AUC funding window for cross-border post-conflict reconstruction and development measures

Project details
Country: 
Zambia
Beneficiary: 
COMESA
Donor organisation: 
KfW Development Bank/COMESA
Department: 
Architecture & Urban Development
Project volume: 
1,004,532 €
Currency: 
€
Value of services: 
1,004,532 €
Start of project: 
January, 2014
End of project: 
November, 2017
Project description: 

The Consultant’s assistance is provided in the framework of Component 1 of the German Financial Cooperation (FC) Support Programme to the African Union Commission (AUC) for the development of the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA).

Component 1 is a funding window managed by the African Union Commission (AUC) for cross border Post-Conflict Reconstruction and Development (PCRD) measures to be implemented by Regional Economic Communities (RECs) with the objective of contributing towards improved living conditions of the population in border areas of post-conflict countries. The German Government has committed EUR 10 million to the funding window, executed through the KfW Development Bank.

COMESA (Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa) has been selected as the only REC to participate in the funding window during the on-going pilot phase (or first programme phase) and will, through its "Trading for Peace" (TfP) project (one of several PCRD programmes put into place by COMESA), implement small-scale economic and administrative infrastructure and provide capacity building of beneficiaries at selected border posts in Goma/Rubavu (DR Congo-Rwanda), Bunagana/Bunagana (DRC-Uganda), Kavimvira/Gatumba (DRC-Burundi) and Kenya/South Soudan.

The FC programme has the overall development policy goal to reduce conflicts and achieve continental peace and security and focuses on small-scale infrastructure and capacity building. Conflict prevention and peace-building are the guiding principles.

The following project activities are financed under the funding window:

  • Trade-related infrastructure that enhances the business opportunities of small-scale traders, such as border markets, feeder roads, storage facilities /warehouses, basic sanitation;
  • Administrative infrastructure: construction and/or rehabilitation/construction of border offices and Trade Information Desks; and
  • Support capacity building measures, including capacity building activities for Cross Border Trader’s Organizations (CBTA), training measures for user groups, trainings for Trade Information Desk Managers, trainings for small-scale traders and for border officials.
Service description: 

The consultant assists COMESA with the implementation of the following tasks:

  • Overall programme coordination including scheduling and overseeing the different activities in the four border regions;
  • Finalisation of the draft operational manual;
  • Participatory and conflict-sensible identification of small scale infrastructure investments with the respective beneficiaries and user groups;
  • Developing operation and maintenance concepts for different types of infrastructure including innovative solutions and checking possible private sector involvement (partially done due to early project closure);
  • Implementation of the identified measures per border region, especially:
  1. Tendering for and contracting of consultant services (architects, engineers) for project preparation, planning, tendering, site supervision, handing over and support in taking into operation of the projects (Not initiated yet due to early project closure),
  2. Elaboration of design, detailed design and tender documents for the small scale infrastructure works (ToR for the design etc. for some CBM (Cross Border Markets) were prepared but no tendering process yet initiated),
  3. Tendering for, selecting and contracting of the local contractors (Not yet due to early project closure and serious delays in the preparatory phase),
  4. Supervising the work process and quality control (Not yet due to early project closure and serious delays in the preparatory phase),
  5. Guidance on all procurement related issues (For some but not all).
  • Selection of service providers for the capacity building measures (responsibility of COMESA);
  • Development of a monitoring system;
  • Narrative reporting to the AUC (QPR etc. were supported by GOPA, responsibility had COMESA);
  • Financial management (mainly GFA component); and
  • Knowledge transfer to AUC and possibly other RECs.
Currency: 
€