The government of Burkina Faso is set to receive US $70m from the African Development Bank (AfDB) to finance water, sanitation and solar electrification projects in the country. The financing agreement which was signed between the two parties will see US $17m of the grant financing the Rural Drinking Water and Sanitation Project (Pepa-mr). Under the Pepa-mr project, 15 simplified drinking water supply systems will be built and connected to standpipes.
Rural Drinking Water and Sanitation Project
The drinking water supply systems will provide private connections for households as well as public places, institutions and some drinking troughs for animals. 200 boreholes equipped with human-powered pumps will also be developed. In terms of sanitation, the Pepa-mr programme will make it possible to build 50 latrine blocks, 15 of which will meet menstrual hygiene management (MHM) standards in institutions; both schools and health centres and in public places such as markets mosques, bus stations and churches. 11000 latrines will also be built for households.
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According to the AfDB, the Rural Drinking Water and Sanitation Project will increase the rate of access to drinking water in the Central West region from 70% in 2018 to 84% in 2025, and in the Central South region from 85% in 2018 to 92% in 2025.
The project will additionally contribute to increasing the rate of access to sanitation in the Centre-West region from 15% in 2018 to 39% in 2025 and in the Centre-South region from 10% to 35% in 2025.
Yeleen sun project
The other portion of grant will go towards the Yeleen sun project which aims to increase and diversify the supply of electricity through the construction of four new photovoltaic solar power plants with a cumulative capacity of 52MWp. The facilities will be located in the capital Ouagadougou (43 MWp), Dori (6 MWp), Diapaga (2 MWp) and Gaoua (1 MWp). Installations, of the plants will be carried out between 2020 and 2024.
Upon completion, the plants are expected to strengthen the electricity network and connect 30,000 households. The “Yeleen” project is also supported by the European Union, the French Development Agency (AFD) and the Green Climate Fund (GCCF).