Southern Sudan Road Reconstruction - Current Problems Being

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KHARTOUM 001624 SIPDIS SIPDIS SENSITIVE DEPT FOR AF/SPG DEPT PLS PASS USAID FOR AFR/SUDAN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID ELTN PGOV KCOR IBRD SU SUBJECT: Southern Sudan Road Reconstruction - Current Problems Being Addressed, But Far From Resolution ¶1. (SBU) Summary: Two issues have slowed road construction in Southern Sudan: financial accounting and introduction of anti-corruption standards. The World Bank believes that both current obstacles will be overcome, and not dampen donor enthusiasm for developing key Southern infrastructure necessary for its economic development and the return of internally displaced persons (IDPs). However, USAID/Sudan Engineer reports that underlying problems are far from being resolved, and that tension among the GoSS, WFP, and the World Bank is growing. A sectoral analysis will follow by septel. End summary. Two Issues Hold Up Roads: Accounting & Anti-Corruption -------------- -------------- ¶2. (SBU) For road reconstruction projects outside of Juba being done under the supervision of the World Food Program (WFP),in which $30 million is EU funding channeled through the World Bank, a World Bank-WFP agreement on how to manage all financial accounting has been finalized and a new clause recently was added to cover the World Bank's anti-corruption standards as released by the World Bank President. The proposed new anti-corruption clause to the road contract is under review currently by the World Bank in Washington. ¶3. (SBU) For road reconstruction projects inside of Juba, to be contracted out by the GoSS via open tender, World Bank Country Manager Asif Faiz said that the first ten contracts for the overall Sudan Emergency Transport and Infrastructure Development Project (SETIDP) were released recently by the GoSS. However, a final review by the World Bank on two of the ten contracts that involved road construction revealed that neither followed acceptable international contract practices, and that both were highly "nasty and suspect" in terms of the possibility for corruption. Faiz noted that the scope of the two contracts had been changed by the GoSS without World Bank approval, resulting in costs that were three times higher than the original estimates. Another serious concern involved a bidder who had promised to reduce the cost of his bid by one-third if selected; after winning, in the final negotiations, he dropped the clause from the final contract language. Also, a bidder from Northern Sudan had been disqualified unfairly and eliminated �0A;from the bidders list. Issues Are Being Addressed -------------- ¶4. (SBU) On June 29, Faiz informed EmbOff he expects the new anti-corruption clause to be approved by the World Bank within a week. At that time, the EU's $30 million will be released by the World Bank. However, USAID/Sudan Field Office Engineer stated that the release of the EU funds will occur due to pressure from the GoSS, WFP, EU, and donors, not because underlying problems have been resolved. He added that the issue of the World Bank's involvement in the management of EU funds is far from being revolved. ¶5. (SBU) On July 5, the GoSS Ministry of Transport and Roads signed a $30 million grant to the WFP for some of the same work planned for the SETIDP, heightening Embassy's concern that, with Sudan's increasing oil revenues, GoSS will continue to see less need for donor funds and the international transparency rules that come with them. ¶6. (SBU) Regarding the two road construction contracts released by the GoSS, the World Bank representatives in Sudan have been in discussion with the GoSS, and believe that an agreement will be made to finalize one contract with only limited adjustments, but to cancel the second, although more critical, contract and open a new tender. Faiz said that he had proposed this solution to World Bank officials in Washington, and awaits a reply. He dded that the GoSS has more or less agreed to most of the proposed World Bank proposals; the World Bank is not certain how flexible the GoSS is in agreeing to further revisions, having balked at the World Bank/Khartoum's recommended solution. He added that a GoSS official stated that if the World Bank wants to block its one-third share of the funds, then the GoSS would fund the project on its own fully. ¶7. (SBU) USAID/Sudan Field Office Engineer emphasized the same concerns regarding the recent contracts released by the GoSS, but said that canceling or revising the contracts will be difficult now that the contractors have started preparations. The GoSS position is that all World Bank guidelines and procedures were followed in the procurement of the 10 contract packages that make up the Juba Infrastructure Projects. The World Bank reviewed and approved four of the ten, for 30 percent MDTF co-financing. USAID/Sudan Field Office Engineer added that post reviews of project, after awarding, are rare, but in this case the World Bank feels they have bent their procedures too far. Add'l Background on Road Reconstruction Projects -------------- --- KHARTOUM 00001624 002 OF 002 ¶8. (SBU) Under Sudan's Joint Assessment Mission (JAM) plan, the SETIDP calls for a total of $777 million to be spent during 2005-2010 on transport, electricity, urban infrastructure, water, health, and agriculture development. Of this total, $150 million is available during 2006, with donors covering one-third of the total ($50 million) under the Multilateral Donor Trust Fund (MDTF),and the GoSS covering the remaining $100 million. Outside of Juba, the WFP's Emergency Accessibility Improvements Program manages all road reconstruction projects. At the March 9-10 Sudan Consortium meeting in Paris, the GoSS Ministry of Transport and Roads reported that the WFP road repair program planned to cover a total 1716 km of roads, and almost 60 percent already had been completed. Inside Juba, the GoSS would manage all projects by contracting the work out to eligible Sudanese bidders. ¶9. (SBU) The overall SETIDP objectives for Sudan is to develop a network of well maintained roads and transportation services that allow for better connectivity, improved access to markets and social services, and movement of displaced refugees. A 6-month action plan laid out at the Paris Sudan Consortium meeting called for early progress on SETIDP, including establishment of a road authority for Southern Sudan as well as meeting specific benchmarks for road reconstruction. Donors were told in Paris that road infrastructure assessment needs for 2007 would be presented to as specific 2006 benchmarks -- showing GoSS readiness to proceed, as well as demonstrating project implementation capacity. According to the plan, the donor community would be briefed in August. Faiz did not provide information on where the World Bank sees the road reconstruction projects in terms of meeting the 6-month timeline, but did say that he believed these current two slowdowns should be resolved soon. Comment -------------- ¶10. (SBU) Since the Paris Sudan Consortium meeting in March, the Embassy has tracked progress of road reconstruction in Southern Sudan, as well as humanitarian de-mining efforts. Improved and safer roads will lead to increased economic activity, which will generate higher levels of trade, particularly with Kenya and Uganda. Road reconstruction will also lead to improved connectivity between Northern and Southern Sudan and thus facilitate the return of IDPs. However, Embassy Khartoum is concerned that progress on the roads are slowing down as tensions among the GoSS, WFP, and the World Bank are growing. USAID funding is in addition to the funds channeled through the World Bank, since the funds do not go into the MDTF. (See septel for additional information on progress of USAID roads projects.) Embassy will continue to coordinate closely with USAID Sudan, WFP, World Bank, and the donor community to ensure the Southern Sudan's road reconstruction stays on track. 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