12-May-2022 Date_______________________ H. E. Abdou Rabiou Minister of Planning Ministry of Planning Niamey Niger Re: Republic of Niger: Advance Agreement for Preparation of the Proposed Supporting Export Competitiveness and Digitization of G2B Services Project Project Preparation Advance No. V432-NE Excellency: In response to the request for financial assistance made on behalf of Republic of Niger (“Recipient”), I am pleased to inform you that the International Development Association (“World Bank”) proposes to extend to the Recipient an advance out of the World Bank’s Project Preparation Facility in an amount not to exceed three million six hundred thousand Dollars ($3,600,000) (“Advance”) on the terms and conditions set forth or referred to in this letter agreement (“Agreement”), which includes the attached Annex, to assist in financing the activities described in the Annex (“Activities”). The objective of the Activities is to facilitate the preparation of a proposed project designed to improve value chains competitiveness in selected areas, climate resilience, and the investment climate through digitization (“Project”), for the carrying out of which the Recipient has requested the World Bank’s financial assistance. The Recipient represents, by confirming its agreement below, that: (a) it understands that the provision of the Advance does not constitute or imply any commitment on the part of IBRD or IDA to assist in financing the Project; and (b) it is authorized to enter into this Agreement and to carry out the Activities, repay the Advance and perform its other obligations under this Agreement, all in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement. Please confirm the Recipient’s agreement to the foregoing by having an authorized official of the Recipient sign and date the enclosed copy of this Agreement, and returning it to the World Bank. Upon receipt by the World Bank of this countersigned copy, this Agreement shall become effective as of the date of the countersignature; provided, however, that the offer of this Agreement shall be deemed withdrawn if [remaninder of page intentionally left blank] -2- the World Bank has not received this countersigned copy within 90 days after the date of signature of this Agreement by the World Bank, unless the World Bank has established a later date for such purpose. Very truly yours, INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION By: ________________________________/ps1/ Clara de Sousa Country Director for Niger, Mali, Chad and Burkina Faso West and Central Africa Region AGREED: REPUBLIC OF NIGER By __________________________/ps2/ Authorized Representative H.E. Abdou Rabiou Name __________________________/pn2/ Title Ministre du Plan __________________________/pt2/ 30-mai-2022 Date __________________________/pd2/ Enclosures: (1) “Standard Conditions for Advances Made by the World Bank under its Project Preparation Facility”, dated July 31, 2010; and (2) Disbursement Letter for the Advance of the same date as this Agreement, together with “Disbursement Guidelines for Investment Project Financing”, dated February 2017. -3- PPA No. V432-NE ANNEX Article I Standard Conditions; Definitions 1.01. Standard Conditions. The “Standard Conditions for Advances Made by the World Bank under its Project Preparation Facility”, dated July 31, 2010 (“Standard Conditions”), constitute an integral part of this Agreement. 1.02. Definitions. Unless the context requires otherwise, the capitalized terms used in this Agreement have the meanings ascribed to them in the Standard Conditions or in this Agreement. 1. “Environmental and Social Commitment Plan” or “ESCP” means the environmental and social commitment plan for the Activities, dated March 11, 2022, as the same may be amended from time to time in accordance with the provisions thereof, which sets out 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, 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. 2. “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 Historically Underserved Traditional Local Communities”; (viii) “Environmental and Social Standard 8: Cultural Heritage”; (ix) “Environmental and Social Standard 9: Financial Intermediaries”; (x) “Environmental and Social Standard 10: Stakeholder Engagement and Information Disclosure”; effective on October 1, 2018, as published by the World Bank. 3. “G2B Services” means government to business services. 4. “Coordination Unit” means the unit referred to in Section 2.02 of this Annex established by the Recipient within the Ministry of Planning responsible for the implementation of the Niger Investment Climate, Competitiveness Support and Covid-19 Response Project pursuant to the Letter Agreement between the Recipient and the Bank (Grant No. TF0B6446), dated August 30, 2021. 5. “M&E” means monitoring and evaluation. 6. “National Financial Inclusion Fund” means the Recipient’s fund for the development of financial inclusion. 7. “Operating Costs” means the incremental expenses incurred on account of the Activities’ implementation, management and monitoring, consisting of the cost of operation and maintenance of offices, purchase of vehicles and office equipment, water and electricity utilities charges, -4- telephone charges, bank charges, travel and per diem, and salaries of contractual staff, but excluding the salaries of officials and public servants of the Recipient’s civil service. 8. “SME Fund” means the Recipient’s national fund to support small and medium enterprises and medium industries. 9. “SMEs” means small and medium size enterprises. Article II Execution of the Activities 2.01. Description of the Activities. The Activities for which the Advance is provided consist of the following parts: (a) carrying out of technical studies, including: (i) definition of the mechanism for implementing matching grants, establishment of partial credit guarantees for SMEs and specifications for the digitization of financial and business services; (ii) support to updating the Niger-Nigeria trade agreements; (iii) review and update of the medium-term action plan reforms; (iv) a study for the implementation of index-based weather insurance; (v) a feasibility study for the export of produce; and (vi) diagnostic analysis of the hides and skins value chain; (b) provision of technical assistance for: (i) the preparation of safeguards documents; (ii) the preparation of an operations manual for the Project; (iii) the preparation of an M&E manual; (iv) the preparation of a Project procurement strategy for development (PPSD); and (v) the recruitment of staff for the Project implementation unit and the competitiveness taskforce; (c) Provision of technical assistance to the National Financial Inclusion Fund and the SME Fund to improve the Recipient’s governance and fund management. (d) provision of Operating Costs for the purpose of Project preparation. 2.02. Execution of the Activities Generally. The Recipient declares its commitment to the objectives of the Activities. To this end, the Recipient shall carry out the Activities through the Coordination Unit in accordance with the provisions of: (a) Article II of the Standard Conditions; (b) this Article II; and (c) 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 and as of July 1, 2016. 2.03. Institutional and Other Arrangements. Without limitation upon the provisions of Section 2.02 above, the Recipient shall maintain, throughout the Refinancing Date, the Coordination Unit within the Ministry of Planning with staff in adequate numbers with experience and qualifications acceptable to the World Bank to be responsible for the day-to-day coordination of the Activities, including financial management and procurement and monitoring and evaluation. 2.04. Safeguards. The Recipient shall ensure that the terms of reference for any consultants’ services in respect of any activity financed under the Project shall be satisfactory to the World Bank following its review thereof and, to that end, such terms of reference shall duly incorporate all the applicable World Bank -5- Safeguards Policies as applied to the advice conveyed through such technical assistance. Without limitation upon the provision of Section 2.02 above and in order to ensure proper implementation of the Activities in an environmentally and socially responsible manner, the Recipient shall ensure that a proper grievance redressal mechanism sensitive to gender-based violence and sexual exploitation and abuse risks and impacts is developed, disseminated and applicable in Project areas, and ensure communities participation in decision making process as applied to any consultations, information gathering and advice conveyed through such studies, technical assistance and capacity building activities. 2.05. Environmental and Social Standards (a) The Recipient shall ensure that the Activities are carried out in accordance with the Environmental and Social Standards, in a manner acceptable to the World Bank. (b) Without limitation upon paragraph (a) above, the Recipient shall ensure that the Activities are implemented in accordance with the Environmental and Social Commitment Plan (“ESCP”), in a manner acceptable to the World Bank. To this end, the Recipient shall ensure that: (i) the measures and actions specified in the ESCP are implemented with due diligence and efficiency, as provided in the ESCP; (ii) sufficient funds are available to cover the costs of implementing the ESCP; (iii) policies and procedures are maintained, and qualified and experienced staff in adequate numbers are retained to implement the ESCP, as provided in the ESCP; and (iv) the ESCP, or any provision thereof, is not amended, repealed, suspended or waived, except as the World Bank shall otherwise agree in writing, as specified in the ESCP, and ensure that the revised ESCP is disclosed promptly thereafter. (c) In case of any inconsistencies between the ESCP and the provisions of this Agreement, the provisions of this Agreement shall prevail. (d) The Recipient shall ensure that: (i) all measures necessary are taken to collect, compile, and furnish to the World Bank through regular reports, with the frequency specified in the ESCP, and promptly in a separate report or reports, if so requested by the World Bank, information on the status of compliance with the ESCP and the environmental and social instruments referred to therein, all such reports in form and substance acceptable to the World Bank, setting out, inter alia: (A) the status of implementation of the ESCP; (B) conditions, if any, which interfere or threaten to interfere with the implementation of the ESCP; and (C) corrective and preventive measures taken or required to be taken to address such conditions; and (ii) the World Bank is promptly notified of any incident or accident related to or having an impact on the Activities 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 ESCP, the environmental and social instruments referenced therein and the Environmental and Social Standards. (e) The Recipient shall establish, publicize, maintain and operate an accessible grievance mechanism, to receive and facilitate resolution of concerns and grievances of Activities-affected people, and take all measures necessary and appropriate to resolve, or facilitate the resolution of, such concerns and grievances, in a manner acceptable to the World Bank. -6- 2.06. Monitoring, Reporting and Evaluation of the Activities. The Recipient shall monitor and evaluate the progress of the Activities in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.08 of the Standard Conditions. 2.07. Financial Management. (a) The Recipient shall ensure that a financial management system is maintained in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.09 of the Standard Conditions. (b) The Recipient shall ensure that interim un-audited financial reports for the Activities are prepared and furnished to the World Bank not later than forty-five (45) days after the end of each calendar quarter, covering the quarter, in form and substance satisfactory to the World Bank. (c) The Recipient shall have its Financial Statements audited in accordance with the provisions of Sections 2.09(b) of the Standard Conditions. (i) If, on or before the Refinancing Date, a Refinancing Agreement has been executed by all of its parties, the Recipient shall have the Financial Statements included in the first audit of financial statements required under the Refinancing Agreement. (ii) If, by the Refinancing Date, no Refinancing Agreement has been executed by all of its parties, such audit of the Financial Statements shall cover the period of the Advance, commencing with the fiscal year in which the first withdrawal under the Advance was made. The audited Financial Statements for such period shall be furnished to the World Bank not later than six months after the end of the Recipient’s fiscal year in which the Refinancing Date occurs. (iii) Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraphs (i) and (ii) of this Section, the World Bank may request an audit of the Financial Statements prior to the Refinancing Date, covering such period as is indicated in its request. The audited Financial Statements for such period shall be furnished to the World Bank not later than six months after the end of such period. 2.08. Procurement. All goods, non-consulting services and consulting services required for the Activities and to be financed out of the proceeds of the Advance shall be procured in accordance with the requirements set forth or referred to in the “World Bank Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers” dated November 2020 (“Procurement Regulations”), and the provisions of the Recipient’s procurement plan for the Activities dated March 19, 2022 (“Procurement Plan”), provided for under Section IV of the Procurement Regulations, as the same may be updated from time to time in agreement with the World Bank. Article III Withdrawal of the Advance 3.01. Eligible Expenditures. The Recipient may withdraw the proceeds of the Advance in accordance with the provisions of: (a) Article III of the Standard Conditions; (b) this Section; and (c) such additional instructions as the World Bank may specify by notice to the Recipient (including the “Disbursement Guidelines for Investment Project Financing” dated February 2017, as revised from time to time by the World Bank and as made applicable to this Agreement pursuant to such instructions), to finance Eligible Expenditures as set forth in the following table. The table specifies each category of Eligible Expenditures that may be financed out of the proceeds of the Advance (“Category”), the amount of the Advance allocated to each Category, and the percentage of expenditures to be financed for Eligible Expenditures in each Category: -7- Amount of the Advance Percentage of Expenditures Allocated to be Financed Category (expressed in Dollars) (inclusive of Taxes) (1) Goods, non-consulting 3,600,000 100% services, consultants’ services and Operating Costs under the Activities TOTAL AMOUNT 3,600,000 3.02. Withdrawal Conditions. Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 3.01 of this Agreement, no withdrawal shall be made for payments made prior to the date of countersignature of this Agreement by the Recipient. 3.03. Refinancing Date. The Refinancing Date is June 30, 2023. Article IV Terms of the Advance 4.01. Service Charge. The Recipient shall pay a service charge on the Withdrawn Advance Balance at the rate of three-fourths of one percent (3/4 of 1%) per annum. The service charge shall accrue from the respective dates on which amounts of the Advance are withdrawn and shall be paid in arrears in accordance with the provisions of Section 4.02 of this Agreement. Service charges shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months. 4.02. Repayment. The Withdrawn Advance Balance shall be repaid by the Recipient to the World Bank (together with any service charges accrued thereon) in accordance with the provisions of Article IV of the Standard Conditions and the following provisions: (a) Refinancing under the Refinancing Agreement: If, on or before the Refinancing Date, a Refinancing Agreement has been executed by all of its parties, then the full amount of the Withdrawn Advance Balance shall be repaid to the World Bank (together with any service charges accrued on the Advance to the date of repayment) as soon as the Refinancing Agreement becomes effective, by means of a withdrawal by the World Bank of an amount of the Refinancing Proceeds equivalent to the Withdrawn Advance Balance plus such service charges, in accordance with the provisions of the Refinancing Agreement. (b) Repayment in the absence of a Refinancing Agreement: If, on or before the Refinancing Date, no Refinancing Agreement has been executed by all of its parties, or if, by such date, it has been so executed but terminates without becoming effective, then: (i) if the amount of the Withdrawn Advance Balance does not exceed $50,000, it shall be repaid by the Recipient to the World Bank (together with service charges accrued on the Withdrawn Advance Balance to the date of repayment) on such date as the World Bank shall specify in a notice to the Recipient, which shall in no event be earlier than 60 days following the date of dispatch of such notice; and (ii) if the amount of the Withdrawn Advance Balance exceeds $50,000, it (together with service charges accrued on the Withdrawn Advance Balance to the Notice Date) (the “Aggregate Balance”) shall be paid by the Recipient to the World Bank in ten approximately equal semiannual -8- installments, in the amounts and on the dates (“Payment Dates”) which the World Bank shall specify in a notice to the Recipient. In no event shall the first Payment Date be set earlier than 60 days following the date (“Notice Date”) of dispatch of such notice. The Recipient shall pay a service charge on the Aggregate Balance at the rate of three-fourths of one percent (3/4 of 1%) per annum, payable in arrears on each Payment Date. The service charge shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months. Article V Recipient’s Representative; Addresses 5.01. Recipient’s Representative. The Recipient’s Representative referred to in Section 9.02 of the Standard Conditions is its minister in charge of planning. 5.02. Recipient’s Address. The Recipient’s Address referred to in Section 9.01 of the Standard Conditions is: Ministry of Planning B.P. 862 Niamey Republic of Niger 5.03. World Bank’s Address. The World Bank’s Address referred to in Section 9.01 of the Standard Conditions is: International Development Association 1818 H Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20433 United States of America Telex: Facsimile: 248423 (MCI) or 1-202-477-6391 64145 (MCI)