Burundi: the African Development Bank and the government sign two grant agreements totaling 23.4 million euros for the development of the Port of Bujumbura

AfDB NEWS & EVENTS

21-Feb-2020

From left to right: Ntunzwenimana Jean Bosco, Minister of Transport, Public Works, Equipment and Regional Development of Burundi; Domitien Ndihokubwayo, Minister of Finance, Budget and Economic Development Cooperation in Burundi; Daniel Ndoye, country manager of the African Development Bank in Burundi, and Claude Bochu, head of the European Union delegation in Burundi

The African Development Bank and the Burundian government signed, Tuesday, February 18 in Bujumbura, economic capital of Burundi, two grant agreements totaling 23.4 million euros from the resources of the African Development Fund (ADF ) and the Transition Support Facility (FAT) for the country's transport sector.

The donation from the ADF, amounting to 17.3 million euros, and that from the FAT of 6.1 million euros, will contribute to the financing of phase 1 of the Transport Corridor Development Project on the Lake Tanganyika: it concerns the renovation of the port of Bujumbura. The agreements were initialed by the Burundian Minister of Finance, Budget and Economic Development Cooperation, Domitien Ndihokubwayo, and by the country manager of the African Development Bank in Burundi, Daniel Ndoye. The Minister of Transport, Public Works, Equipment and Regional Development Ntunzwenimana Jean Bosco was present at this ceremony, and the head of the European Union (EU) delegation in Burundi, Claude Bochu, co -financer of the project.

This project, co-financed by the Burundian government and the African Development Bank, also benefits from a donation of 19.7 million Euros from the European Union, which must be signed soon.

This project is particularly important for Burundi for several reasons: it aims to open up the country, to increase the capacity and efficiency of the port of Bujumbura in order to improve regional connectivity; it intends to develop regional trade along the integrated Lake Tanganyika corridor and its interconnection with existing regional trade corridors; it will thus help stimulate economic growth and improve the well-being of populations in Burundi, according to Domitien Ndihokubwayo, who wished to salute the support of the African Development Bank.

The Minister of Finance, Budget and Economic Development Cooperation of Burundi also stressed the important role that the Bank already plays in the transport sector in Burundi, indicating that the project offers real potential for the development of interregional exchanges.

Daniel Ndoye was delighted with the “good collaboration which prevailed, to conclude these agreements, between Burundi, the Bank and the European Union. The Bank is available to continue to support, in financial and technical terms, the development of the transport sector in Burundi ”, in accordance with the Bank's strategic priorities, the“ High 5 ”, and its Country Strategy Document (CSP 2019-2023). 

Stefan Nalletamby, Acting Vice-President of the Bank, in charge of the private sector, infrastructure and industrialization, welcomed the signing of these grant agreements and said that the project would help strengthen integration to which the Bank actively contributes.