Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept.10
By Ilaha Mamedli - Trend:
The World Bank (WB) is launching a new evaluation of the Regional roads project in Azerbaijan, on the implementation of which the bank plans to allocate up to $250 million, Baku office of the World Bank told Trend Sept.10.
"Bank Appraisal Mission headed by the road projects manager in the country Jacques Bure arrives in Baku Sept.10," the representative of WB said. "During the visit, which will last until Sept. 18, the mission will start preparation of the project in order to complete it before the end of the calendar year".
The loan approval on the Board of Directors of the bank has been scheduled for Oct. 16 this year, according to preliminary data. The bank said the preparation of the project can be completed not earlier than before the end of 2014.
In accordance with the concept, the total cost of the project is $ 368.33 million, some $250 million of which will be allocated by the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD, part of the WB).
These funds will be used for the reconstruction of two regional road sections and the adjoining local roads with a total length of up to 100 kilometers.
Shirvan - Nokhudlu - Salyan (41 kilometers) and Salyan - Nefchala (43 kilometers) are the two main sites, that credit resources will be allocated to, for the reconstruction. Consultations on technical supervision will also be considered within the frame of the project.
Azerbaijan has been a member of the World Bank since 1992. Total liabilities of the bank to the country have amounted to over $3 billion on 54 projects during this period. About $1.7 billion was allocated for the implementation of road-transport projects. The largest loan worth $670 million was allocated for improvement of the railway infrastructure and in particular, the reconstruction of the track on the Baku-Boyuk Kesik border with Georgia section.
The World Bank also finances the modernization and rehabilitation of road sections of the existing East-West and North-South corridors, namely the Alat-Masalli third highway, rehabilitation of the Kurdamir-Ujar section of the Baku-Georgian border highway, rehabilitation of the Baku- Shamakhi road, reconstruction of the road from Tagiyev settlement to the Sahil settlement bypassing Baku, Hajigabul-Bahramtepe road and expansion of the Baku-Shamakhi/Muganli highway.