Economically-related infrastructure measures to support rural development

completed

The project contributes to improving the living and income conditions of the rural population in the target provinces, particularly for the land-poor, the newly settled landless and indigenous minorities who have already received or will receive land titles. This is done primarily by providing basic infrastructure. Support for the land-poor and the newly settled landless focuses on a total of 15 settlements that have been financed and advised by the World Bank (WB), German Technical Cooperation (TZ) and the Japan Social Development Fund (JSDF) since 2008 as part of the ongoing Land Allocation for Social and Economic Development Project (LASED). While the GIZ and the JSDF will stop supporting these settlements in 2014, the WB is currently preparing to extend its support in these 15 settlements for a further three years until 2017. Indigenous population groups are found primarily in the north-eastern provinces of Kratie, Mondolkiri and Ratanakiri. The project focuses heavily on supporting indigenous communities in these provinces. The aim of the project is to improve the living conditions of the poor and vulnerable population in rural areas by using the financed infrastructure. The program includes the expansion and rehabilitation of access roads to the locations of the LASED communities or indigenous communities in the project regions, the construction of schools, health stations and community centers, wells and other infrastructure that contributes to improving the living situation of the target group. Accompanying measures carried out by non-governmental organizations (NGOs) support the sustainability of the FC investments. An FC grant of up to EUR 9 million was promised at the government negotiations in December 2013 to finance the measures.