INTEGRATED SAFEGUARDS DATASHEET
APPRAISAL STAGE
I. Basic Information
Date prepared/updated: 10/04/2011 / Report No.: AC65101. Basic Project Data
Country: Cameroon / Project ID: P122153
Project Name: Cameroon Mining Sector Technical Assistance Project
Task Team Leader: Gotthard Walser
Estimated Appraisal Date: August 30, 2011 / Estimated Board Date: January 26, 2012
Managing Unit: SEGOM / Lending Instrument: Technical Assistance Loan
Sector: Other Mining and Extractive Industries (100%)
Theme: Other environment and natural resources management (55%);Other public sector governance (25%);Other social development (10%);Gender (10%)
IBRD Amount (US$m.): 0.00
IDA Amount (US$m.): 30.00
GEF Amount (US$m.): 0.00
PCF Amount (US$m.): 0.00
Other financing amounts by source:
BORROWER/RECIPIENT 0.00
Financing Gap 0.00
0.00
Environmental Category: B - Partial Assessment
Repeater []
Is this project processed under OP 8.50 (Emergency Recovery) or OP 8.00 (Rapid Response to Crises and Emergencies) / Yes [ ] / No [X]
2. Project Objectives
In line with the Government's vision, the Project Development Objective (PDO) is to improve (i) the efficiency and transparency of mining sector management and (ii) the frameworks for sustainable mining development. To achieve this objective, the project will focus on institutional strengthening and on the local/regional integration of mining activities. It will contribute to the strategic objective, which stretches beyond the scope and timeline of this project, of increasing the contribution of mining to sustainable growth and development.
3. Project Description
Component A. Access to Mineral Resources and Governance of Mining Operations (Indicative Cost USD 21.5 millions). The main objective of this component is to address fundamental impediments to properly manage the up-stream functions of the EI value-chain, focusing particularly on access to resources (link 1), monitoring of mining operations (link 2) and transparency and accountability mechanisms (mainly referring to link 3). To achieve this, the project will support the following:
- A.1 Program of Geo-data acquisition, organization and promotion. This sub-component will assist the Government to acquire, interpret, store, and disseminate information about the country's subsoil to better assess, manage and promote its mineral potential. Activities will include: i) regional airborne geophysical surveys; ii) programs of regional geological and geochemical data acquisition; iii) data interpretation studies and mineral potential products; iv) design and installation of a geological information internet portail ; v) supply of equipment and office renovations for Direction of Mines and Geology as well as IRGM; vi) training and other capacity building efforts in geo-sciences; vii) promotion of the geological data and knowledge through suitable printing of maps and reports, media documentation, and participation at international conferences and industry meetings.
- A.2 Management of Mineral Rights and Operations. Key activities under this sub-component are designed to strengthen government oversight capabilities through: i) a more complete legal and regulatory framework; ii) a modern computer-based mining cadastre; iii) capacity building in mining convention negotiations; iv) capacity building in monitoring of mining operations; and v) a Strategic Environment and Social Assessment (SESA) leading to better tools and more capacities to manage mining environmental and social impacts.
- A.3 Transparency and Accountability in the Mining Sector. To improve governance and minimize potential negative effects of resource exploitation, in addition to public improving transparency processes, it is critical to set up stronger accountability mechanisms. The project will support the adoption of transparency standards like EITI and Kimberley Process, and set up an accountability platform mechanism at national and local levels as a vehicle for a more inclusive management of mining.
Component B. Integration of Mining into Local and Regional Development (USD 5 millions). The main objective of this component is to improve the integration of current exploration and future exploitation activities into local and regional development (in reference mainly to the link 5 in the EI value chain). To achieve this, the project will support the following:
- B.1 Mineral Resources Dynamic Management System. Under this sub-component, a GIS regrouping geological data with other natural resources and socio-economic information will be designed in two regions where the Government is willing to better understand the potential role of mining in regional development.
- B.2 Coordination between Mines, Forests, and Environment Stakeholders. To better address existing or perceived conflicts between mining and other land-uses, the project will support Coordination bodies like the Technical Committee for Forum Monitoring (CTSF) on the integrated management of forest and mining resources and a potential decision-making inter ministerial committee comprising relevant ministries.
- B.3 Local and Regional Linkages. The project will contribute to mitigating some of the social risks induced by operations by empowering local communities and municipalities, promoting local linkages and benefit sharing mechanisms in mining areas.
- B.4 Framework for Mining Infrastructure Development. This sub-component will support activities to facilitate the development of adequate PPPs for mining ancillary infrastructure (transport, power, and/or port) and increase the chances of national mineral resources to be sustainably exploited.
Component C. Management and M&E of the project (USD 3.5 million).
This component will support (a) Project coordination and management of procurement, financial management, and disbursement ; and (b) monitoring and evaluation of project implementation, including reporting, audits and assessment of safeguards policies. A Project Implementation Unit (PIU) has already been established under the PPF, and is managed by staff contracted by the Ministry of Mines. All the details pertaining to PIU activities and other institutional arrangements are comprised in the Project Implementation Manual.
4. Project Location and salient physical characteristics relevant to the safeguard analysis
Cameroon
5. Environmental and Social Safeguards Specialists
Ms Paula F. Lytle (AFTCS)
Mr Maman-Sani Issa (AFTEN)
6. Safeguard Policies Triggered / Yes / No /Environmental Assessment (OP/BP 4.01) / X
Natural Habitats (OP/BP 4.04) / X
Forests (OP/BP 4.36) / X
Pest Management (OP 4.09) / X
Physical Cultural Resources (OP/BP 4.11) / X
Indigenous Peoples (OP/BP 4.10) / X
Involuntary Resettlement (OP/BP 4.12) / X
Safety of Dams (OP/BP 4.37) / X
Projects on International Waterways (OP/BP 7.50) / X
Projects in Disputed Areas (OP/BP 7.60) / X
II. Key Safeguard Policy Issues and Their Management
A. Summary of Key Safeguard Issues
1. Describe any safeguard issues and impacts associated with the proposed project. Identify and describe any potential large scale, significant and/or irreversible impacts:
The Project is expected to have significant positive environmental impacts through improving environmental management of the mining sector, promoting modern mining methods and enhancing environmental management capacity.
As a technical assistance (TA) operation, activities will have no significant physical impact on the natural or social environment. Aerial surveys and modest office refurbishment will take place, however, there will be no new construction or change in physical footprint. These small civil works will be undertaken according to national and local laws and regulations. Furthermore, the project will only provide support for establishment and improvement of general sector management systems, and will not engage in zoning, planning or preparatory activities for specific investments linked to identifiable impacts.
2. Describe any potential indirect and/or long term impacts due to anticipated future activities in the project area:
It is widely understood that mining activities often involve risk of significant adverse impact on social and environment aspects if inadequate arrangements are in place to manage them.
3. Describe any project alternatives (if relevant) considered to help avoid or minimize adverse impacts.
To help the Government address such safeguards concerns for future mining investments (which are not part of this project), a key project activity will be the preparation of a comprehensive Strategic Environment and Social Assessment (SESA). The SESA will involve a consultative process to help the Government to: (a) diagnose the key environmental and social problems and opportunities associated with the anticipated growth of Cameroon#s mining sector; (b) identify the policy, legal, regulatory, and institutional adjustments and capacity-building actions needed to minimize the adverse environmental and social impacts of mining operations and associated infrastructure development, while enhancing the positive impacts; and (c) propose specific measures that Government can implement in the near future to improve the environmental and social sustainability of mining in the country, particularly through the Project. In addition, to account for the specificity of Component B which will fund technical assistance to prepare the Government for the integration of industrial mining into local and regional development, the SESA will provide critical input to the preparation, as necessary, of the following safeguards frameworks for the sector: i) an Environment and Social Management Framework (ESMF); ii) a Resettlement Policy Framework (RPF); and iii) an Indigenous Peoples Planning Framework (IPPF). Those 3 products will not be implemented by the Bank, but would be meant to be helpful tools for the Government when it needs to be involved in preparing/implementing the sector policy, specific plans or programs in the future regardless the source of financing.
In line with the approach taken for similar mining TAs in the Region (e.g. DRC, Malawi, Burkina Faso.), the Government will produce ToRs for the SESA, to the satisfaction of IDA, organize consultations, and disclose them in country and via the Bank#s InfoShop before appraisal. The SESA itself will be carried out at the early stages of project implementation.
4. Describe measures taken by the borrower to address safeguard policy issues. Provide an assessment of borrower capacity to plan and implement the measures described.
The principal measure taken by the borrower is to conduct the SESA which will lead to a series of recommendations. The Borrower will subsequently adopt a follow up action plan to address the priorities. Part of them will be financed under the project.
In terms of capacitites, the proposed operation will be implemented by a stand-alone Project Implementation Unit (PIU), which will be set up during project preparation, with the support from Project Preparation Facility (PPF) funds. Until now the MINIMIDT has not yet implemented a World Bank operation with environmental and social safeguards. Its capacity to implement such policies remains weak.It is expected that the MINIMIDT capacity will be reinforced at the time of PIU establishment and that the PIU will be fully-functional prior to project effectiveness. In addition to a project coordinator, procurement and FM staff, the PIU will recruit (on a part time basis if sufficient) an Environmental and Social Specialist with a sufficient experience on WB safeguards policies and knowledge on Cameroon environmental and social regulations. In addition the PIU will work closely with the Ministry of Environment and other relevant ministries.
5. Identify the key stakeholders and describe the mechanisms for consultation and disclosure on safeguard policies, with an emphasis on potentially affected people.
Key stakeholders include (i) communities living close to active or planned mining activities, including indigenous communities; (ii) environmental and social development non governmental organizations involved in extractive industry issues; (iii) government institutions and their staff, responsible for the management of the mining sector, as well as those involved in related issues (land-use planning, infrastructure, environment, social, decentralisation, protected areas etc.); (iv)private sector and mining companies and their staff; and (v) the Cameroon civil society at large.
Discussions and consultations related to the project and sector development have been carried out through a number of workshops on themes linked to governance or sector studies during preparation. On safeguards policies, consultations are being organized in Yaounde, Bertoua and Ngaoudere to discuss the draft terms of reference of the Strategic Environmental and Social Assessment, prepared by the government and to be implemented at project inception. Further consultations and disclosure of safeguard policies will be an integral part of the SESA implementation.
B. Disclosure Requirements DateEnvironmental Assessment/Audit/Management Plan/Other:
Was the document disclosed prior to appraisal? / Yes
Date of receipt by the Bank / 09/06/2011
Date of "in-country" disclosure / 09/07/2011
Date of submission to InfoShop / 09/07/2011
For category A projects, date of distributing the Executive Summary of the EA to the Executive Directors
Resettlement Action Plan/Framework/Policy Process:
Was the document disclosed prior to appraisal?
Date of receipt by the Bank
Date of "in-country" disclosure
Date of submission to InfoShop
Indigenous Peoples Plan/Planning Framework:
Was the document disclosed prior to appraisal?
Date of receipt by the Bank
Date of "in-country" disclosure
Date of submission to InfoShop
Pest Management Plan:
Was the document disclosed prior to appraisal?
Date of receipt by the Bank
Date of "in-country" disclosure
Date of submission to InfoShop
* If the project triggers the Pest Management and/or Physical Cultural Resources, the respective issues are to be addressed and disclosed as part of the Environmental Assessment/Audit/or EMP.
If in-country disclosure of any of the above documents is not expected, please explain why:
n/a
C. Compliance Monitoring Indicators at the Corporate Level (to be filled in when the ISDS is finalized by the project decision meeting)
OP/BP/GP 4.01 - Environment AssessmentDoes the project require a stand-alone EA (including EMP) report? / N/A
If yes, then did the Regional Environment Unit or Sector Manager (SM) review and approve the EA report? / N/A
Are the cost and the accountabilities for the EMP incorporated in the credit/loan? / N/A
The World Bank Policy on Disclosure of Information
Have relevant safeguard policies documents been sent to the World Bank's Infoshop? / Yes
Have relevant documents been disclosed in-country in a public place in a form and language that are understandable and accessible to project-affected groups and local NGOs? / Yes
All Safeguard Policies
Have satisfactory calendar, budget and clear institutional responsibilities been prepared for the implementation of measures related to safeguard policies? / Yes
Have costs related to safeguard policy measures been included in the project cost? / Yes
Does the Monitoring and Evaluation system of the project include the monitoring of safeguard impacts and measures related to safeguard policies? / Yes
Have satisfactory implementation arrangements been agreed with the borrower and the same been adequately reflected in the project legal documents? / Yes
D. Approvals
Signed and submitted by: / Name / DateTask Team Leader: / Mr Gotthard Walser / 08/19/2011
Environmental Specialist: / Mr Maman-Sani Issa / 09/22/2011
Social Development Specialist
Additional Environmental and/or Social Development Specialist(s):
Approved by:
Regional Safeguards Coordinator: / Ms Alexandra C. Bezeredi / 07/05/2011
Comments:
Sector Manager: / Mr Paulo De Sa / 07/05/2011
Comments: