R. Fes Meknes

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 IFC is considering providing an A Loan up to US$ 35 million to the Region of Fes-Meknes (the “Region”), to finance part of the Region’s program to upgrade rural roads ( the “Project”).For the sake of clarity, the ESRS applies only to the IFC financed portion of the Region’s Program.The project is part of the Roads and Tracks section of the 2020-2021 Program to Reduce Regional and Social Disparities in rural areas (PRDTS) which overall includes about 430 km of rural roads to be rehabilitated and upgraded. The program aims at supporting local underprivileged communities in remote rural areas to better and safer access to basic services in all weather conditions.   Roads to be upgraded are selected by the Region based on requests received from the rural communes which identify  the needs at the level of the villages included in their territory, and are then prioritized by the Region based on technical and financial feasibility and resulting economic and social development impact.   The PRDTS program does not include the construction of any new roads. The program is designed to upgrade existing rural roads with or without widening.  When widening is required, a 3-4 meter wide road is upgraded to a road of 6-8 meter width, including lateral drainage as needed. Under the proposed investment, the project will prioritize roads for which the upgrade will not require widening of their existing footprint, or where limited widening will be sufficient.  To carry out the program the Region has contracted engineering firms to prepare feasibility and detailed design of the roads and will contract a number of construction contractors. Each contract will take care of road sections of about 50 km.  The project is implemented by a public agency dedicated to support the client in implementation of their projects, the Regional Project Implementation Agency- (“Agence Régionale d’Exécution des Projets” or AREP). Upon request from the Region, part of the proposed investment (up to US$10 million) will be used to support procurement of material and products for disinfection and sterilization needed as part of the emergency preparedness and response for the COVID-19 pandemic.