19-Sep-2024
Date:_________________
H.E. Audace Niyonzima
Minister of Finance, Budget and Economic Planning
Ministry of Finance, Budget and Economic Planning
Bujumbura
Republic of Burundi
Re: Republic of Burundi
Omnibus Amendment to Financing Agreements to introduce
the Rapid Response Option
Excellency:
We refer to the financing agreements between the Republic of Burundi and the
International Development Association (“Association”) in respect of the financing listed in Annex
1 to this letter (“Financing Agreements). We also refer to your letter No.
540.1/3871/DGRCEF/2024 dated August 14, 2024, regarding the incorporation of the Rapid
Response Option (RRO) approved by the World Bank Board of Directors on February 1, 2024, in
the Financing Agreements.
In view of the above, and to establish the RRO for a CERP and a DPF Cat DDO, the
Association proposes to amend the Financing Agreements in accordance with Annex 2 to this letter.
All other terms and conditions of the Financing Agreements shall remain in full force and
effect.
Please confirm your agreement with the foregoing by signing and dating this amendment
letter in the space provided below.
The provisions set forth in this amendment letter shall become effective as of the date of
the countersignature.
Sincerely,
INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION
By: _________________________
Hawa Cissé Wagué
Country Manager for
Republic of Burundi
Africa Region
1818 H Street NW Washington, DC 20433 USA
H.E. Audace Niyonzima -2-
AGREED:
REPUBLIC OF BURUNDI
By: _____________________________
Authorized Representative
H.E. Audace NIYONZIMA
Name: _____________________________
Minister of Finance, Budget and Economic Planning
Title: _____________________________
27-Sep-2024
Date: _____________________________
Enclosures:
Annex 1: List of Financing Agreements
Annex 2: Amendments to Financing Agreements
H.E. Audace Niyonzima -3-
ANNEX 1
List of Financing Agreements
Credit /
Financing/ Project Name and Number Signature Date
Grant No.
IDA H9350 BI-Jiji and Mulembwe Hydropower 18-Jul-2014
Additional Financing for the Jiji and 15-Feb-2024
IDA E2840
Mulembwe Hydropower
Burundi Landscape Restoration and Resilience 24-May-2018
IDA D2760
Project
IDA D3200 Burundi Early Grade Learning Project 18-Jun-2018
Burundi Skills for Jobs: Women and Youth 16-Aug-2021
IDA D8580
Project
IDA D5670 Solar Energy in Local Communities 05-Mar-2020
Investing in Early Years and Fertility in 19-Sept-2019
IDA D5140
Burundi (NKURIZA)
Burundi Integrated Community Development 05-Mar-2020
IDA D5620
Project
IDA E1280 Burundi Transport Resilience Project 13-Oct-2022
Burundi COVID19 Preparedness and 14-Apr-2020
IDA D6160
Response Project
Additional Financing for the COVID19 28-Jan-2022
IDA D9640
Preparedness and Response Project
IDA D9440 Cash for Jobs Project 24-Jan-2022
Additional Financing for the Cash for Jobs 06-Jun-2024
IDA E3370
Project
IDA E0930 Burundi Digital Foundations Project 01-Sept-2022
Additional Financing for the Burundi Digital 25-Jan-2024
IDA E2820
Foundations Project
IDA E3520 Urban Resilience Emergency Project 23-Jul-2024
Burundi Jobs and Economic Transformation 14-Dec-2023
IDA E2650
Project
IDA E3570 BDI Human Capital Development Project 17-Sept-2024
Accelerating Sustainable and Clean Energy 12-Jul-2024
IDA E3480 Access Transformation in Burundi (ASCENT
Burundi)
Burundi Health Emergency Preparedness, 22-Apr-2024
IDA E313
Response, and Resilience Project
H.E. Audace Niyonzima -4-
ANNEX 2
Amendments to the Financing Agreements
1. A new Section 1.03 is added to Article I of the Financing Agreements to read as follows:
“1.03. All references to “Project” in the General Conditions are understood to apply,
mutatis mutandis, to the Contingent Emergency Response Project (“CERP”)
(except for the relevant Section on “Project Monitoring and Evaluation” and
“Financial Management; Financial Statements; Audits” and the definitions of
“Project”, “Project Agreement”, “Project Implementing Entity”, “Project
Implementing Entity’s Representative”, “Project Report” and “Respective Part of
the Project”).”
2. Section 2.01 of Article II of the Financing Agreements is amended by adding the following
sentence at the end of this section:
“Furthermore, the parties to this Agreement agree that the Credit/Financing/Grant includes
the Rapid Response Option (“RRO”).”
3. Section 3.01 of Article III of the Financing Agreements is amended by adding the following
sentence at the end of this section:
“Furthermore, the Recipient declares its commitment to the objectives of the CERP, and to
this end, shall carry out, or cause to be carried out, the CERP in accordance with Article V
of the General Conditions and the Addendum to Schedule 2 to this Agreement.”
4. Part A (General) of the relevant Section on Withdrawal of the Proceeds of the Financing
of Schedule 2 to the Financing Agreements is amended by adding a new paragraph in
accordance with the applicable numbering sequence, as follows:
“[#]. Notwithstanding the provisions of the previous paragraph(s) of this Section, and
solely with respect to the amount of the Financing allocated to:(a) the Category
titled “Eligible Expenditures for the CERP”, the Recipient may withdraw the
proceeds of the Credit/Financing/Grant, in accordance with Article II of the
General Conditions and the CERP Disbursement and Financial Information Letter,
to finance Eligible Expenditures for the CERP; and (b) the Category titled
“Complementary Financing for the Cat DDO”, the Recipient may withdraw the
proceeds of the Credit/Financing/Grant in accordance with the provisions of
Section II.A of the relevant Schedule on Program Actions, Availability of
Financing Proceeds to the Cat DDO Legal Agreement (including the relevant
provisions of any other document that is referred to or forms part of the Cat DDO
Legal Agreement), which are hereby incorporated by reference in this Agreement,
and which shall apply, mutatis mutandis, to the amount of the
Credit/Financing/Grant allocated to the aforementioned Category.”
H.E. Audace Niyonzima -5-
5. The withdrawal table set forth in Part A (General) of the relevant Section on Withdrawal
of the Proceeds of the Financing of Schedule 2 to the Financing Agreements is amended
by adding two additional categories in accordance with the applicable numbering sequence,
as follows:
(#) Eligible Expenditures 0 100% (inclusive of Taxes)
for the CERP
(#) Complementary 0 n/a
Financing for the Cat DDO
6. Part B (Withdrawal Conditions; Withdrawal Period) of the Section on Withdrawal of the
Proceeds of the Financing of Schedule 2 to the Financing Agreements is amended by
adding the following paragraphs at the end of said part:
“[#]. Further to paragraph 1 above and notwithstanding the provisions of Part A above,
no withdrawal shall be made:
(a) for Eligible Expenditures for the CERP under the respective Category,
until and unless the Association has notified the Recipient that the
following conditions have been fulfilled:
(i) (A) the Recipient has determined that an Eligible Crisis or
Emergency has occurred, and has furnished to the Association a
request to reallocate and thereafter withdraw all or part of the
Unwithdrawn Financing Balance for the financing of a specific
Crisis Response Plan under a CERP under implementation at the
time of the request; and (B) the Association has agreed with such
determination, accepted said request and notified the Recipient
thereof; and
(ii) the Recipient has adopted the CERP Manual (with the CERP
ESCP attached as an annex) and the Crisis Response Plan, both in
form and substance acceptable to the Association; or
(b) for Complementary Financing for the Cat DDO, until and unless:
(i) the Recipient has furnished to the Association a request to
reallocate and thereafter withdraw all or part of the Unwithdrawn
Financing Balance for the Complementary Financing for the Cat
DDO, and such notice specifies the Cat DDO Legal Agreement;
and
(ii) the Association has accepted said request and notified the
Recipient thereof, and is satisfied, based on evidence satisfactory
to it, that the conditions precedent to withdrawal of the financing
provided under the Cat DDO Legal Agreement have been
fulfilled.
H.E. Audace Niyonzima -6-
[#]. In the event of withdrawal of the Complementary Financing for the Cat DDO, the
Recipient shall comply with any provisions on “Deposits of Financing Proceeds”
and “Audits” set forth in Section II of the relevant Schedule to the Cat DDO Legal
Agreement (including the relevant provisions of any other document that is
referred to or forms part of the Cat DDO Legal Agreement) to the same extent as
if such provisions have been set out in full in this Agreement, except that: (a) the
term “Financing”/“Credit”/“Grant” shall be deemed to refer to the amount of the
Complementary Financing for the Cat DDO; and (b) the term “Financing Account”
/ “Credit Account”/ “Grant Account” shall be deemed to refer to the Financing
Account / Credit Account / Grant Account for this Financing/Credit/Grant.
7. An Addendum to Schedule 2 is added to the Financing Agreements to read as follows:
“ADDENDUM TO SCHEDULE 2
CERP Execution
Section I. Implementation Arrangements
1. The Recipient shall carry out the CERP pursuant to the Crisis Response Plan(s),
the CERP Manual, the Environmental and Social Standards, the CERP ESCP and
the environmental and social instruments prepared thereunder, all in a manner
acceptable to the Association. To this end, the Recipient shall ensure that:
(a) the structures and arrangements referred to in the CERP Manual are
maintained throughout the implementation of the CERP, in a manner and
substance acceptable to the Association;
(b) the environmental and social instruments required for the CERP and the
respective Crisis Response Plans are prepared, disclosed and adopted in
accordance with the CERP Manual and the CERP ESCP, and in form and
substance acceptable to the Association;
(c) the measures and actions specified in the applicable CERP ESCP are
implemented with due diligence and efficiency, as provided in the CERP
ESCP;
(d) sufficient funds are made available to cover the costs of implementing the
CERP ESCP;
(e) policies and procedures are maintained, and qualified and experienced
staff in adequate numbers are retained to implement the CERP ESCP, as
provided in the CERP ESCP;
(f) subject to the prior written agreement of the Association, any revised
CERP ESCP, and/or environmental and social documents prepared
thereunder, is/are disclosed promptly after their approval;
H.E. Audace Niyonzima -7-
(g) all measures necessary are taken to collect, compile, and furnish to the
Association through regular reports, with the frequency specified in the
CERP ESCP, and promptly in a separate report or reports, if so requested
by the Association, information on the status of compliance with the CERP
ESCP and the environmental and social instruments referred to therein, all
such reports in form and substance acceptable to the Association, setting
out, inter alia: (i) the status of implementation of the CERP ESCP; (ii)
conditions, if any, which interfere or threaten to interfere with the
implementation of the CERP ESCP; and (iii) corrective and preventive
measures taken or required to be taken to address such conditions; and
(h) the Association is promptly notified of any incident or accident related to
or having an impact on the CERP which has, or is likely to have, a
significant adverse effect on the environment, the affected communities,
the public or workers, in accordance with the CERP ESCP, the
environmental and social instruments referenced therein and the
Environmental and Social Standards.
2. The Recipient shall ensure that neither the Crisis Response Plan nor the CERP
Manual or the CERP ESCP is amended, suspended, abrogated, repealed or waived
without the prior written approval by the Association. Nevertheless, in the event
of any inconsistency between the provisions of the CERP Manual, the Crisis
Response Plan, or the CERP ESCP, on the one side, and any provision of this
Agreement, on the other, the provisions of this Agreement shall prevail.
3. The Recipient shall, or shall cause to, establish, publicize, maintain, and operate
an accessible grievance mechanism, to receive and facilitate resolution of concerns
and grievances of people affected by the CERP, and take all measures necessary
and appropriate to resolve, or facilitate the resolution of, such concerns and
grievances, in a manner acceptable to the Association.
4. The Recipient shall ensure that all bidding documents and contracts for civil works
under the CERP include the obligation of contractors, subcontractors and
supervising entities to: (a) comply with the relevant aspects of the CERP ESCP
and the environmental and social instruments referred to therein; and (b) adopt and
enforce codes of conduct that should be provided to and signed by all workers,
detailing measures to address environmental, social, health and safety risks, and
the risks of sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment and violence against
children, all as applicable to such civil works commissioned or carried out pursuant
to said contracts.
5. All goods, works, and services required for the CERP and to be financed out of the
proceeds of the Loan shall be procured in accordance with the requirements set
forth or referred to in the latest iteration of the “World Bank Procurement
Regulations for Borrowers under Investment Project Financing” that had been
issued by the Association on the day of the Association’s endorsement of the CERP
for financing and the provisions of the CERP Procurement Plan.
H.E. Audace Niyonzima -8-
6. The Recipient shall ensure that the CERP is carried out in accordance with the
provisions of the latest iteration of the “Guidelines on Preventing and Combating
Fraud and Corruption in Projects Financed by IBRD Loans and IDA Credits and
Grants” that had been issued by the Association on the day of the Association’s
endorsement of the CERP for financing.
Section II. Project Monitoring, Reporting and Evaluation
1. The Recipient shall:
(a) maintain or cause to be maintained policies and procedures adequate to
enable it to monitor and evaluate on an ongoing basis, in accordance with
indicators acceptable to the Association, the progress of the CERP and the
achievement of its objectives;
(b) prepare or cause to be prepared periodic reports (“CERP Report”) and in
form and substance satisfactory to the Association, integrating the results
of the monitoring and evaluation activities of the CERP and setting out
measures recommended to ensure the continued efficient and effective
execution of the CERP, and to achieve its objectives; and such CERP
Reports shall be prepared: (i) on an annual basis in the absence of an
Eligible Crisis and Emergency; and (ii) at least semi-annually, as further
determined in the CERP Manual, throughout the implementation period of
a Crisis Response Plan during an Eligible Crisis and Emergency;
(c) furnish or cause to be furnished each CERP Report to the Association
promptly upon its preparation, afford the Association a reasonable
opportunity to exchange views with the Recipient on any such report, and
thereafter implement such recommended measures, taking into account
the Association’s views on the matter; and
(d) except as the Association may reasonably determine otherwise, not later
than six (6) months after the end of the implementation period of the
CERP, prepare or cause to be prepared and furnish to the Association: (i)
a report of such scope and in such detail as the Bank shall reasonably
request, on the execution of the CERP, the performance by the Recipient
and the Association of their respective obligations, and the
accomplishment of the purposes of the Credit/Financing/Grant; and (ii) a
plan designed to ensure the sustainability of the CERP’s achievements.”
2. The Recipient shall:
(a) maintain or cause to be maintained a financial management system and
prepare financial statements (“CERP Financial Statements”) in
accordance with consistently applied accounting standards acceptable to
the Association, both in a manner adequate to reflect the operations,
resources and expenditures related to the CERP;
H.E. Audace Niyonzima -9-
(b) have the CERP Financial Statements periodically audited by independent
auditors acceptable to the Association, in accordance with consistently
applied auditing standards acceptable to the Association;
(c) not later than the date specified in the CERP Disbursement and Financial
Information Letter, furnish or cause to be furnished to the Association the
CERP Financial Statements as so audited, and such other information
concerning the audited Financial Statements and such auditors, as the
Association may from time-to-time reasonably request;
(d) make the audited CERP Financial Statements, or cause the audited CERP
Financial Statements to be made, publicly available in a timely fashion and
in a manner acceptable to the Association; and
(e) if requested by the Association, periodically furnish or cause to be
furnished to the Association interim unaudited financial reports for the
CERP, in form and substance satisfactory to the Association and as further
specified in the CERP Disbursement and Financial Information Letter.”
8. The following definitions are inserted in the Appendix to the Financing Agreements in
alphabetical order, as follows:
([#]) “Cat DDO Legal Agreement” means the agreement entered or to be entered
between the Recipient and the Association for the Cat DDO, whose closing date is
after the date when the Recipient requests the withdrawal of the Complementary
Financing for the Cat DDO, as further specified by the Recipient in such request
for withdrawal.
([#]) “Cat DDO” means the financing provided under the Cat DDO Legal Agreement
with a deferred drawdown option for catastrophe risks.
([#]) “CERP Disbursement and Financial Information Letter” means the letter
transmitted by the Association to the Recipient specifying the additional
instructions for disbursement (including the “World Bank Disbursement
Guidelines for Projects”, as revised from time to time by the Bank and as made
applicable to this Agreement pursuant to such letter) and setting out CERP specific
financial reporting requirements.
([#]) “CERP ESCP” means the environmental and social commitment plan for the
CERP to be prepared and adopted by the Recipient, as the same may be amended
from time to time in accordance with the provisions thereof, setting forth the
material measures and actions that the Recipient shall carry out or cause to be
carried out to address the potential environmental and social risks and impacts of
the activities detailed in the said Crisis Response Plan, including the timeframes
of the actions and measures, institutional, staffing, training, monitoring and
reporting arrangements, and any environmental and social instruments to be
prepared thereunder.
H.E. Audace Niyonzima -10-
([#]) “CERP Financial Statements” means the financial statements referred to in Section
II.2 (a) of the Addendum to Schedule 2 to this Agreement.
([#]) “CERP Manual” means the implementation manual to be prepared and adopted by
the Recipient setting forth the detailed implementation arrangements for the CERP,
including: (i) any structures or institutional arrangements, allocation of
responsibilities and decision making powers for coordinating and implementing
the activities thereunder; (ii) the specific activities to be implemented under the
CERP in response to the declared/determined Eligible Crisis and Emergency; (iii)
the template for the Crisis Response Plan; (iv) the positive list of Eligible
Expenditures for the CERP; (v) the financial management and withdrawal
arrangements for the CERP; (vi) the procurement methods and procedures to be
followed in the implementation of the CERP; (vii) a description of the
environmental and social assessment and management arrangements applicable to
the CERP; and (viii) template of the CERP Reports as well as the monitoring and
evaluation arrangements for the activities thereunder.
([#]) “CERP Procurement Plan” means the Recipient’s procurement plan for the CERP,
provided for under Section IV of the Procurement Regulations, as such plan may
be updated from time to time with the Bank’s approval.
([#]) “CERP Report” means each report on the CERP to be prepared and furnished to
the Bank pursuant to Section II.1 of the Addendum to Schedule 2 to this
Agreement.
([#]) “Complementary Financing for the Cat DDO” means the amount of the
Credit/Financing/Grant allocated to the category entitled “Complementary
Financing for the Cat DDO” in the table set forth in the relevant Section on
Withdrawal of Financing Proceeds of Schedule 2 to this Agreement.
([#]) “Contingent Emergency Response Project” or “CERP” mean the contingent
emergency response project prepared from time to time by the Recipient and
agreed with the Association aimed at responding promptly and effectively to an
Eligible Crisis or Emergency, as further elaborated in the Crisis Response Plan(s),
as amended from time to time by agreement between the Recipient and the
Association.
([#]) “Crisis Response Plan” means the plan to be prepared and adopted by the Recipient
in response to an Eligible Crisis or Emergency detailing, among others: (i) the
activities to be implemented under the CERP in response to the Eligible Crisis or
Emergency; (ii) the estimated budget therefor and corresponding appropriations
and/or financing sources; (iii) the implementation timeline which, unless the
Association otherwise agrees, shall not exceed twelve (12) months; (iv) the
foreseeable procurement and an abridged CERP Procurement Plan therefor; and
(v) the envisioned results framework and indicators.
([#]) “Eligible Crisis or Emergency” means an event that has caused, or is likely to
imminently cause, a major adverse economic and/or social impact to the Recipient,
associated with a natural or man-made crisis or disaster.
H.E. Audace Niyonzima -11-
1
([#]) “Environmental and Social Standards” or “ESSs” means, collectively: (i)
“Environmental and Social Standard 1: Assessment and Management of
Environmental and Social Risks and Impacts”; (ii) “Environmental and Social
Standard 2: Labor and Working Conditions”; (iii) “Environmental and Social
Standard 3: Resource Efficiency and Pollution Prevention and Management”; (iv)
“Environmental and Social Standard 4: Community Health and Safety”; (v)
“Environmental and Social Standard 5: Land Acquisition, Restrictions on Land
Use and Involuntary Resettlement”; (vi) “Environmental and Social Standard 6:
Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Management of Living Natural
Resources”; (vii) “Environmental and Social Standard 7: Indigenous Peoples/Sub-
Saharan African Historically Underserved Traditional Local Communities”; (viii)
“Environmental and Social Standard 8: Cultural Heritage”; (ix) “Environmental
and Social Standard 9: Financial Intermediaries”; and (x) “Environmental and
Social Standard 10: Stakeholder Engagement and Information Disclosure”;
effective on October 1, 2018, as published by the Bank.
([#]) “Rapid Response Option” or “RRO” means the use of all or any portion of the
Financing that has been requested by the Recipient and accepted by the Association
in accordance with the terms of this Agreement to: (a) assist in financing the CERP;
and (b) provide complementary financing in support of the program defined in the
Cat DDO Legal Agreement.”
1
Applicable only for those Financing Agreements that do not currently have the same definition in the
relevant Appendix.