The World Bank Horn of Africa Coordination Support Team Fiduciary Institution (P178159) Concept Environmental and Social Review Summary Concept Stage (ESRS Concept Stage) Public Disclosure Date Prepared/Updated: 12/10/2021 | Report No: ESRSC02400 Dec 10, 2021 Page 1 of 8 The World Bank Horn of Africa Coordination Support Team Fiduciary Institution (P178159) BASIC INFORMATION A. Basic Project Data Country Region Project ID Parent Project ID (if any) Africa AFRICA P178159 Project Name Horn of Africa Coordination Support Team Fiduciary Institution Practice Area (Lead) Financing Instrument Estimated Appraisal Date Estimated Board Date Other Investment Project 11/8/2021 Financing Borrower(s) Implementing Agency(ies) Inter University Council of Inter University Council of East Africa East Africa Proposed Development Objective The Development Objective of this activity is to successfully manage the resources necessary to maintain the Public Disclosure Coordination Support Team to provide support to the Horn of Africa Initiative Secretariat to achieve the objectives of the Initiative. Financing (in USD Million) Amount Total Project Cost 1.00 B. Is the project being prepared in a Situation of Urgent Need of Assistance or Capacity Constraints, as per Bank IPF Policy, para. 12? No C. Summary Description of Proposed Project [including overview of Country, Sectoral & Institutional Contexts and Relationship to CPF] Activities/Components The Duties and Responsibilities of IUCEA as the Fiduciary Institution in support of the CST will include the following activities and responsibilities: The CST Fiduciary Institution will work in close coordination with the HoA Chair. Dec 10, 2021 Page 2 of 8 The World Bank Horn of Africa Coordination Support Team Fiduciary Institution (P178159) The CST Fiduciary Institution will work be subject to World Bank supervision based on its normal practice of the World Bank, including for the quarterly financial reports and other fiduciary reports. The financing arrangements for the above services would be as agreed between the fiduciary institution and the World Bank, recorded in the Grant Agreement. Contracting, managing, and remunerating members of the CST, as agreed with the World Bank Providing travel arrangements for HoAI and CST members (including flights, per diems etc.) Providing logistics arrangements for policy and technical level HoAI meetings (including travel, per diems, conference services, translation, and interpretation etc.) Contracting, and managing payment for CST office space and expenses, if necessary The fiduciary institution will be funded through a World Bank Recipient Executed Grant that will be set up for three years and will remain extendable at mutual consent. Any other tasks agreed by the Bank as set forth in the Grant Agreement. Public Disclosure D. Environmental and Social Overview D.1. Detailed project location(s) and salient physical characteristics relevant to the E&S assessment [geographic, environmental, social] The Horn of Africa Initiative (HoAI) is a country-led regional initiative launched in October 2019. Six countries (Ethiopia, Djibouti, Kenya, Eritrea, Somalia and Sudan) have joined the initiative, with support from African Development Bank (AfDB), European Union (EU) and the World Bank Group (WBG). The HoAI aims at backstopping the political gains with investment financing and policy dialogue to deepen economic integration – thus creating a virtuous cycle between political commitment on regional cooperation and development gains. The four priority pillars of the HoAI are improving regional infrastructure connectivity, trade and market integration, building resilience to shocks and developing human capital. The HoAI Chair is intended to rotate annually among the Finance Ministers of the member countries. Currently, the HoAI Chair and a small support team is hosted at the Ministry of Finance of Djibouti and the MoF of Kenya is planned to be the next HoAI chair. The Inter-University Council of Eastern Africa (IUCEA) as the implementing agency are based in Uganda.. The Inter University Council of East Africa, already a recipient of Bank grants and implementing agency of recipient-executed projects, has been identified as the fiduciary institution. It is a fully functioning institution and an autonomous entity under the supervision of the East African Community. It has its registered office and headquarters in Kampala, Uganda, with its own existing buildings. Project funds will not be used to build new buildings or retrofit any existing buildings. Project funds will only remunerate contracted personnel and get office equipment like laptops. Given the nature of the activities (coordination support) there is no specific project location that will be impacted directly by the project activities. The personnel will be serving at the headquarters of the Chair of the Horn of Africa Initiative, which is an annually rotating chair. The Chair (Finance Minister) will provide office space in existing offices to the coordination support team personnel. No Dec 10, 2021 Page 3 of 8 The World Bank Horn of Africa Coordination Support Team Fiduciary Institution (P178159) construction, repair or renovation or any capital investment of any sort in any structure, permanent, semi-permanent or temporary, is envisaged. D. 2. Borrower’s Institutional Capacity The Inter-University Council of Eastern Africa (IUCEA) has been selected as the Fiduciary Institution that will provide to the Coordination Support Team (CST) under the HoAUTF through a recipient executed trust fund grant from the World Bank. IUCEA is already the recipient for the implementation of two World Bank recipient-executed grants (East Africa Skills for Transformation and Regional Integration Project (P163399 – EASTRIP) and Southern and Eastern Africa Centers of Excellence (P151847 – ACEII). The institution has fiduciary and reporting capacities for implementing World Bank recipient-executed grants and the human resources needed for discharging the duties of the CST Fiduciary Institution. Both EASTRIP and ACEII are being implemented under the Operational Policies and are rated as Moderately Satisfactory, noting that IUCEA has a similar role in these projects. As such IUCEA does not have experience with the Environmental and Social Framework (ESF) of the World Bank and its experience in managing environmental and social risks is limited. Further, the Client is not expected to hire environmental and social specialists for this project, given that the proposed project will not finance any physical works and investments nor directly impact beneficiaries in terms of inclusion, land acquisition etc. Given the minimal environmental and social impacts anticipated from project activities, the capacity of the client should not be critical. Nonetheless, the project implementing entity is expected to ensure that project activities will be implemented in compliance with the requirements of the ESF. Public Disclosure II. SCREENING OF POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL (ES) RISKS AND IMPACTS A. Environmental and Social Risk Classification (ESRC) Low Environmental Risk Rating Low The activities to be financed by the project are technical assistance coordination support activities without any on- the-ground activity with potential negative environmental risks or impacts. Furthermore, no health and safety concerns are anticipated as a result of the project activities. Under the World Bank’s ESF the environmental risk of the project is low. Given that the environmental risk of the project is low, the client is not expected to develop any environmental risk management instruments. Social Risk Rating Low The social risk classification for the project is low based on the nature of the coordination support activities which mainly involves fiduciary and logistical technical assistance to the Horn of Africa Initiative Secretariat. The Project will not include any civil works and any direct interaction with communities is also not expected. Requirements for engagement will also be limited and significant grievances are not expected as the main beneficiary is the Secretariat. Due to the likely nature and scale of the workforce issues related to labor and working conditions are anticipated to be negligible but will be addressed through the requirement for national law and requirements for ESS2 to be met as part of the Environmental and Social Commitment Plan (ESCP). Dec 10, 2021 Page 4 of 8 The World Bank Horn of Africa Coordination Support Team Fiduciary Institution (P178159) B. Environment and Social Standards (ESSs) that Apply to the Activities Being Considered B.1. General Assessment ESS1 Assessment and Management of Environmental and Social Risks and Impacts Overview of the relevance of the Standard for the Project: This project will not have any significant adverse environmental and social risks and impacts as no physical or civil works will be financed and interaction with communities and vulnerable groups is not anticipated as the main beneficiary is the HOA Initiative Secretariat. Hence, no environmental and social assessment documents will be prepared prior to approval of the project. Although there may be some (Type 2) technical assistance activities, these are likely to involve coordination support activities around the drafting of policies, programs, plans, strategies, laws and/or regulations. None have direct or indirect environmental and social impacts as a result of this RETF activity. Nevertheless, the project implementing entity will ensure that any technical assistance activities are developed and implemented in compliance with the requirements of the ESF of the Bank which will be included in its Environmental and Social Commitment Plan (ESCP), and the ESCP will be updated as necessary to reflect these requirements. Areas where “Use of Borrower Framework” is being considered: The use of the borrower's framework is not being considered. ESS10 Stakeholder Engagement and Information Disclosure The Project beneficiaries are the HOA Initiative Secretariat notably the Coordination Support Team (CST) who will be provided with fiduciary and logistical assistance from IUCEA. The CST are responsible for undertaking engagement on Public Disclosure the HOA Initiative. Relevant stakeholders are therefore limited consisting mainly of the participating countries through their Finance Ministries and potentially donor organizations through the HOAUTF. As such, engagement on the project will mainly involve IUCEA engaging with the participating countries. Similarly, significant grievances are not expected given the nature of the activities and beneficiaries. As such, given the nature of the project, aspects relevant to stakeholder engagement will be built into the ESCP. The ESCP will also present a Grievance Mechanism (GM), which will be proportionate to the potential risks and impacts of the project. Nevertheless, the Project will ensure that any engagement will be undertaken in a manner which is COVID-19 secure and in line with national requirements for gatherings at the time of engagement. is will be informed by WHO’s “COVID-19 Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan Operation Planning Guidelines to Support Country Preparedness and Response” (2020) and also the World Bank’s “Technical Note: Public Consultations and Stakeholder Engagement in WB- supported operations when there are constraints on conducting public meetings” (March 20, 2020). This may involve the use of virtual meetings, smaller meetings or other measures as relevant. B.2. Specific Risks and Impacts A brief description of the potential environmental and social risks and impacts relevant to the Project. ESS2 Labor and Working Conditions Dec 10, 2021 Page 5 of 8 The World Bank Horn of Africa Coordination Support Team Fiduciary Institution (P178159) The project will be implemented by IUCEA, as such it is expected that Project workers will mainly be Direct Workers and that contracted workers, community workers and supply chain workers will not form part of the workforce. Given the nature of the project, the risk of labor abuses, in-migration, OHS concerns and Sexual Exploitation and Abuse/Sexual Harassment risks are considered to be low. As part of the Environmental and Social Commitment Plan, IUCEA will be required to demonstrate that they employ their staff in line with national law and the requirements of ESS2. This will include ensuring that all workers have contracts outlining the terms and conditions of their employment including hours of work, wages, overtime, rest periods, compensation and benefits; workers are subject to non-discrimination and equal opportunities, forced and child labor is prohibited, security of workers is managed and that workers have access to a Grievance Redress Mechanism. The risks of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse/ Sexual Harassment (SEA/SH) are also expected to be low but the ESCP will require that measures to prevent and respond to SEA/SH are in place including codes of conduct and SEA/SH responsive GRMs. ESS3 Resource Efficiency and Pollution Prevention and Management The project activities are not anticipated to lead to generation of pollutants. Furthermore, they will not lead to an increased consumption of resources including water, energy and raw materials. This standard is therefore not currently relevant. Public Disclosure ESS4 Community Health and Safety The project activities will not have adverse community health and safety risks as no civil works will be financed and no interaction with communities is expected. Traffic and road safety and labor influx risks are not anticipated in this project. This standard is therefore not currently relevant. ESS5 Land Acquisition, Restrictions on Land Use and Involuntary Resettlement The project activities are not anticipated to lead to land acquisition, restrictions on land use or involuntary resettlement. This standard is therefore not currently relevant. ESS6 Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Management of Living Natural Resources The project activities are not anticipated to have any adverse impacts on biodiversity and living natural resources as no physical investments will be financed. This standard is therefore not currently relevant. ESS7 Indigenous Peoples/Sub-Saharan African Historically Underserved Traditional Local Communities Despite the presence of Sub-Saharan African Historically Underserved Traditional Local Communities (SSAHUTLC) in some of the countries covered by the HOA Initiative, impacts on these communities are not anticipated as a result of the activities being undertaken by the Project. This standard is therefore not currently relevant. Dec 10, 2021 Page 6 of 8 The World Bank Horn of Africa Coordination Support Team Fiduciary Institution (P178159) ESS8 Cultural Heritage No adverse impacts on cultural heritage are anticipated as no civil works will be financed. This standard is therefore not currently relevant. ESS9 Financial Intermediaries No financial intermediaries will be involved. This standard is therefore not relevant. C. Legal Operational Policies that Apply OP 7.50 Projects on International Waterways No OP 7.60 Projects in Disputed Areas No III. WORLD BANK ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL DUE DILIGENCE A. Is a common approach being considered? No Financing Partners Public Disclosure None. B. Proposed Measures, Actions and Timing (Borrower’s commitments) Actions to be completed prior to Bank Board Approval: An Environmental and Social Commitment Plan will need to be prepared prior to approval (no Appraisal ESRS is required as the project is a stand-alone recipient executed trust fund): Possible issues to be addressed in the Borrower Environmental and Social Commitment Plan (ESCP): The ESCP will need to include the following measures: 1) Requirements for monitoring and reporting on the management of environmental and social issues. 2) Commitment to ensure all project workers are employed in line with the requirements of ESS2 and national law 3) Approach to stakeholder engagement and grievance redress management 4) Implementation of the project activities as per the requirements of the ESF where relevant IV. CONTACT POINTS World Bank Dec 10, 2021 Page 7 of 8 The World Bank Horn of Africa Coordination Support Team Fiduciary Institution (P178159) Contact: Prashant Singh Title: Senior Disaster Risk Management Specialist Telephone No: +1-202-473-8162 Email: prashant@worldbank.org Borrower/Client/Recipient Borrower: Inter University Council of East Africa Implementing Agency(ies) Implementing Agency: Inter University Council of East Africa V. FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT The World Bank 1818 H Street, NW Washington, D.C. 20433 Telephone: (202) 473-1000 Web: http://www.worldbank.org/projects VI. APPROVAL Public Disclosure Task Team Leader(s): Prashant Singh Practice Manager (ENR/Social) Helene Monika Carlsson Rex Recommended on 03-Nov-2021 at 01:01:8 GMT-04:00 Dec 10, 2021 Page 8 of 8