Nairobi, March 16 -- The World Bank has banned a Swiss boutique advisory firm Africa Enablers GmbH and two of its principals from participating in projects and operations financed by the institution for 10 months over tendering irregularities related to the Somali Core Economic Institutions and Opportunities Programme (Score project).

The World Bank, in a statement on Tuesday, said the firm together with its two principals, Philipp Schuller and Stephan Willms, demonstrated misconduct in the bidding for the $28.5 million project by allegedly misrepresenting the company's past experience in bidding for the contract.

"These misrepresentations by Africa Enablers and the principals were reckless and constitute a fraudulent practice under the...