RURAL FIBRE NETWORK GEORGIA

The project concerns the design and construction of a fibre optic telecommunications network at the regional level in Georgia to connect around 1 000 remote rural settlements. The new network will be operated as an open access infrastructure providing only wholesale services and will enable telecom operators to provide high-speed broadband services to the population in those currently underserved rural areas.

The primary objective of the project is to connect more households, enterprises and institutions across rural Georgia to economic opportunities and to reduce social divisions. The project will also support Georgia's recovery from and resilience to natural disasters or crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic, and enable the delivery of remote education, health, public services, and other essential services.

If it were located within the EU, the project would not require an environmental impact assessment (EIA), as it does not fall under Annex I or II of the EIA Directive 2014/52/EU amending the Directive 2011/92/EU. The rollout of fixed telecommunication networks have limited environmental effects, apart from short duration disturbances during network deployment, whenever civil works are required, which can be mitigated by appropriate measures. Full environmental details will be assessed during appraisal.

The Promoter will be required to implement the project in accordance with the procurement rules and procedures of the World Bank and in compliance with the requirements and standards that will be agreed between the World Bank and the EIB for projects under a Project Implementation Agreement, as foreseen in the Bank's Guide to Procurement. In particular, the Bank will require that calls for international tenders be published in the Official Journal of the EU in accordance with the Bank's Guide to Procurement.

This operation is covered by the ELM Guarantee.

The proposed operation will be structured under the 2014 – 2020 External Lending Mandate (ELM) or its successor (subject to compliance with applicable requirements) and will benefit from the EU Comprehensive Guarantee.