World Bank announces 10-month debarment of Rowad Al-Yemen for fraud

The World Bank Group today announced the 10-month debarment of Rowad Al-Yemen for Contracting Architectural and Construction ("Rowad") and its executive, Jalal Ali Hussein Hatim Alhudiqi ("Mr Alhudiqi"), in connection with a fraudulent practice as part of the Yemen Integrated Urban Services Emergency Project in the Republic of Yemen.

The debarment makes Rowad and Mr Alhudiqi, a Yemeni national, ineligible to participate in projects and operations financed by institutions of the World Bank Group. It is part of settlement agreements under which the company and the individual acknowledge responsibility for the underlying sanctionable practice and agree to meet specified corporate compliance conditions as a condition for release from debarment.

The project was designed to restore access to critical urban services in selected cities within the Republic of Yemen. According to the facts of the case, Rowad and Mr Alhudiqi misrepresented the company's past experience through false subcontracts to meet the requirements for a World Bank-financed tender, which is a fraudulent practice.

The settlement agreements provide for a reduced period of debarment in light of Rowad's and Mr Alhudiqi's cooperation and the voluntary remedial actions they have already commenced. As a condition for release from sanction under the terms of the settlement agreements, Rowad and Mr Alhudiqi commit to undertake a corporate ethics training program consistent with the principles set out in the World Bank Group Integrity Compliance Guidelines. They also commit to continue to fully cooperate with the World Bank Group Integrity Vice Presidency.

The investigation was aided by the extensive cooperation of the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), which is responsible for the implementation of this project under a special Financing Agreement between the World Bank Group and UNOPS.