• Référence: P-MU-KA0-001
• Date d’approbation: 09/02/2010
• Date de début: 13/04/2010
• Date d'évaluation: 28/12/2009
• Statut: En coursOnGo
• Agence d'implémentation: GOVERNMENT OF MAURITIUS MINISTRY OF FINANCE
• Emplacement: MAURITIUS

The three activities will be financed from the MIC Fund, under this program:

Component 1: Elaborate the Mid-term Review of the National ICT Strategic Plan (NICTSP) 2007-2011

The Government endorsed the elaboration of the National ICT Strategic Plan (NICTSP) 2007-2011, prepared in October 2007. Under the NICTSP, Government's vision is to make of ICT the fifth pillar of the economy and transform Mauritius into a Regional ICT hub. The GoM views the ICT sector as a key growth area capable of catalyzing many other ICT-enabled service exports, and is taking policy action such that the sector contributes 6.7% of GDP by 2011, up from 5.5% in 2008. To attain this vision, it is imperative that Mauritius be transformed into an Information Based Economy and an Information Based Society. An Information Based Economy would require measures that would enable the ICT sector to contribute significantly to the GDP of the nation, increase the employability opportunities in the ICT sector, ensure that there is a sustained availability of skilled manpower for the sector and that ICT exports contributing significantly to the exports basket. As regards to the Information Based Society, it would necessitate measures that would bring about an increased adoption and usage of ICT at the level of citizens and creating an ICT literate nation.

Undertaking a mid-term review of the National IT Strategic Plan (NITSP), 2007-2011 by March 2010 is a condition for disbursement of the second tranche of the CPSE program. Under this program, the Ministry of Information Communication and Technology will hire a consultant who will undertake an assessment of activities that were supposed to be implemented during the period 2007/09, in relation to the 124 projects under the NITCSP 2007-2011, review the institutional framework in the NICTSP 2007-2011 and suggest more appropriate institutional set up, review the national information security strategy and propose amendments in any and prepare an updated action plan. The plan will be submitted to cabinet by June 2010. The mid-term review NICTSP's objectives are to: - Assess whether Mauritius' ICT sector is currently on course to meeting the targets set in the NICTSP 2007-2011. - Assess the progress of the implementation of the various projects in the NICTSP Action Plan and whether their objectives have been attained. - Recommend a revised strategy for the existing National Information Security Strategy. -Recommend a strategy for an appropriate open access policy and broadband deployment. - Review the proposed institutional framework recommended in the NICTSP and to suggest how to operationalize it. - Propose and recommend remedial measures, if any, for projects that need to be reviewed in order to attain their intended objectives.

Component 2: Preparation of an integrated strategy for the Ministry of Women's Rights, Child Development and Family Welfare

The Ministry of Women's Rights, Child Development and Family Welfare mandate is to cater for women, children and families. The responsibility of this Ministry is to design and implement social policies, programs and projects relating to women rights and empowerment, child development and protection and promotion of family welfare. Three parastatal bodies have been set up to assist the Ministry in the implementation of government policies relating to women, children and family. Since the creation of the Ministry, several policies and plan of action documents on this specific population have been prepared including the National Action Plan for the Survival Protection and Development of Children, 1993; the National Plan of Action, 1999; the Early Childhood Development (ECD) Policy Paper, 1998; the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC) Plan of Action, 2002; the National Children's Policy, 2003; the White Paper on Women in Development, 1994; the National Gender Policy (NGP)/National Plan of Action (NPA), 2005; the National Gender Policy Framework, 2008; the National Program of Action for the Family, 1994 and 1996 and 2008; and the National Plan of Action on Domestic Violence, 2007.

There is a need to have an integrated strategy for the Ministry of Women's Rights, Child Development and Family Welfare which would be in line with the government economic program. The preparation of the strategy will include the development of a program based budget set out in logical framework format with programs and measurable outcomes, sub-programs and priority objectives outputs, and verifiable key performance indicators which comply with the Ministry of Finance and Economic Empowerment technical requirements. It will also include a costed implementation plan 2010-2015 for the sub-programs and activities focusing on core priorities. The institutional capacity built at the Ministry of Women's Rights, Child Development and Family Welfare and at other agencies of the Ministry would eventually be used partly to empower more women to engage in income generating activities. It is expected that by end December 2010, the number of women sensitized in entrepreneurship development will reach 11,000.

Component 3: Prepare a Public Sector Investment Plan (PSIP), in line CPSE Program

A part of the fiscal stimulus package, there is need for boosting investment in the public sector. So far, most of the infrastructure investment has been financed by the public sector. However, the private sector would increasingly be participating in infrastructure development to assist Government in achieving its economic vision. The Public Sector Investment Program (PSIP) will present a set of investment projects on a sector basis for implementation over the next years. It will cover all Government projects, including projects undertaken by the parastatal bodies and public enterprises. The projects will be categorized into ongoing and pipeline investment projects, each of which is further divided into capital investment and technical assistance. The institutional capacity built at relevant Ministries would in fact improve the quality of investment projects that would be developed in the future. It is expected that by December 2010, at least 60% of proposals marked by the PPC scores at least the minimum marks to be eligible for implementation. The PSIP's main objectives are to: -Provide estimated annual cash flow for investment projects over the medium term. -Facilitate the preparation of sectoral expenditure ceiling to ensure that they fit the aggregate expenditure consistent with the macroeconomic framework. -Serve as a basis and a guide for the preparation of the 3-year rolling Performance Based Budgeting. -Provide a pipeline of projects useful for seeking financial and technical assistance from bilateral, multilateral and other funding agencies. -Identify possible areas for private investment, and the changes in policies required for encouraging private investment including specific opportunities for domestic and international investors. -Provide actionable strategies for efficient provision of infrastructure facilities in sectors like transport, utility, tourism as well as other social and economic infrastructure. -Identify infrastructure development strategies that adequately cater for sustainable development, conservation of high quality agricultural land and protection of natural and environmentally sensitive areas. -Identify the institutional changes required to support the identified strategies.

This MIC grant request is framed within the Mauritius' efforts to diversify the economy and to transform towards an information based economy, improve the quality of services and to speed up implementation of infrastructure projects - to enhance competitiveness and be ready for the rebound of the crisis. In this regard three main programmes, under the MIC Grant have been identified for Supporting the Competitiveness and Public Sector Efficiency Program, namely:

(i) the development of a Sector Strategy for the Ministry of Women's Rights, Child Development and Family Welfare,

(ii) the assistance to the Ministry for the preparation of the Public Sector Infrastructure Plan and

(iii) the mid term update of the National ICT Strategic Plan 2007-2011.

The overarching goal of this technical assistance project is to warrant that the impacts of the CPSE program. The operational policy objectives are:

(i) to consolidate fiscal performance and strengthen public social service delivery and

(ii) enhance trade competitiveness. Expected technical assistance project outcomes include a more efficient and sustainable use of public fiscal resources and an improved ability to compete in international markets by enhancing the ICT sector.

The activities foreseen under this proposal are consistent with the Mauritius CSP Strategy (2009-2013), which highlights the pivotal role of the MTEF/PBB process, the strengthening of the public social service delivery, the improvement of investment climate and enhancement of competitiveness. The request from the Government of Mauritius is for capacity building and institutional strengthening which is in line with the Revised Guidelines for the Administration and Utilization of the Technical Assistance Fund for Middle Income Countries (ADB/BD/WP/2005/90). The guidelines allow the resources of the Fund to be used to finance capacity building and institutional strengthening activities in eligible member countries in areas that will enhance sustainable development.

The proposed intervention of the Bank will provide assistance and support to the Government to effectively continue implementing the reform program that it embarked on since 2006. The Bank has been playing an important role, together with other Development Partners, in the reform agenda through budget support programmes, MIC Grants, policy dialogue and joint studies. The provision of grant resources from the MIC Fund forms part of the efforts by the Bank Group to establish a pipeline of operations in Mauritius.

SUGDEN Carina - OSGE2

Source	Montant
MICF	UAC 300.000
Total	UAC 300.000