Lesotho Transport Infrastructure and Connectivity Project (LTIC)

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The objectives of the Transport Infrastructure and Connectivity Project for Lesotho are to: (a) improve access to social services and markets in targeted rural areas of Lesotho; (b) strengthen road safety management capacity; and (c) improve the Recipient’s capacity to respond promptly and effectively to an Eligible Crisis or Emergency. There are four components to the project, the first component being improving infrastructure access. This component will improve access of rural population to agricultural and job markets and social services in targeted isolated areas of Lesotho. It will do so through construction of approximately 35 footbridges (US$4.2 million, including contingencies) in communities located in areas that are cut off from road access, especially in the heavy rain season when river water levels increase. The locations of 19 footbridges have been identified through a prioritization exercise carried out by the Government. The remaining 16 footbridge sites will be selected during implementation in accordance with the criteria set forth in the Project Operational Manual. The second component is the improving road safety. This component will support activities to address road safety in a more integrated manner to achieve the Government’s objective to meet the global decade of road safety aim of halving road deaths between 2010 and 2020. To do so, this component will finance two sub‐components: Strengthening Road Safety Management Capacity, and Establishing Lesotho Integrated Transport Information System. The third component is the institutional strengthening support to the transport sector. This component seeks to continue institutional strengthening18 support to the transport sector and building the capacity of the staff of the RD and MoPWT, through the following activities: Provision of technical advisory services for preparation of the National Transport Master Plan, including institutionalization of cross‐sectoral coordination in transport planning and decision making (US$2 million); and strengthening of the institutional capacity of the RD and MoPWT for project implementation (US$1 million). Finally, the fourth component is the contingency emergency response component. This component allows for the possibility to access resources for eligible expenditures in the event of an eligible crisis or emergency, to provide immediate response to the eligible crisis or emergency, as needed. This component is being proposed for incorporation into the project with zero allocation, given that Lesotho remains vulnerable to climate change with rising temperatures and rain deficits. Lesotho declared a national emergency following the severe drought during the 2015-16 planting season that affected nearly 40 percent of the population.