The World Bank debarred three companies on Wednesday in three separate, unrelated settlements involving projects in Liberia, Yemen, and Brazil.
Liberia-based Crosswords Ltd. was debarred for six years for “fraudulent and obstructive” practices related to a project in Liberia.
Crosswords submitted forged documents during three bids for two different projects.
The company also made false statements and presented falsified documents to World Bank Group investigators, the World Bank said.
During the six-year debarment, Crosswords is ineligible to participate in projects and operations financed by the World Bank Group.
The company admitted culpability for the sanctionable conduct and committed to developing an integrity compliance program consistent with the principles set out in the World Bank Group Integrity Compliance Guidelines.
Crosswinds also agreed to continue to fully cooperate with the World Bank Group Integrity Vice Presidency.
The debarment qualifies for cross-debarment by the Asian Development Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the Inter-American Development Bank, and the African Development Bank.
Separately, Yemen-based Al-Zubairi Group for General Trading, Contracting, Transportation, and Oil Services (Al-Zubairi) was debarred Wednesday for six months in connection with a fraudulent practice as part of the Yemen Emergency Electricity Access Project.
The debarment makes Al-Zubairi ineligible to participate in projects and operations financed by the World Bank Group, but does not qualify for cross-debarment with other multilateral development banks (MDBs).
Following the initial six-month debarment, the sanction will convert to a 12-month conditional non-debarment and Al-Zubairi will be eligible to participate in projects and operations financed by institutions of the World Bank Group as long as it complies with its obligations under the settlement agreement.
In a third debarment, Brazil-based COBRAPE – Companhia Brasileira de Projetos e Empreendimentos (COBRAPE), a consultancy in the water supply, sanitation, and transportation sectors, was sanctioned for eleven months.
Like Al-Zubairi, the debarment makes COBRAPE ineligible to participate in projects and operations financed by the World Bank Group but does not qualify for cross-debarment with other MDBs.
COBRAPE’s debarment will be followed by a seven-month conditional non-debarment.
A list of all World Bank debarred entities and individuals is here.
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