Document of The World Bank FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Public Disclosure Authorized Report No: 35957-TJ PROJECT APPRAISAL DOCUMENT Public Disclosure Authorized ON A PROPOSED GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF SDR 0.7 MILLION (US$l MILLION EQUIVALENT) TO THE REPUBLIC OF TAJIKISTAN FOR A Public Disclosure Authorized STRENGTHENING THE NATIONAL STATISTICAL SYSTEM PROJECT lN SUPPORT OF THE MULTIPLE COUNTRY STATISTICAL CAPACITY BUILDING (STATCAP) PROGRAM May 1,2006 Poverty ReductiodEconomic Management (ECSPE) Public Disclosure Authorized This document has a restricted distribution and may be used by recipients only in the performance of their official duties. Its contents may not otherwise be disclosed without World Bank authorization. CURRENCY EQUIVALENTS (Exchange Rate Effective 1.10.2006) CurrencyUnit = US$ Tajikistan Somoni (TJS) 3.20 = US$1 US$1 = SDR0.7 FISCAL YEAR January 1 - December 31 ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS TA Technical assistance TACIS Technical Assistance for CIS TFSCB Trust Fund for Statistical Capacity Building TIKA Turkish International Cooperation Agency TOR Terms ofReference TTL Task Team Leader UNDP United Nations Development Program UNSD United Nations Statistical Division WB World Bank REPUBLIC OF TAJIKISTAN Strengthening the National Statistical System CONTENTS Page A . STRATEGIC CONTEXT AND RATIONALE ................................................................. 1 1. Country and sector issues.................................................................................................... 1 2 . Rationale for Bank involvement ......................................................................................... 2 3 . Higher level objectives to which the project contributes .................................................... 3 B. PROJECT DESCRIPTION................................................................................................. 4 1. Lending instrument ............................................................................................................. 4 2 . Project development objective and key indicators .............................................................. 4 3 . Project components ............................................................................................................. 5 4 . Lessons learned and reflected in the project design ............................................................ 7 5. Alternatives considered and reasons for rejection .............................................................. 8 C. IMPLEMENTATION .......................................................................................................... 8 1. Partnership arrangements (if applicable) ............................................................................ 8 2 . Institutional and implementation arrangements .................................................................. 9 3 . Monitoring and evaluation of outcomeshesults .................................................................. 9 4 . Sustainability... ..................................................................................................................... 10 5 . Critical risks and possible controversial aspects ............................................................... 11 6 . Loadcredit conditions and covenants ............................................................................... 12 D. APPRAISAL SUMMARY ................................................................................................. 12 1. Economic and financial analyses ...................................................................................... 12 2 . Technical ........................................................................................................................... 13 3 . Fiduciary ........................................................................................................................... 13 4 . Social ................................................................................................................................. 14 5 . Environment ...................................................................................................................... 15 6 . Safeguard policies ............................................................................................................. 15 7 . Policy Exceptions and Readiness.,.................................................................................... 15 Annex 1: Country and Sector or Program Background ......................................................... 16 Annex 2: Major Related Projects Financed by the Bank and/or other Agencies ................. 20 Annex 3: Results Framework and Monitoring ........................................................................ 21 Annex 4: Detailed Project Description...................................................................................... 32 Annex 5: Project Costs ............................................................................................................... 52 Annex 6: Implementation Arrangements ................................................................................. 53 Annex 7: Financial Management and Disbursement Arrangements ..................................... 55 Annex 8: Procurement Arrangements ...................................................................................... 64 Annex 9: Economic and Financial Analysis ............................................................................. 70 Annex 10: Safeguard Policy Issues ............................................................................................ 71 Annex 11: Project Preparation and Supervision ..................................................................... 72 Annex 12: Documents in the Project File ................................................................................. 74 Annex 13: Statement of Loans and Credits .............................................................................. 75 Annex 14: Country at a Glance ................................................................................................. 76 Annex 15: Governance and Accountability Issues................................................................... 78 Annex 16: Map (IBRD#33493) ................................................................................................. 85 REPUBLIC OF TAJIKISTAN STRENGTHENING THE NATIONAL STATISTICAL SYSTEM PROJECT APPRAISAL DOCUMENT EUROPE AND CENTRAL ASIA DECDG Date: May 1,2006 Team Leader: Mustafa Dinc Country Director: Annette Dixon Sectors: Central government administration Sector ManagedDirector: Carlos Felipe Jaramillo (1 00%) Themes: Economic statistics, modeling and forecasting (P);Poverty strategy, analysis and monitoring @);Other economic management (S) Project ID: PO98410 Environmentalscreening category: Not Required Lending Instrument: Specific Investment Loan Project Financing Data [ ] Loan [ICredit [XI Grant [ ] Guarantee [ ] Other: Source Local Foreign Total BORROWEWRECIPIENT 0.87 0.00 0.87 INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT 0.00 1.oo 1.oo ASSOCIATION UK: BRITISH DEPARTMENT FOR 0.00 1.10 1.10 INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (DFID) SWEDEN: SWEDISH INTL. DEV. 0.00 2.10 2.10 COOPERATION AGENCY (SIDA) Total: 0.87 4.20 5.07 Borrower: Government of Republic of Tajikistan Dushanbe, Republic of Tajikistan Responsible Agency: State Statistical Committee 17 Bokhtar Dushanbe Tajikistan Tel: +992372 232553 [email protected] http://www.stat.tj/english/home.htm 1 Project implementation period: 5 Years Start May 3 1,2006 End: June 30,201 1 Expected effectiveness date: May 3 1, 2006 Expected closing date: June 30, 201 1 Does the project depart from the CAS in content or other significant respects? [ ]Yes [XINO Re$ PAD A.3 Does the project require any exceptions from Bank policies? Re$ PAD D. 7 [ ]Yes [XINO Have these been approved by Bank management? [ ]Yes [ IN0 Is approval for any policy exception sought from the Board? [ ]Yes [XINO Does the project include any critical risks rated “substantial” or “high”? [ ]Yes [XINO Re$ PAD C.5 Does the project meet the Regional criteria for readiness for implementation? [XIYes [ ]No Re$ PAD D. 7 Project development objective Re$ PAD B.2, Technical Annex 3 The main objective ofthe project is to modernize the national statistical system and improve its efficiency and effectiveness to provide relevant, timely and reliable statistical data for evidence- based policy making in support of Government’s poverty reduction strategies and the process of economic development. Project description [one-sentence summary of each component] Re$ PAD B.3.a, Technical Annex 4 Institutional Development component will support the improvement ofthe institutional capacity to carry out the formulation, coordination, and implementation of appropriate statistical policies and programs that will address to the needs of Tajikistan. Human Resource Development component targets to improve the qualifications ofthe personnel in all statistical offices ofthe national statistical system. Development of Statistical Infrastructure component addresses the improvement of the basic elements of the statistical infrastructure: statistical registers, sample frames, classifications and methodologies, statistical computer packages for analysis of survey data, and Geographical Information System (GIS) for statistical mapping. Data Development component will support the adaptation ofinternationally accepted standards and methodologies in data collection, compilation, and validation by GKS and other relevant