Armenia: Seismic Safety Improvement Program

Education / Education sector development

Water and other urban infrastructure and services / Other urban services - Urban policy, institutional and capacity development

The program will support the implementation of the National Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction by (i) improving school seismic safety to reduce casualties and damage in schools during earthquakes, and (ii) enabling better use of school buildings as shelters for the general public and as focal points for emergency response after earthquakes. The program reflects the key focus areas advocated by the National Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction and is in line with the four priorities in the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, 2015-2030: (i) understanding disaster risk; (ii) strengthening disaster risk governance to manage disaster risk; (iii) investing in disaster risk reduction for resilience; and (iv) enhancing disaster preparedness for effective response, and rebuilding better in recovery, rehabilitation, and reconstruction.

The program supports equitable and sustainable urban development under the results framework of ADB's country partnership strategy for Armenia, 2014-2018. It is aligned with the Urban Operational Plan, 2012-2020 in terms of planning and investing in infrastructure and services for sustainable urban systems and promoting an improved environment and resilience. The program is aligned with ADB's Operational Plan for Integrated Disaster Risk Management, 2014-2020 and Education by 2020: A Sector Operations Plan. ADB has significant experience in disaster recovery including supporting recovery from major earthquakes in the People's Republic of China, India, Pakistan, and the Philippines, and improving school seismic safety in Bhutan and Nepal. ADB also has gained considerable experience in Armenia since the country became an ADB member in 2005.

Results-based lending (RBL) is a suitable modality for the program because (i) the government has formulated the School Strengthening and Renovation Program in which the RBL program can be anchored; (ii) the government has gained and demonstrated reasonable capacity through implementing investments in school seismic strengthening and renovation using its own systems and through implementing projects funded by development partners; (iii) using the government's systems will provide incentives for the government to further improve its systems and enhance its already strong ownership; (iv) it will provide a platform for the government to effectively coordinate the support of various donors, fostering development coordination and harmonization for maximum development impact; and (v) the modality enables ADB to disburse for results related not only to seismic strengthening of schools but also the quality of construction, institutional strengthening, and capacity development.

The program's design has incorporated the lessons learned from earlier operations in seismic disaster recovery and risk management, including 10 lessons summarized by ADB's Independent Evaluation Department in response to Nepal's earthquake. In addition, lessons learned from implementing RBL in other programs have also been incorporated in the program's design, including the need to have a small number of disbursement-linked indicators (DLIs), a strong focal unit dedicated to RBL implementation, actions to strengthen government systems, and a disbursement protocol that is not overly complicated or ambitious.

To establish a resilient country, increase the safety of individuals and the society, and contribute to the sustainable development of the country

Improved coverage of seismically safe school buildings

As of 30 June 2018, the Program reached 49% of the lapsed time, 11.52% physical progress, and 8.32% financial progress. Civil works contracts for 7 schools have been signed and construction is ongoing on 6 schools. Design has started for 5 schools of the second batch.

Third batch of schools is not yet approved. In light of the delays the loan completion has been extended until November 2023.

2. Seismic disaster preparedness and response capacity strengthened.

3. Supportive policies and systems for seismic disaster risk management and reduction improved.

1. Seismic resilience of school buildings increased.

4. Capacity in executing and implementing the seismic safety investment program enhanced.

All 11 additional staff were recruited in end 2016.

The Program M&E was in place in end 2016.

ATDF operations manual was updated and adopted in end 2016.

The 30 program staff will receive training by October 2018.

As of 30 June 2018 eight communities received awareness on seismic risk disaster.

As of 30 June 2018 about 50 engineers received training on seismically safe construction.

Financing strategy for seismic safety improvement and management of public infrastructure is not yet due.

Guidelines in line with international best practices for school seismic strengthening and retrofitting is completed. The guidelines was developed with the World Bank support.

School strengthening and Renovation Program was approved in 2015 and was updated in January 2017.

Building code update is in progress and scheduled for completion in May 2019.

National seismic hazard probabilistic map is completed with the support of the World Bank.

The program safeguard systems assessment was conducted in consultation with stakeholders and disclosed on ADB website on 14 July 2015.

Public consultations for beneficiary communities are conducted continuously to present the schools design details and to receive feedback on the draft design.

An approved capacity development TA for Seismic Safety Improvement Program (SSIP) supported implementation of the SSIP, the first results based lending program in Armenia. This was implemented from May 2016 to September 2019. TA costed $1 million equivalent, of which $800,000 was financed on a grant basis by ADB's TASF-V. The TA supported the following: (i) improving the supportive policies and systems for seismic risk management reduction; (ii) strengthening the country's seismic disaster preparedness and response capacity; and (iii) enhancing the capacity in executing and implementing the investment program for seismic safety management and SSIP. Amendment to the TA contract was made to include seismic validation of design and construction of school buildings.

On 16 November 2018 ADB approved a new grant-funded $500,000 TA for the Support and Validation of SSIP results. The TA aims to ensure i) continued support to the design delivery, construction quality and building norms update to be carried out by a Capacity Building Consultant, and ii) validation of SSIP DLIs to be carried out by a Validation Consultant. The Capacity Building Consultant's and the Validation Consultant's contracts were signed in August and May 2019, respectively