Other Infrastructure Study
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Publication
Indonesia - Investing in the future of Papua and West Papua : Infrastructure for sustainable development
(World Bank, 2009-10-01)The remote and sparsely populated provinces of Papua and West Papua face a time of great change. Monetary transfers from Jakarta have grown extraordinarily in recent years, by more than 600 percent in real terms and 1300 percent in nominal terms since 2000, greatly increasing demand for goods and services. The high price of imports in the interior is producing pressure to improve roads in order to lower transport costs. Pressure is mounting to open up the interior of the region to commercial interests that would like to extract resources: copper, gold, coal, petroleum, natural gas, and, above all, timber. Investment in infrastructure, especially in road transport, is seen as the means to make dreams of development a reality. Building infrastructure in Papua and West Papua also is challenging because of physical (i.e. topographical and geological) conditions. Much of the region has either poorly drained peat soils or steep slopes with thin soils subject to landslides and erosion. Most of Papua and West Papua also receive heavy seasonal rainfall. The cost of building a good, well-planned road into the highlands is Indonesian Rupiah (IDR) 6 to 10 billion per kilometer, far more than has been budgeted in the past. Combined with the low population density (a region three times the size of Java has a population smaller than that of Lombok), this means that it takes bigger networks of roads and power to serve the population. Moreover, such infrastructure has been inadequately maintained. As a result, especially outside urban areas, there is too little to show for past investments in roads, water supply systems, or power generating capacity. The aim of this report is: (i) to lay out the challenges that faces infrastructure planners and implementers in the central, provincial, and Kabupaten and Kota governments in a clear manner; and (ii) provide those planners and implementers with recommendations, based on the best information available, on how to mitigate the effects of these challenges. -
Publication
Vietnam : Framework for Thermal BOT Tenders and Strategy for Gas Coordination and Harmonization with Market Roadmap, Volume 2
(Washington, DC, 2009-06-20)This Final Report represents the third and final under The World Bank PPIAF-financed Vietnam Framework for Thermal BOT Tenders & Strategy for Gas Coordination and Harmonization with Market Roadmap. It consists of two volumes: Volume 1 presents the executive summaries of assignment activities, and a detailed report on coordination of gas and power development planning. Volume 2 presents the detailed report on mechanisms for market integration and competitive tendering. -
Publication
Vietnam : Framework for Thermal BOT Tenders and Strategy for Gas Coordination and Harmonization with Market Roadmap, Volume 1
(Washington, DC, 2009-06-20)The purpose of this Volume 1 report is to explore how development of the gas andelectricity sectors can be better coordinated within this dynamic environment. In particular,this report aims to: Briefly outline the gas resources and developments in Vietnam, and describe the current institutional arrangements for the gas sector and how they relate to overall gas and electricity planning; Identify key gas sector issues as they relate to gas and electricity sector planning in general and BOT electricity generation project development, and in particular identify the development and operating risks for a BOT electricity generation project developer and suggest mitigation measures for these risks ;Suggest mechanisms to improve gas and electricity planning coordination. Present a case study that illustrates some of the gas and electricity planning issues and how these would be addressed if the suggested planning changes were implemented. This assignment has been undertaken during a period of unprecedented change in Vietnam. The electricity sector is part way through the complex process of introducing a market. In global world energy markets, oil prices have risen to USD140/bbl and then dropped to below USD50/bbl in less than a year. In global financial markets, the world isfacing the deepest recession in decades, the banking sector is in turmoil, and theavailability of credit has shrunk dramatically. It is difficult for any planning process to cope with these massive worldwide shifts and fully capture the expected economic impact on a rapidly growing economy such as Vietnam. As a result of these events, some data such as electricity load forecasts and the least-cost ranking of generating plant would likely differ if they were updated. Nonetheless, the fundamental observations and recommendations of this report remain relevant despite (or perhaps because of) the volatility of international markets. And while recent economic volatility complicates planning, it makes it all the more necessary. -
Publication
Air Transport : Challenges to Growth
(World Bank, 2009-06-01)The air transport market in Sub-Saharan Africa presents a strong dichotomy. In Southern and East Africa the market is growing: three strong hubs and three major African carriers dominate international and domestic markets, which are becoming increasingly concentrated. In contrast, in Central and West Africa the sector is stagnating, with the vacuum created by the collapse of Cote d'Ivoire and the demise of several regional airlines, including Air Afrique, still unfilled. Throughout, there are many unviable small state-owned operations that depend on subsidies and have a monopoly over the domestic market. There are also some promising signs: growth in air traffic has been buoyant, the number of routes and the size of aircraft are being adapted to the market, and a number of large carriers are viable and expanding. But in spite of this, overall connectivity has been declining. As oil prices rise, the role of air transportation will be looked at even more critically. Africa is a poor continent, and some countries face the potential of further isolation as the cost of flying increases. At a time when Africa's infrastructure requirements are being widely debated, a more complete inventory of air transport capabilities is sought. This report will focus on industry organization within Africa; overall accessibility; and the quality of oversight and infrastructure installations countrywide and at selected airports with various capacities. Beyond data collected from questionnaires sent directly to the civil aviation authorities (CAAs) in each country, this report relies on data collected through a variety of other sources, especially from the providers of flight schedules to global reservation systems, for an independent analysis of trends. -
Publication
Railways in Sub-Saharan Africa
(World Bank, 2009-06-01)The changed role of rail in Africa over the last thirty years has seen it move from a situation where many of the systems were carrying a high share of their country's traffic to one in which their market share has declined, their assets have steadily deteriorated, their quality of service has reduced, and they are in many instances only a minor contributor to solving the transport problems of the continent. The first railways south of the Sahara were built in South Africa in the 1860's and 1870's, with lines heading inland from the ports at Cape Town and Durban. The networks in what were then Cape Province, Natal and Transvaal continued to develop but it was not until the turn of the twentieth century that large-scale railway development began in other parts of the continent. In almost every case, the pattern was the same, with isolated lines heading inland from a port to reach a trading centre or a mine, and a few branch lines then being built over a period of time. As almost all the lines were constructed under colonial administrations, many of the lines were state-owned but several were also constructed as concessions or, in the case of some mineral developments, by the mining company as an integral part of its mining operation. Nevertheless, the rhetoric accompanying some of the transactions suggests that many politicians believe, or want to believe, that the concession award will be the prelude to very substantial investments by the concessionaires, particularly in infrastructure. To date, this has barely materialized, with most infrastructure improvements being done with international financial institution (IFI) or donor funds. The main issue for most sub-Saharan railways is whether concessioning is just a temporary solution or whether some alternative approach is needed to ensure a long-term future for railway systems providing acceptable levels of service. -
Publication
Tracks from the Past, Transport for the Future : China's Railway Industry 1990-2008 and Its Future Plans and Possibilities
(World Bank, 2009-05-01)This report describes and explains how, in the period 1990-2008, China's railway sector has contributed and responded to the incredibly challenging transport demands generated by China's economic development, and highlights the plans and possibilities that lie ahead. In 1949, China had only 22,000 km of poorly maintained and war-damaged railway line, less than 1,000 km of which was double-tracked with none being electrified. Since then, the government has transformed the railway sector into a vital element of China's national transport system and a key contributor to China's extraordinary record of economic growth. Today, China Rail is the second biggest carrier of rail freight and the biggest carrier of passenger transport in the world. It has the largest combined rail traffic task of any national railway system in the world, carrying about a quarter of the world's railway traffic on about seven percent of the global route-km of public railway. This paper describes how the Ministry of Railways, and its constituent regional railway administrations and other entities, have created a modern rail system by adopting proven international practices and technologies, giving them distinct Chinese characteristics, and adapting them to Chinese circumstances. -
Publication
Southern Mongolia Infrastructure Strategy
(Washington, DC, 2009)This report is concerned with the development of the infrastructure which is required in order to support proposed mines in Southern Mongolia. In order for the mines to be developed, it will be necessary to provide towns for the new inhabitants, road and rail links to provide supplies and to transport the mines' products to markets, and electricity for the mines' operations. Water resources need to be investigated and supplied to the mines and towns. And as all of the development advances, consideration needs to be given to mitigating any negative environmental and social impacts. The geographic focus of the report varies according to the particular topic. The mines are all located in a region which this report defines as 'Southern Mongolia', and which includes the images of Omnogovi, Dornogovi, Govisumber and Dundgovi. The majority of the important new mines are located in Omnogovi, and the analysis of housing and social impacts is concentrated in areas close to these mines. In terms of time, the report concentrates on the most important priorities for government action up to 2015. Nevertheless, consideration is given to a longer time-horizon when considering the potential environmental and water resource demands likely to arise as a result of the region's development. The report is not concerned with the longer-term actions required for broader economic development of the region, including the development of value-added industries associated with the mining industry. To get to long-term objectives, it is necessary to start with the short term. This report assumes that the Government will permit development of the mines in the near future. -
Publication
An Expressway Development Strategy for Vietnam
(Washington, DC, 2008-12)Vietnam's rapid economic growth continues to create new demands for transport infrastructure and services. Bottlenecks to business activities caused by infrastructure constraints are already appearing in several areas. High rates of urbanization, rising traffic accidents, new capacity constraints, and a large increase in asset preservation requirements to meet the fast expansion of transport assets presents further challenges to the sector. To address these infrastructure bottlenecks, and to gradually remove the transport constraints on industry, Vietnam is embarking on an ambitious expressway development program. To date the transport sector has facilitated this growth principally through the rehabilitation and widening of existing arterial roads. The national road network has expanded to 17,000 km, the overall condition has improved with 66 percent of the network being in good and fair condition and 84 percent of the network is now paved. If traffic growth rates continue at their current rate these constraints could adversely impact future economic development. The successful development of an expressway system is a significant physical and financial commitment which will require a number of changes to laws, regulations, institutions and operations of the network. -
Publication
Zimbabwe Infrastructure Dialogue in Roads, Railways, Water, Energy, and Telecommunication Sub-Sectors
(Washington, DC, 2008-06)In the 1990s, Zimbabwe's economic growth began to slow following a balance of payments crisis and repeated droughts. By the late 1990s Zimbabwe's economy was in serious trouble driven by economic mismanagement, political violence, and the wider impact of the land reform program on food production. During 2007 Gross Domestic Product (GDP) contract by more than 6 percent, making the cumulative output decline over 35 percent since 1999. The unrelenting economic deterioration is doing long-term damage to the foundations of the Zimbabwean economy, private sector investment is virtually zero, infrastructure has deteriorated, and skilled professionals have left the country. With inflation accelerating, the Government introduced, in 2007, blanket price controls and ordered businesses to cut prices by half. Despite the strict price controls inflation continues to rise as the root cause of high inflation, monetization of the large public sector financing needs remains unaddressed. A large part of the high public sector deficit is due to quasi-fiscal spending by the central bank on mainly concessional credits and subsidized foreign exchange for priority sectors, unrealized exchange rate losses, and losses incurred by the central bank's open market operations to mop up liquidities. -
Publication
Improving the Management of Secondary and Tertiary Roads in the South East Europe Countries
(Washington, DC, 2008-02)The importance of the tertiary road sector in contributing to economic development and poverty alleviation efforts cannot be understated. In Albania, forty-nine percent of rural producers have stated that a lack of adequate transportation, primarily good roads, was their biggest marketing problem. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, there is discontent about the quality of the regional and tertiary roads, with complaints about the low quality of roads foremost amongst all public services. In Former Yugoslav Republic (FYR) Macedonia, a recent survey has revealed tertiary roads to rank among the top three capital investment priorities in two-thirds of surveyed municipalities twelve percent listing as first priority, twenty-three percent as second priority and thirty-one percent as the third priority. Other studies have supported these findings but also report positive differences in school enrolment, and frequency in use of health services, between areas with and without all-weather roads. The best model of financing for tertiary (rural) roads is highly dependent on a particular country. The key to setting a policy framework for managing road networks is the realization that with constrained funding and specified target standards, there will be a finite limit to the size of the road network that can be maintained. By setting target standards and budget limits, road authorities effectively define the extent of road networks that can be maintained on a sustainable basis. Efforts should be made to increase options for local governments' own revenue sourcing and increase support from the central government in financing of maintenance operations.