Expression of Interest are invited for Study of Trade, Markets and Cooperative Models along the ROC and CAR Waterway Corridor Description: 1. The Governments of the Central African Republic (CAR) and the Republic of Congo (ROC) have solicited and obtained from the World Bank (WB) the financing of the Central Africa Regional Waterways Project (the Project). The Project development objective is to enhance transport and trade efficiency, infrastructure climate-resilience, and social inclusion, along the selected waterway and road corridor sections between CAR and ROC. The Project mainly provides financing for priority infrastructure investments in ROC and CAR (roads, ports, waterways-related works) to revive the economy along the Project corridor but also seeks to support both governments in considering long-term operational, maintenance and financing strategies to maximize socio-economic impacts (particularly on women traders). It is structured across the following components:Component 1: Waterways, ports, and road infrastructure improvement. This Component will support (i) the maintenance operations of the GIE-SCEVN, the entity responsible for overseeing the maintenance and management of the Projects rivers waterways with the conduct of navigation improvement works, localized dredging operations and acquisition of information technology, navigation and dredging equipment, and the rehabilitation of hydrometric stations. (ii) The rehabilitation and upgrading of selected ports and piers along the Project corridor. (iii) The upgrading or construction works for road infrastructure in CAR. And (iv) the installation of fiber-optic cables along the BossembéléBossangoa road in a climate-resilient manner.Component 2: Support for waterway and road sectors governance and trade facilitation. This Component will support (i) activities to harmonize and improve trade customs operations between CAR and ROC. This component will further support actions to (ii) enhance GIE-SCEVNs capacity to undertake operations and maintenance of the Congo Basin Waterways by financing the recruitment of experts, trainings and studies. (iii) And improve the regional management of water resources and waterways in the Congo Basin. Finally, this component will (iv) finance the preparation and implementation of strategies to enhance climate resilience, navigability, road and river transport safety, port and waterway security, and road and port asset management.Component 3: Socially inclusive investments and capacity building for riparian communities. This component will support (i) infrastructure works and construction supervision to support communities and local traders in selected villages located around key ports along the Congo-Ubangi River corridor and located along the BossembéléBossangoa road section. And (ii) training and capacity-building programs aiming to improve local traders skills, with priority focus on women and youth.Component 4: Project management, implementation support, and institutional strengthening. Through this component, the project will support project management, implementation support and institutional strengthening. Component 5: Contingent Emergency Response (CERC) provisioned only in emergencies. This component can be activated to support an immediate response to an eligible crisis or emergency, as required.2. On July 10, 2024, the Project team was awarded a grant from the Quality Infrastructure Investment (QII) Partnership. The QII Partnership is a joint initiative of Japan and the World Bank, aimed at supporting sustainable infrastructure investment. The objective of the grant received is to help enhance transport and trade efficiency in a more sustainable, inclusive, and climate-resilient manner by supporting analytical work to: (i) Deepen the understanding of the service economy and trade environment in the sub-region, especially along the waterways corridor dominated by small-scale traders and informality; (ii) Implement best practices that will enhance domestic and intraregional trade, support community-led activities with a focus on women traders who are very active in the region, maximize financing for development, and enable the long-term and climate-resilient maintenance of the corridor infrastructure financed under the Project; (iii) Support ongoing and future WB engagement, projects, and investments along the corridor; and (iv) Tackle regional challenges faced by CAR and ROC in financing and maintaining transport infrastructure in a climate-resilient and sustainable manner, fostering local and sub-regional trade, and creating socio-economic opportunities for underrepresented communities. 3. The corridor linking CAR and ROC plays a strategic role in regional trade, infrastructure development, and economic integration. It connects key economic hubs, facilitates cross-border trade, and shapes the socio-economic conditions of the populations along its route. Inland waterways further serve as a vital yet underutilized lever for economic development, offering cost-effective transport for goods and people. However, logistical, infrastructural, and regulatory barriers hinder their full potential. This study aims to assess the socio-economic dynamics of the corridor and inland waterways, identify opportunities and constraints, and propose strategies to enhance their contribution to local and bilateral trade, ensuring inclusive growth and sustainability.4. Also, along this corridor, community infrastructures including local markets are essential to economic activity and food security. Some, such as markets, serve as centers for trade and livelihoods. However, many community infrastructures are vulnerable to the effects of climate change such as floods, storms, heat waves and sea-level rise, which can disrupt trade, damage livelihoods, and increase long-term maintenance costs. There is a growing need to integrate ecological and climate-resilient principles into the design, construction, and operation of these infrastructures to ensure sustainability and resilience in the face of these challenges. 5. Furthermore, access to trade services and business opportunities is critical for fostering inclusive economic growth and reducing poverty. However, marginalized communities, particularly women, youth, and vulnerable groups, often face significant barriers to accessing these services and opportunities. These barriers can be due to socio-economic factors, limited access to financial resources, gender-based discrimination, or lack of skills and capacity.6. In order to contribute to enhanced transport and trade efficiency, infrastructure climate resilience, and socio-economic inclusion, along the selected waterway and road corridor sections between CAR and ROC, the Project team seeks to use part of the QII grant conduct a study: (i) analyzing the social landscape and cooperative models for local traders and markets in ROC and CAR; (ii) assessing the business and trade environment in CAR and ROC to better understand the type of business (formal and informal) conducted along the waterway corridor and the constraints faced by traders and operators. This will enable the tailoring of targeted interventions which, combined with infrastructure investments, will have a further impact on regional and global connectivity, improve the livelihoods of economic agents and contribute to sustainable economic growth. Tender Link : https://wbgeprocure-rfxnow.worldbank.org/rfxnow/public/advertisement/5485/view.html
