Caribbean Regional Communications Infrastructure Program
The objective of the Caribbean Regional Communications Infrastructure Program for Latin America and the Caribbean is to increase access to regional broadband networks and advance the development of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) enabled services industry in the Caribbean Region. The project has four components. (1) Regional connectivity infrastructure component to address the: (i) physical connectivity infrastructure including submarine cable infrastructure, terrestrial broadband backbone fiber networks and terrestrial or submarine cross-border links, leveraging government networks as needed, and national and regional Internet Exchange Points (IXPs), and (ii) enabling environment that ensures Public Private Partnership in the ownership, management and competitive access to the infrastructure. (2) ICT-led innovation component supports activities that leverage the regional broadband infrastructure to foster growth of the regional IT/IT Enabled Services (ITES) industry. (3) Implementation support component supports implementation, institutional and capacity building as well as monitoring and evaluation. (4) This component is aimed at improving government and private sector efficiency and transparency by leveraging the regional broadband infrastructure towards the delivery of a wide variety of e-services. Commitment amount: US$ 25.00 million.

Activites:
Component 1 – Regional Connectivity Infrastructure: This component addresses the: (i) physical connectivity infrastructure, and (ii) enabling environment that ensures Public Private Partnership in the ownership, management and competitive access to the infrastructure. Physical connectivity infrastructure activities includes support to develop missing regional infrastructure links such as submarine cable infrastructure, terrestrial broadband backbone fiber networks and terrestrial or submarine cross-border links, leveraging government networks as needed, and national and regional Internet Exchange Points (IXPs). Enabling environment activities include (a) support to structure/promote public-private partnerships in the deployment of submarine cable infrastructure, including landing stations, (b) telecoms regulatory support to ensure appropriate governance structures and competitive access to connectivity infrastructure, (c) harmonization of policies, shared services and institutional capacity building, and (d) strategies and frameworks to promote effective use of ICT for productive activities. - Component 2 - ICT-led Innovation: This component supports activities that leverage the regional broadband infrastructure to foster the growth of the regional IT and IT Enabled Services (ITES) industry. Activities include: (i) development of a regional network of IT and technology incubators, IT parks and technology centers, and investment promotion centers; (ii) targeted skills development and certification programs; (iii) creation of special financing vehicles, such as regional or national Venture Capital Funds for regional IT/ITES industry, as well as (iv) strategies, policies, regulatory and incentive structures to support a multi-lingual regional IT and ITES industry. - Component 3 - Implementation Support: This component supports implementation, institutional and capacity building, knowledge-sharing activities, as well as monitoring and evaluation of the program to ensure that the program delivers results, both at the national and regional level.

http://www.worldbank.org/projects/P119725/adaptation-impact-rapid-glacier-retreat-tropical-andes-http://www.worldbank.org/projects/P114963/caribbean-regional-communications-infrastructure-program?lang=en&tab=overview

Beneficiaries: Populations of the Caribbean countries

Partners and financing: Governments of Caribbean Nations

Sustainable Financing & Management of Eastern Caribbean Marine Ecosystem Project
The objective of the Sustainable Financing & Management of Eastern Caribbean Marine Ecosystem Project is to contribute to enhancing the long-term sustainability of protected area networks in the Eastern Caribbean Sub-region by (i) establishing sustainable financing mechanisms; (ii) strengthening of the Marine Protected Area networks; and (iii) deploying a regional monitoring and information system for the protected area networks.

Activities:
Component 1 - Establishment of sustainable financing mechanisms: The aim of this component is to establish a sustainable financing mechanism for national PA systems through (a) the formation of a regional endowment fund and support in setting up of country-specific national PA trust funds (NPATFs); and (b) the establishment and strengthening of a policy, legal, and institutional framework for sustainable financing. - Component 2 - Strengthening and phased expansion of Marine Protected Area Networks: The aim of this component is to strengthen and expand PA networks, representing coastal and marine ecosystems, by supporting the gazetting of at least five new MPAs and establishing demonstration sites to showcase good management practices in at least two MPAs within the group of OECS countries. The component supports a phased expansion of existing regional MPA networks by obtaining endorsement in participating countries for inclusion of new high priority sites which contribute to the overall representativeness and resilience of MPA networks in the Eastern Caribbean. The expansion of the MPA networks to ensure that they include all priority ecosystems is an important objective, but the implementation of this expansion depends on, among other things, the availability of resources from the financing mechanisms. The project aims to kick start the expansion process by supporting the gazetting of at least five new high priority MPAs which would lead to the legal establishment of the MPAs as funds come online from the NPATF in each participating country. - Component 3: Deployment of a regional monitoring and information system: The aim of this component is to establish a robust and user-friendly database on status and trends in the protected area systems of the OECS countries, which could serve as a decision support tool to natural resource managers and policymakers. Although the emphasis of this component is on Coastal and Marine Protected Area networks, the methods and indicators developed are highly relevant to terrestrial protected areas. The systems include a monitoring and an information management component for the storage and analysis of data, and associated training as needed. The project finances consulting services, equipment, and training under this component.

http://www.worldbank.org/projects/P103470/sustainable-financing-management-eastern-caribbean-marine-ecosystem?lang=en&tab=overview

Beneficiaries: Populations of the Caribbean countries

Partners and financing: Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS)