BADEA’s Director General in Niger
KHARTOUM, Sudan, December 14, 2011/African Press Organization (APO)/ — H.E. Mr. Abdelaziz KHELEF, Director General of the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA), will arrive Monday, the 19th of December 2011, at Niamey, capital of the Republic of Niger.
During his sojourn in Niger, he will hold talks with The President of the Republic and other senior government officials spearheaded by H.E. the Prime Minister Head of the Government, H.E. the Minister of Finance and other high-ranking government officials especially in the field of infrastructure sector.
The visit comes as part of BADEA’s communication process with its partner/beneficiary countries during which the Director General will seize the opportunity to discuss the mutual cooperation issues between Niger and BADEA and the status of some of the on-going and future program with the objective of exploring the various ways and means of enhancing and promoting such cooperation for the benefit of the final beneficiaries.
During the visit the Director General will sign a loan agreement totaling US $ 10 million to help finance the “Construction of “Irlet-Asmaka” – Algeria Border Road Project.
The project falls under NEPAD’s projects and it is part of the desert road that links the countries of North Africa to countries of West Africa. The project aims to break the isolation of the landlocked countries of Niger, Chad and Mali. The project will also improve and secure traffic, link production centers and contribute to the economic development of Niger. It also aims to contribute to the support of trade exchanges between the countries of the Maghreb and sub-Saharan African countries (Mali, Niger, Chad and Nigeria).
It is to be recalled that the cooperation between Niger and BADEA, commenced in 1975 and by the end of October 2011, BADEA’s total gross assistance to the Republic of Niger reached US $ 94.4 million.
BADEA is an independent International Institution established by virtue of an agreement between 18 Arab States in February 1974, for the purpose of strengthening the African-Arab cooperation and linkages. Its operations are exclusively directed to the benefit of African countries non-members of the League of Arab States and include all 43 Sub-Saharan African states, in addition to a number of regional organizations. The operations, in the form of concessionary project loans, technical assistance grants for capacity building grants and trade finance loans cover all economic sectors.
It is worth noting that BADEA’s total cumulative financial commitments to African countries eligible for its aid, Since commencement of operations in 1975, until end of October 2011, stands at US $ 4144.127 million, and have been earmarked to finance 523 development projects, 526 technical assistance operations, 39 loans for the private sector and 14 special operations (in the context of Emergency Aid Program which was targeted to several African countries effected by drought and desertification).
The projects selected by BADEA are those, which are technically, economically and environmentally viable and the country program are demand driven and are subject to the priority of the partner countries and fit within their medium and short-term development program.
SOURCE
Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA)
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