Implementing
Agency Temuri Basilia, Chief Economic Advisor to the President of Georgia; State Chancellery, 7 Ingorokva str.
(99532)989953, (99532) 999757
Fax: (99532)995797
Task
Manager Michaelle Riboud, EC4C2
Phone: (202) 4738743
Fax: (202)4773387
Project
Objective The main objective is to support the government’s economic reform program aimed at restoring macroeconomic stability and at promoting resumption of growth and improvement in living standards. The other objectives are to:
1. Provide budgetary support to maintain the level of basic public expenditures, in particular for wages and the social safety net;
2. Provide foreign exchange for the purchase of critical imports;
3. Improve the functioning of the foreign exchange market;
4. Provide a framework for assistance from other donor agencies.
Project
Description The reform program to be supported by the credit comprises three sets of policies:
a) those aimed at reducing and redefining the role of the public sector in the economy
b) those theta foster the development and increase efficiency of markets;
c) those that maintain a minimum social safety net through improved targeting of benefits.
Disbursement Fully disbursed
Project Objective Assist the Georgian government in its efforts to move to a private market economy through strengthening public institutions on three functional areas: (a) financial sector, (b) economic management , (c) privatization and enterprise reform
Project Description 1. Financial Sector Reform (US$ 2.325 million)
(a) Financial Sector Infrastructure:
Consulting service and equipment:
-- to introduce and implement Broadly Adapted Financial Statement (BASF), and internationally acceptable accounting and auditing system;
-- to conduct diagnostic studies in five state-owned banks and make recommendation for steps to streamline the system;
-- review existing payment system and make recommendations for steps to streamline the system
2. Economic management (US$ 5.660 million)
(b) Economic Policy Formulation
Support will be provided to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (now Chief Economic Advisor to the President) to design a strategy for the restructuring and the reform of the government’s economic management agencies, particularly the Ministries of Finance and Economy, and to strengthen economic policy formulation and analyses.
(c) Statistical Services:
Consulting services, training, and equipment to assist the Committee for Social and Economic Information in
-- reviewing the methodology used for generating and maintaining national accounts and initiating steps to introduce the internationally acceptable System of National Accounts (SNA);
-- designing and conducting an improved household survey in the city Tbilisi
(d) Tax Administration:
-- computerization of tax offices; IDA pilot project for the modernization and computerization of the central State Tax Inspectorate (STI) and the Tbilisi City Inspectorate;
-- training of the STI staff.
(e) Treasure:
-- first phase: a central treasury function will be established in the Ministry of Finance and regional branch in Tbilisi;
-- second phase: regional Treasuries will be established throughout of Georgia:
-- IDA will finance computers for the establishment of the Treasury offices.
(g) Strengthening of Customs Administration:
Support will be provided to the Customs Committee in
(i) simplifying and reforming the organization and procedures of customs operations: (ii) modernizing customs management ;
(iii) training the customs staff in the customs management and the computerization;
(iv) computerizing customs clearance procedures, accounts, and statistics at Tbilisi headquarters and at the Tbilisi airport as the first pilot site.
(h) Aid Coordination:
-- Project will finance long-term external advisor and equipment to assist and train the staff of Aid Management Unit (AMU) in maintaining donor procedures, coordinating country’s external aid priorities consistent with the national development objectives, and communicating those with the external aid agencies.
-- Project will finance experts to assist the government staff in analyzing Sectoral information with the objective to design and develop project that will be acceptable to the donor community.
(i) Project Implementation: The project will finance:
-- an external procurement consulting firm to assist the PIU with the preparation of procurement an disbursement documents under this project, and to ensure that all procurement under the project follow the World Bank’s procurement guidelines
3. Privatization and Enterprise Reform (US$ 2.27 million)
(j) Support for Privatization:
-- one short-term senior level adviser to assist the Ministry of the state Property Management and the Office of the Chief Economic adviser to the President in reviewing the current privatization plan;
-- experts and equipment to assist in:
a) formulation the mass privatization program and the voucher scheme
b) the design and implementation of a public information campaign to support the mass privatization campaign;
c) provide training aimed at strengthening the institutional capabilities of SPM;
d) review and further development of a legislative framework for privatization.
Implementing Agency Alex Sikharulidze, Head of PIU, 42, Kazbegi ave.,
Phone: (99532)950865
Fax: (99532)950865
Project Objective To support the Government’s reform program to stabilize the economy and create the conditions for a resumption of growth and an improvement in living standards.
Project Description 1. Privatization and post-privatization (US$ 0.95 million)
(i) Continued support for the implementations of the privatization program and on support for the establishment of the share registries.
(ii) Introduction of cash auctions and an international tender program;
(iii) Strengthening of institutional capacities, elaboration of standard procedures, advise on structuring of transactions and bid evaluation, as well as legal assistance and licensing of private share registries.
(iv) Elaboration of operational guidelines, training of officials in securities market and in the starting-up of pilot registries.
2. Financial Sector ( US$ 0.78 million )
(i) Advisory services on supervisory issues as well as the development of training programs.
(ii) Audits if the three former state banks will be financed to dacilitate a realistic assessment of the financial position of each bank.
3. Energy sector reform ( US$ 0.86 million )
(i) Assistance in creating the capacity to monitor and manage payment performance, and in reviewing structural and tariff issues.
(ii) Assistance in reviewing the scope of the regulatory authority and its tariff policy functions.
4. Social Protection ( US$ 0.56 million)
(i) Assistance in the design of a program of social assistance which meets the needs of poor families that do not qualify under any existing program;
(ii) Facilitating the establishment of private pension schemes.
5. Resource mobilization and public information
( US$ 1.43 million)
(i) A program aimed at improving the revenue collection performance of the Customs Department through training, revision of procedures and controls, and anti-fraud measures;
(ii) A public information/education program on economic reforms, including mass media campaigns, round-tables/seminars on key issues, and the design of an education program focusing on skills in high demand in market economics
Implementing Agency Zaal Japaridze, Head of PIU, 12 Kazbegi Ave.
Phone: (99532) 950865
Ministry of Trade and Foreign Economic Relations
42, Kazbegi Ave.
Phone: (99532) 225186 / (99532) 389652
Project Objective 1. To support policy reform in the transport sectoral and restructure its institutions to operate in a market economy.
2. To repair and maintain some of the most critical elements of the transport system.
Project Description (1) Institution Building Component (US$ 4.9 million):
(i) advice and support to teams preparing sector reforms;
(ii) technical assistance for the formulation of technical and legal framework necessary to the restructuring,
commercialization and privatization of sector entities;
(iii) managerial assistance for public and private transport enterprises;
(iv) a training program to update transport technical staff of the private and public sectors;
(v) project management.
(2) Investment Component ( US$ 13.2million )
(i) road maintenance program, including selected equipment and spares for road maintenance as well as emergency repairs and the necessary imported road building materials;
(ii) a railway sub-component, including bridge repairs and the required structural steel, track materials (ties, rails and fastenings), spares for locomotives, and communications and selected signaling equipment
Implementing Agency Gia Tsagareli, Head of PIU, 12 Kazbegi Ave.
Phone: (99532) 986385
Fax: (99532) 990461
Project Objective: The main objective is to consolidate stabilization, foster a strong and sustained growth recovery and reduce poverty.
The reform program aims at:
(a) maintaining a tight monetary program supported by an improving fiscal position;
(b) streamlining the Government sector and improving efficiency of public spending;
(c) inducing a rapid adjustment of the productive sector to new market signals.
The other objectives are;
(i) provide budgetary support to maintain the level of critical public expenditures;
(ii) provide foreign exchange for the purchase of critical imports;
(iii) provide a framework for financial assistance from other donor agencies.
Project
Description: 1. Maintaining a Tight Monetary Policy:
- reduce inflation to 20-25 percent in 1996 and strengthen the international position of NBG;
- increase the range of monetary instruments and enhance the capacity of the NBG to achieve monetary objectives.
2. Improving the Fiscal System: