Ivory Coast urban development project, mid-project evaluation

Evaluation covers the period 6/76-1/80; no methodology is given. Project progress has been slow because A.I.D. allotted insufficient time for a project requiring major GOIC policy and personnel changes, and because the GOIC implemented a government reorganization and faced serious budgetary constraints. Nonetheless, close RHUDO (A.I.D.'s Regional Housing and Urban Development Office) supervision and good A.I.D.-World Bank cooperation have kept the project on course. Regarding institution-building, the National Savings and Loan Bank is fully operational as both a central bank and a savings bank and is monitoring all projects financed with a GOIC guaranty. The Bank has also increased its staff from 60 to 98, with all key positions except the Director of Credit filled by Ivorians, and more than doubled its savings. On the other hand, rehabilitation of SOGEFIHA (a GOIC housing parastatal) has been hampered by its failure to raise state and private rents, secure a CFAF 9 billion loan from the Ivory Coast Sinking Fund, and decrease its short-term debt. In terms of the various housing subprojects, as of 7/79, 3,546 of 5,000 planned lots were upgraded; 1,900 of 3,980 lots received sites and services preparation; and 1,866 of 1,930 planned rental units were constructed to altogether serve 105,050 of a targeted 131,500 beneficiaries. Shortfalls were due to conflicts between project initiatives and other GOIC policy objectives (e.g., the Abidjan Master Plan). Training of Ivorian counterparts has been quite successful -- five have assumed full responsibilities, 10 are undergoing training, and two have not yet been assigned. In addition, the GOIC passed legislation establishing the principle of cost recovery for the upgraded units; introduced progressive rent schedules for low-income units; and instituted the principle of cross-subsidization of development costs in one mixed-income community.