The World Bank
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Document of The WorldBank FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Public Disclosure Authorized Report No. 1930b-COM FEDERAL ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF THE COMOROS Public Disclosure Authorized STAFF APPRAISAL REPORT' FIRST HIGHWAY PROJECT Public Disclosure Authorized August 1, 1978 Public Disclosure Authorized Highways Projects Division Eastern Africa Regional Office This document has a restricted distribution and may be used by recipients only in the performance of their official duties. Its contents may not otherwise be disclosed without World Bank authorization. CU RENCY EQUIVALENTS Currency Unit = Comorian Franc (CF) US$0.00417 = CF 1 US$1.00 = CF 24 WEIGHTS AND MEASURES 1 meter (m) = 3.28 feet (ft) 1 kilometer (km) = 0.62 miles (mi) 1 hectare (ha) = 2.47 acres (ac) 1 metric ton (ton) 2 = 2,204 pounds (lb) I square kilometer (kh ) = 0.386 square miles (sq mi) GLOSSjARYOF ABBREVIATIONS AfDF - African Development Fund BCEOM - Bureau Central pour les Equipements d'Outre-Mer DEIT - Directorate of Equipment and Improvement of Territory EDF - European Development Fund FIDES - Fonds d'Investissements pour le Developpement Economique et Social MEITQL - Ministry of Equipment, Improvement of Territory and Quality of Life MFEP - Ministry of Finance, Economy and Planning OPEC - Organization of P'etroleumExporting Countries PPF - Project Preparation Facility SECMO - Societe d'Etudes de Construction de Maisons et Ouvrages vpd - vehicles per day FEDERAL ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF THE COMOROS FISCAL YEAR January 1 - December 31 FEDERAL ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF THE COMOROS- FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY FIRST HIGHWAY PROJECT STAFF APPRAISAL REPORT TABLE OF CONTENTS Page No. 1. THE TRANSPORT SECTOR .................* . ............. 1 A. Geographic and Economic Setting and Its Effect on Transport ..................................... I B. The Transport System . ................... .. 2 C. Transport Policy and Coordination ...oo............... 3 D. Past Bank Group Involvement ..... ..........I......... 4 2. THE HIGHWAY SUBSECTOR ....................... ........ 5 A. The Network ......................................... 5 B. Traffic Growth and Characteristics .................. 5 C. Administration ................................. .6. D. T*rainitng . ........... .a. .. ... .7 E. Planning ............................................ 17 F. Financing .............................. ......... 17 G . Enginee ring ...... 0. ......................,.... 8 H. Construction .. ........... ..................... 9 I. Road Maintenance dProcur.m..t ....... 29..... 3. THE PDsuEments.. THE PROJECT .****........ 17 A. ObjectivesV..................................... 17 B.D escription..................... .................. 17 C. EstimatesCost ... o.....n......................0... 22 D. Financing .... o ......... 24 E. I mpl ementationand Pro curement ................... 26 F. Disbursements ...................... 28 G. Ecology ... oo........28 4. EC EVALUATIONONOMIC ................. 3.........78 A. Mainpe.r..edy Benefits ...idaJohnse (Econo.........mist), 38 B. Ni oumakeleRoad ConstructionS3orri8Hallgrimsson (Engineer, C8 C. Ro adImprovement and Maintenance ...... 40 D. Studies .............................. 41, E. Risks ... o.o........................, 42 5. AGREEMENTS REACHED AND RECOMMENDATIONS ......... .................... 47 , This report was prepared by Frida Johansen (Economist), Ed1uard Fellinghauer (Engineer), Paula Gannon (Economist) and Snorri Hallgrimsson (Engineer, Con- sultant) following an appraisal mission to Comoros in October 1977. The report was edited by Patricia Brereton. This documenthu a restricteddistribution and maybe usedby recipientsonly in the performance of their officialdutis. Its contentsmay not otherwisebe disclosedwithout World Bank authorization. - ii - TABLE OF CONTENTS (Continued) Page No. ANNEXES 2.1 Road Network, 1977 12 2.2 Motor Vehicle Statistics, 1964-75 13 2.3 Gasoline Consumption, 196,7-75 14 2.4 Vehicle Operating Costs and Average Fares 15 2.5 Organization of Public Works Administration 16 3.1 Design Standards - Nioumakele Road 29 3.2 Proposed Road Improvement Unit and Maintenance Units for Paved Roads 30 3.3 Equipment to be Procured under the Project 31 3.4 Local Personnel to be Assigned to Road Improvement and Maintenance Program 32 3.5 Implementation Schedule 34 3.6 Progress Reporting System 35 3.7 Estimated Schedule of Disbursement 37 4.1 Economic Evaluation - Nioumakele Road Construction 43 4.2 Economic Evaluation - Improvement Unit 45 4.3 Economic Evaluation - Resealing and Patching Units 46 APPENDIX I. Related Documents and Data,Available in Project File 49 MAPS Comoro Islands: First Highway Project - Anjouan (IBRD 13414) Comoro Islands: First Highway Project - Moheli (IBRD 13415) FEDERAL ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF THE COMOROS FIRST HIGHWAY PROJECT STAFF APPRAISAL REPORT 1. THE TRANSPORT SECTOR A. Geographic and Economic Setting and Its Effect on Transport Geography 1.01 The Comoro archipelago, located at the northern end of the Mozambique Channel, consists of four islands about 100 to 300 km from one another (Map-IBRD 13414, insert). The Republic of the Comoros comprises three of th se islands, Grande Comore, Anjouan and Mohieli, with a land area of 1,862 km ; the fourth island, Mayotte, remains under French rule. The islands are characterized by a rugged topography of volcanic origin, with laterite soils that support lush vegetation. The climate is marine tropical with occasional cyclones and rainfall as intense as 400 mm per month during the six-month rainy season. Population 1.02 The Republic's pop2lation is estimated at 370,000 in 1977, with about 400 inhabitants per km of cultivable land. Owing to the high popula- tion growth rate (3.7% p.a.) and the return in 1977 of about 18,000 Comorians from Madagascar, the islands of Anjouan and, to a lesser extent, Grande Comore are becoming overpopulated. Economy 1.03 The Comoros' economic development is limited and primarily dependent on agriculture. Food production is insufficient for Local needs, but revenues from export crops such as ylang-ylang, copra, vanilla and cloves partially finance supplementary food imports. Distillation of ylang-ylang into perfume essences is virtually the only "industrial" activity. It is estimated that agriculture contributes about 38% to GDP, a further 40% is contributed by the services sector, and other sectors contribute the remaining 20%. In 1976 GNP per capita was about US$150, among the lowest in East Africa. 1.04 At the Comoros' independence in 1975, France, the principal source of financial and technical assistance, suspended such aid and most of the French community departed, causing an immediate adverse impact on the economy. Tentative estimates indicate that GDP reached a peak of US$71 million in 1974, having grown at 6 to 7% p.a. in real terms over the previous 5 years, but fell 13% in 1975 and 9% in 1976. Following independence, the new state made drastic cutbacks on most activities, and total public expenditures were halved. Worldwide appeals for help brought the assistance of about US$20 million in suppliers' credits in 1976, mostly from Arab sources and China. -2- But in 1977, with the almost total exhaustionof all financial assistance and the commitment of nearly all Treasury reserves, the budgetary situationbecame critical. Because of the limits of local resources,the Government had to reduce its expendituresfurther:, particularly administrative expenses that had been absorbingmost of the budget. The Comoros' budgetary problems are now critical and will sharply restrict any Government contributionto development projects. Effects on Transport 1.05 The Comoros' geographic position makes transport difficult and ex- pensive. Its internationaltrade and communicationsare constrainedby long distances to foreign markets and by the lack of a natural deepwater harbor for oceangoing vessels, the latter necessitatingthe use of "neighboring" countries' ports for transshipments,or loading/unloadingships offshore. As a result, higher-valueimports and exports are carried by air. As part of an archipelago,each island requires port and airport facilities,but even though one island has internationalstandard facilities,other islands remain dependent on transshipments. Coastal shipping is impeded by the rocky coast- line with only a few beaches. Intra-islandtransport is hampered by the islands' rugged topography,steep gradients, clayish soils and heavy rains, which make road constructionexpensive. All transport, but sea traffic in particular,is often disrupted by cyclones during the rainy season. B. The Transport System 1.06 The transport infrastrUcturein the Comoros comprises 2 ports, 4 airports, and about 700 km of roads, but no railway system or navigable rivers. Ports and Sea Transport 1.07 The Comoros have two ports, which can accommodate only small oceangoing vessels. Mutsamudu, on the island of Anjouan, is the main port of the Comoros. Its jetty (250 m long by 8 m wide) has a low tide capacity to accommodatesimultaneously two 500-ton coasters and various dhows. The port of Moroni on Grande Comore has a quay (150 m long by 15 m wide) which can accommodatecoasters of up to 400 tons. At both ports, larger vessels must anchor offshore for loading and unloading, which is possible in calm weather only. Moheli has no port, but the beach at Fomboni permits the handling of small boats and landing craft tankers during low tide. 1.08 Larger ships only occasionallycall at the Comoros, but 10 to 12 coasters of 300-400 tons capacity operate regularly. In addition, 50-60 dhows of 5-30