Fauna Summary * Primates are dominant in the forest-almost 20 species of primates are found in Monts Birougou including Mandrilus sphinx, Colobus satanas, Gorilla gorilla, chimpanzee, Colobus satanas, and Cercopithecus solatus, among others. * Elephant species include Loxodonta africana cyclotis, which cohabits the forest zone with the savanna elephant subspecies, Loxodonta africana africana. * Buffalo in forest and secondary forest ecosystems include Syncerus caffer nanus, Guib harnach6 Tragelaphus scriptus, and Hyemoschus aquaticus. * Duiker species are many, including Cephalophus callipygus, C. dorsalis, C. leucogaster, C. sylvicultor, C. ogilbyi crusalbum, and C. monticola (the species most threatened by poaching). * Other antelopes include Tragelaphus scriptus, Tragelaphus spekii, and Tragelaphus euryceros. * Tree-dwelling mammals include various bat species, and tree hyrax Dendrohyrax arboreus. * A preliminary inventory of reptilian fauna listed 50 species, including 2 crocodiles, 2 chelonii, 14 lacertiliens, and 32 ophidiens representing 15 families and 39 genres. Reptiles like the Varanus niloticus (Varan), the dwarf crocodile (Osteolaemus tetraspis), and the Seba Python (Python sebae) are typically cited as representative of the area. * The inventory of fauna in the Monts Birougou is only partially done. Human Inhabitants * Average population density of the provinces containing the Monts Birougou WII site is 3 persons per kM (estimate 2013). 77 Annex 8. Team Composition World Bank staff and consultants who have worked on the project include the following. Name Title Unit Serge Menang Sr. Environmental Specialist AFTN 1 Issa Maman-Sani Sr. Environmental Specialist AFTN3 Lucienne Mbaipor Sr. Social Development Specialist AFTCS Eric Adda Financial Management Specialist AFTMW Messan Kouami Sr. Procurement Specialist AFTPW Maya Abi Karam Senior Counsel LEGAM Aissatou Diallo Senior Finance Officer CTRLA Juliana Victor-Ahuchogu Sr. M&E Specialist AFTDE Cynthia Cartier Consultant/Economist AFTN 1 Virginie Vaselopulos Sr. Program Assistant AFTEN Sonia Vanecia Boga Program Assistant AFMGA Salimata Follea NRM Specialist & TTL AFTN 1 78 Annex 9. Map 79 IBRD 40725 GABON SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT OF CRITICAL WETLANDS ECOSYSTEMS PROJECT RAMSAR SITES o CITIES AND TOWNS MAIN ROADS o PROVINCE CAPITALS RAILROADS ® NATIONAL CAPITAL PROVINCE BOUNDARIES RIVERS - - - INTERNATIONAL BOUNDARIES 10E 12E 14E CAMEROON 2N EQ ATORIOyr ATLANTIC A° E T Å OCEAN GUl EA WO LU-NTEM Mékambo S Mic OG0OUÉ-IIN~DO Makokou EkI Ekata LIBREVILLETo Ovendo Makoua OE ST UAIlR EBdjoéOgov MQ)YEN- CONGO OGOOUE Port Genti Lambarene kGUÉ- LOL O da 1acO0 guå\ Kaulomoutou. OGOOUÉ- NGOUNIÉ C hillu HAUT- GOOUE MARITIME Lagune Masif Mauku L.kon Omboué Nkom % - 2S 9"* Mouila 2 2Pt 1goe1t Moujlo 0bo2 --w ciba'nga .To Kayes NYN GA 0 40 80 120 Kilometers M u . . . . . GABON 0 20 40 60 80 100 Miles 4S 4S This map wsO produced by the Map Design Unit of The World Bank. The houndri es, col ors, denominati- and any other informotion shoo'n on this map do not imply, on the part of The World Bank GSDPI4 lGroup, anyjdgment on the legal status of any territory, or any MP S endorsernent or acceptooce of such boundaries. -f~'C 10E 12E 14E FEBRUARY 2014