The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Technology for Youth and Jobs (P172571) Technology for Youth and Jobs (P172571) MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA | West Bank and Gaza | Finance, Competitiveness and Innovation Global Practice | Special Financing | Investment Project Financing | FY 2020 | Seq No: 6 | ARCHIVED on 14-Nov-2023 | ISR58184 | Implementing Agencies: Ministry of Telecommunications and Information Technology via a private sector implementing agency, The Palestine Liberation Organization (for the benefit of the Palestinian Authority) Key Dates Key Project Dates Bank Approval Date: 12-Jun-2020 Effectiveness Date: 06-Oct-2020 Planned Mid Term Review Date: 11-Nov-2024 Actual Mid-Term Review Date: Original Closing Date: 30-Oct-2028 Revised Closing Date: 30-Oct-2028 pdoTable Project Development Objectives Project Development Objective (from Project Appraisal Document) To increase economic opportunities for IT service firms in the West Bank and Gaza. Has the Project Development Objective been changed since Board Approval of the Project Objective? No Components Table Name Improving IT service capabilities:(Cost $13.95 M) Improving the IT services ecosystem:(Cost $8.83 M) Improving market access, and increasing demand and investments:(Cost $2.34 M) Project management and Implementation Support:(Cost $5.43 M) Overall Ratings Name Previous Rating Current Rating Progress towards achievement of PDO Moderately Satisfactory Moderately Satisfactory Overall Implementation Progress (IP) Moderately Satisfactory Moderately Satisfactory Overall Risk Rating Substantial Substantial Implementation Status and Key Decisions The Technology for Youth and Jobs (TechStart) project was declared effective on October 6, 2020 and has since disbursed $6.91 million. Additional financing for the project in the amount of US$15.55 was approved on March 10 with the with contributions from Switzerland, the Netherlands and the EU. Following the launch of the UpSkill program (under Component 1) in February 2022 and the PIONEER program (under Component 2) in August 2022, implementation has progressed during the current reporting cycle as programs matured further and the market became more aware of project interventions. The project is gearing up to launch a number of pending activities that will aim to improve firm managerial capabilities, increase the involvement of women in leadership positions in the IT sector, and ensure greater FDI in the Palestinian IT services sector. These activities will initially focus on West Bank and be expanded to Gaza when possible. 11/14/2023 Page 1 of 7 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Technology for Youth and Jobs (P172571) The conflict in Gaza is negatively affecting the progress of some project activities. The extent will depend on the duration and severity of the situation. The World Bank has started identifying resilience and recovery measures to support firms to be implemented as and when the situation permits. Risks Systematic Operations Risk-rating Tool Risk Category Rating at Approval Previous Rating Current Rating Political and Governance High High High Macroeconomic High High High Sector Strategies and Policies Substantial Substantial Substantial Technical Design of Project or Program Substantial Substantial Substantial Institutional Capacity for Implementation and High Substantial Substantial Sustainability Fiduciary Substantial Substantial Substantial Environment and Social Moderate Moderate Moderate Stakeholders High Substantial Substantial Other -- Substantial High Overall High Substantial Substantial Results PDO Indicators by Objectives / Outcomes To increase economic opportunities for IT service firms in the West Bank and Gaza IN01351468 ►Buyers signing new contracts with local IT service firms benefitting from project activities (Number, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 0.00 77.00 60.00 Date 01-Feb-2023 01-Feb-2023 29-Sep-2023 01-Nov-2028 Buyers signing new contracts with local IT service firms benefiting from project activities (Number)’ is a new indicator that will track the number of buyers signing new contracts and will be broken down by international and local buyers. This indicator will replace the previous PDO level indicator ‘Value Comments: of new contracts signed between local IT service firms benefiting from project activities and international buyers’. The PIA has not yet updated results related to this new indicator since the changes coincided precisely with the timing of the ISR. 11/14/2023 Page 2 of 7 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Technology for Youth and Jobs (P172571) IN01351469 Of which are international buyers (Number, Custom Breakdown) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 0.00 46.00 50.00 Date 01-Feb-2023 01-Feb-2023 29-Sep-2023 01-Nov-2028 IN01351470 Of which are local buyers (Number, Custom Breakdown) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 0.00 31.00 10.00 Date 01-Feb-2023 01-Feb-2023 29-Sep-2023 01-Nov-2028 IN01351546 ►Additional private investment generated by benefiting firms (Amount(USD), Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 1,486,309.00 2,730,373.00 10,000,000.00 Date 29-Oct-2020 28-Feb-2023 29-Sep-2023 01-Nov-2028 This PDO-level indicator was updated to consolidate the measurement of new investment catalyzed from all sources and across all components of the project, the PDO indicator ‘Additional private investment made by firms benefiting from project activities toward technology and skill upgrading’ was merged with the IRI ‘Foreign direct investment generated by the project (Amount (USD))’ to form a new PDO-level indicator ‘Additional private investment generated by benefiting firms’. This new PDO-level indicator will be broken down by investment from local sources and international sources. The additional private investment is the financial resources invested by firms that are (i) receiving grants for technology and skills upgrading and / or (ii) benefiting from on-the-job training stipends offered by the Comments: project. Private sector investment is in further highly skilled labor hiring and managerial capabilities enhancement to be able to get further opportunities from international outsourcing companies. Also this will capture private sector investments in R&D hubs to serve businesses needs required to satisfy international outsourcing companies' requirements. Until Q2 2023, the additional private investment made by firms benefiting from project activities towards technology and skill upgrading was $2,730,373 out of which $2,675,373 were investments from local sources and $55,000 were investments from international sources. IN01351547 Of which from local sources (Amount(USD), Custom Breakdown) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 0.00 2,675,373.00 7,000,000.00 Date 01-Feb-2023 01-Feb-2023 29-Sep-2023 01-Nov-2028 IN01351548 Of which from international sources (Amount(USD), Custom Breakdown) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 0.00 55,000.00 3,000,000.00 11/14/2023 Page 3 of 7 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Technology for Youth and Jobs (P172571) Date 01-Feb-2023 01-Feb-2023 29-Sep-2023 01-Nov-2028 IN01351549 ►Additional IT services jobs created (Number, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 423.00 483.00 2,500.00 Date 01-Feb-2023 28-Feb-2023 29-Sep-2023 01-Nov-2028 This new PDO-level indicator on jobs ‘Additional IT services jobs created (number)’ was created by merging IRIs from Component 1 ‘Individuals benefiting from project training activities who reported employment (Number)’ and Component 2 ‘Additional high-skilled IT services jobs created by local firms benefiting from project activities (Number)’, which were dropped. Comments: The disaggregation of the IRIs by component was stopped based on lessons learned from project implementation. Tracking results by component has proven difficult as the various components both are mutually reinforcing and target the same outcomes from various angles. IN01351550 Reported by individuals benefiting from project training activities (Number, Custom Breakdown) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 31.00 40.00 1,000.00 Date 01-Feb-2023 28-Feb-2023 29-Sep-2023 01-Nov-2028 IN01351552 Reported by local firms benefiting from project activities (Number, Custom Breakdown) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 392.00 443.00 1,500.00 Date 01-Feb-2023 28-Feb-2023 29-Sep-2023 01-Nov-2028 IN01351551 Of which are female (Number, Custom Breakdown) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 16.00 58.00 450.00 Date 01-Feb-2023 28-Feb-2023 29-Sep-2023 01-Nov-2028 Overall Comments PDO Under the Additional IT service jobs created, the sub- indicator 'Reported by individuals benefiting from project activities' was not captured in its entirety for this reporting period since the survey to individual beneficiaries was not circulated, as is usually the case, due to the change in M&E specialist. Results are currently being tracked, and the indicator will be updated with full year results in the next ISR. Intermediate Results Indicators by Components 11/14/2023 Page 4 of 7 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Technology for Youth and Jobs (P172571) Improving IT services capabilities, ecosystem, market access, and increasing demand and investment IN01351553 ►Individuals benefiting from project training activities (Number, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 168.00 314.00 1,200.00 Date 29-Oct-2020 28-Feb-2023 29-Sep-2023 01-Nov-2028 IN01351554 Out of which are female (Number, Custom Breakdown) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 71.00 147.00 500.00 Date 29-Oct-2020 28-Feb-2023 29-Sep-2023 01-Nov-2028 IN01351555 ►Individuals benefiting from project activities reporting satisfied or very satisfied with support received (Percentage, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 95.00 89.00 75.00 Date 25-Oct-2022 28-Feb-2023 29-Sep-2023 01-Nov-2028 IN01351556 ►Local firms benefiting from project activities (Number, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 44.00 62.00 250.00 Date 29-Oct-2020 28-Feb-2023 29-Sep-2023 01-Nov-2028 IN01351557 ►Local firms benefiting from project activities that adopted female employment solutions (Number, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 0.00 0.00 35.00 Date 29-Oct-2020 28-Feb-2023 29-Sep-2023 01-Nov-2028 IN01351558 ►New firms established by project seed grants (Number, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 0.00 0.00 20.00 Date 29-Oct-2020 28-Feb-2023 29-Sep-2023 01-Nov-2028 IN01351559 Out of which are new female-led firms (Number, Custom Breakdown) 11/14/2023 Page 5 of 7 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Technology for Youth and Jobs (P172571) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 0.00 0.00 5.00 Date 29-Oct-2020 28-Feb-2023 29-Sep-2023 01-Nov-2028 IN01351560 ►Firms reporting satisfied or very satisfied with support received (Percentage, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 92.00 93.00 75.00 Date 29-Oct-2020 28-Feb-2023 29-Sep-2023 01-Nov-2028 Performance-Based Conditions Data on Financial Performance Disbursements (by loan) Project Loan/Credit/TF Status Currency Original Revised Cancelled Disbursed Undisbursed % Disbursed P172571 TF-B2944 Effective USD 15.00 15.00 0.00 5.07 9.93 34% P172571 TF-C0774 Closed USD 1.34 1.34 0.00 1.34 0.00 100% P172571 TF-C0775 Effective USD 1.61 1.61 0.00 0.50 1.11 31% Key Dates (by loan) Project Loan/Credit/TF Status Approval Date Signing Date Effectiveness Date Orig. Closing Date Rev. Closing Date P172571 TF-B2944 Effective 12-Jun-2020 30-Jun-2020 06-Oct-2020 30-Oct-2025 30-Oct-2028 P172571 TF-C0774 Closed 16-Feb-2023 27-Mar-2023 25-May-2023 30-Jun-2023 30-Sep-2023 P172571 TF-C0775 Effective 16-Feb-2023 27-Mar-2023 25-May-2023 30-Oct-2028 30-Oct-2028 Cumulative Disbursements 11/14/2023 Page 6 of 7 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Technology for Youth and Jobs (P172571) Restructuring History There has been no restructuring to date. Related Project(s) P180570-Technology for Youth and Jobs Additional Financing 11/14/2023 Page 7 of 7