The World BankHimalayan University Consortium Grant (P155851)

REPORT NO.: RES32425

RESTRUCTURING PAPER

ON A

PROPOSED PROJECT RESTRUCTURING

OF

HIMALAYAN UNIVERSITY CONSORTIUM GRANT

APPROVED ON DECEMBER 16, 2016

TO

ICIMOD

WATER

SOUTH ASIA

Regional Vice President: Ethel Sennhauser Country Director: Martin G. Rama

Senior Global Practice Director: Guang Zhe ChenPractice Manager/Manager: Michael Haney

Task Team Leader: Ahmed Shawky M. Abdel Ghany, Christina Leb

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The World BankHimalayan University Consortium Grant (P155851)

ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS

HUC Himalaya University Consortium ICIMOD International Centre for Integrated Mountain DevelopmentMDTF Multi-donor Trust FundPMU Project Management UnitSAWI South Asia Water Initiative

The World BankHimalayan University Consortium Grant (P155851)

BASIC DATA

Product Information

Project ID Financing Instrument

P155851 Investment Project Financing

Original EA Category Current EA Category

Approval Date Current Closing Date

16-Dec-2016 30-Jun-2018

Organizations

Borrower Responsible Agency

ICIMOD ICIMOD

Project Development Objective (PDO)

Original PDOThe development objective of this grant is to strengthen partnerships of research institutions in the Hindu Kush Himalayan region working on issues of significance to regional water resources management.OPS_TABLE_PDO_CURRENTPDOSummary Status of Financing

TF Approval Signing Effectiveness ClosingNet

Commitment Disbursed Undisbursed

TF-A4131 16-Dec-2016 23-Jan-2017 23-Jan-2017 30-Jun-2018 1.02 .97 .05

Policy Waiver(s)

Does this restructuring trigger the need for any policy waiver(s)?No

The World BankHimalayan University Consortium Grant (P155851)

I. PROJECT STATUS AND RATIONALE FOR RESTRUCTURING

A. Project StatusThe Himalaya University Consortium (HUC) Grant was signed on January 13, 2017 and declared effective on January 23, 2017. Thus far, most of the grant funded activities have been undertaken by the Client, the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD). All planned activities have been initiated and nearing completion, and deliverables have been met by around 85% of the end-of-project targets, and some have exceeded the end target. The disbursement ratio has reached 95 percent, and the target objectives indicators and outcome indicators are nearly met. The number of HUC members has increased from 33 to 61. Fifteen visiting professor/researchers have been supported by the grant and an interactive website with searchable database and E-digest have been established.

Progress towards achieving the Project Development Objective (PDO) and overall implementation progress was rated moderately satisfactory in the last ISR. The PDO remains achievable, and the performance of the Project Management Unit (PMU), the HUC Secretariat housed at ICIMOD, has been satisfactory. The project does not have an overdue audit report.

B. Rationale for RestructuringA no-cost extension until August 31, 2018 is requested for the following reasons: (a) to allow for the finalization of the processing of the extension of the closing date of the Trustee fund, which is required as the Trustee would finance the implementation of a new component requested by the client to be included under this grant; and (b) to allow additional time to prepare the inclusion of this new component into the current grant.

(a) The extension of the “parent” SAWI Phase 2 Multi-Donor Trust Fund (MDTF – TF071929), which is the source for financing for this grant, from December 31, 2018 to June 30, 2020 in currently being processed. The extension of the closing date for the parent MDTF needs to be finalize in order to process the restructuring of the HUC grant for the inclusion of the new component on an Indus basin focused research consortium. This restructuring has been requested by the client with letter from April 26, 2018. The new component would be implemented in the period from August, 2018 to December 31, 2019.

(b) Due to success of supporting collaborative research among institutions from Himalayan countries, on April 26, 2018, ICIMOD requested to include an additional component to the current HUC grant focusing on collaborative research in the Indus Basin. In line with the objectives of the current grant, this additional component would facilitate the collaboration of government and non-government research institutions from the four Indus riparian countries to assess climate change impacts in the Indus Basin and strengthen science to policy knowledge exchange. The World Bank and ICIMOD teams are currently preparing inclusion of this additional component into the HUC grant, however, additional time is needed to finalize the preparation of this new requested restructuring of the Grant.

The World BankHimalayan University Consortium Grant (P155851)

II. DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSED CHANGES

The “parent” SAWI Phase 2 MDTF is the source for financing of the “child” HUC grant. SAWI is a multi-donor program which seeks to increase regional cooperation in the management of the Himalayan River systems to deliver sustainable, fair and inclusive development and climate resilience.

The current project closing date is June 30, 2018. The recipient has submitted a request for a no-cost extension (letter from June 8, 2018) with a new closing date of August 31, 2018 to allow additional time to prepare for the inclusion of a new grant component into the current HUC grant, which had been requested by letter of April 26, 2018 due to the success of the current work. The end target date and implementation schedule are also adjusted in line with the extension of the project closing date.

The Bank team considers the new closing date (August 31, 2018) to be realistic to finalize preparations of the inclusion of a new component under the current grant in response to ICIMOD’s earlier request from April 26, 2018. (There is no space in the portal to upload the restructuring request letter from April 26, 2018. The letter is on file with the team.)

III. SUMMARY OF CHANGES

Changed Not Changed

Change in Results Framework ✔

Change in Loan Closing Date(s) ✔

Change in Implementation Schedule ✔

Change in Implementing Agency ✔

Change in Project's Development Objectives ✔

Change in Components and Cost ✔

Cancellations Proposed ✔

Additional Financing Proposed ✔

Reallocation between Disbursement Categories ✔

Change in Disbursements Arrangements ✔

Change in Disbursement Estimates ✔

Change in Overall Risk Rating ✔

Change in Safeguard Policies Triggered ✔

Change of EA category ✔

Change in Legal Covenants ✔

The World BankHimalayan University Consortium Grant (P155851)

Change in Institutional Arrangements ✔

Change in Financial Management ✔

Change in Procurement ✔

Other Change(s) ✔

IV. DETAILED CHANGE(S)

OPS_DETAILEDCHANGES_RESULTS_TABLE

RESULTS FRAMEWORK

Project Development Objective Indicators PDO_IND_TABLE

Number of universities/research institutions that actively participate in the HUC networkUnit of Measure: NumberIndicator Type: Custom

Baseline Actual (Current) End Target Action

Value 33.00 33.00 40.00 Revised

Date 28-Oct-2016 01-Jun-2017 31-Aug-2018

Interactive website with searchable database, and E-digest establishedUnit of Measure: Yes/NoIndicator Type: Custom

Baseline Actual (Current) End Target Action

Value No No Yes Revised

Date 28-Oct-2016 01-Jun-2017 31-Aug-2018

Number of visiting professor/researchers mobilized to another institutionUnit of Measure: NumberIndicator Type: Custom

Baseline Actual (Current) End Target Action

Value 0.00 1.00 4.00 Revised

Date 28-Oct-2016 01-Jun-2017 31-Aug-2017

Intermediate IndicatorsIO_IND_TABLE

Study tours arranged and conducted between institutions to broaden the network and intensify interactionsUnit of Measure: Number

The World BankHimalayan University Consortium Grant (P155851)

Indicator Type: Custom

Baseline Actual (Current) End Target Action

Value 0.00 0.00 2.00 Revised

Date 28-Oct-2016 01-Jun-2017 31-Aug-2018

Informal consultations held with IT and librarian teams of current and future member institutions to discuss information-sharing interestsUnit of Measure: NumberIndicator Type: Custom

Baseline Actual (Current) End Target Action

Value 0.00 16.00 35.00 Revised

Date 28-Oct-2016 01-Jun-2017 31-Aug-2018

Staff within the HUC Secretariat trained in Program ManagementUnit of Measure: NumberIndicator Type: Custom

Baseline Actual (Current) End Target Action

Value 0.00 2.00 3.00 Revised

Date 28-Oct-2016 01-Jun-2017 31-Aug-2018

International Conference on water research and management is organized in the regionUnit of Measure: Yes/NoIndicator Type: Custom

Baseline Actual (Current) End Target Action

Value No No Yes Revised

Date 28-Oct-2016 01-Jun-2017 31-Aug-2018

Total Number of Researchers and Professionals Trained through the 10-day field school and 2-week intensive programUnit of Measure: NumberIndicator Type: Custom

Baseline Actual (Current) End Target Action

Value 0.00 22.00 33.00 Revised

Date 28-Oct-2016 01-Jun-2017 31-Aug-2018

Number of proposals prepared for collaborative research projectsUnit of Measure: Number

The World BankHimalayan University Consortium Grant (P155851)

Indicator Type: Custom

Baseline Actual (Current) End Target Action

Value 0.00 0.00 2.00 Revised

Date 28-Oct-2016 01-Jun-2017 31-Aug-2018

OPS_DETAILEDCHANGES_LOANCLOSING_TABLE

LOAN CLOSING DATE(S)

TF StatusOriginal Closing

Revised Closing(s)

Proposed Closing

Proposed Deadline for Withdrawal

Applications

TF-A4131 Effective 30-Jun-2017 30-Jun-2018 31-Aug-2018 31-Dec-2018