Africa

Decentralization support program in the WAEMU region: France and WAEMU sign a grant agreement

With the many socio-economic challenges facing local authorities, decentralized and cross-border cooperation remains the most effective weapon for finding cross-cutting solutions through priority investment projects. Thus, the Support Program for Decentralization in the WAEMU Area (PRADEU) aims at local economic development which is a lever for promoting peace and integration.

Published

4 years ago

March 19, 2021

Philip Gregg

The French ambassador in Burkina, Luc Hallade, and the mayor of the municipality of Ouagadougou, Armand Pierre Béouindé (representing the President of the WAEMU Commission), signed a grant agreement on Wednesday, March 17th, 2021 in Bobo-Dioulasso for the implementation of the Support Program for Decentralization in the WAEMU Area (PRADEU).

This signature, which marks the launch of activities for 2021, makes it possible to provide the council of local authorities with the resources needed to implement priority investment projects in the Sikasso – Korhogo – Bobo-Dioulasso area.

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The program will help local authorities foster economic development

The program aims to provide local authorities with the means to design, implement and evaluate their public policies, improve access to services and reliable infrastructure, foster local economic development and promote peace and security. The PRADEU is primarily active in the Sikasso – Korhogo – Bobo-Dioulasso area.

Activities include the implementation of priority investment projects (construction of 28 boreholes equipped with human-powered pumps, job creation for young people through the training of two young people per beneficiary locality to ensure the maintenance of the boreholes); capacity building in local project management through technical training.

The project also includes local coaching for local authorities, institutional strengthening and the functioning of the umbrella organization.

Financed by the Solidarity Fund for innovative projects of the French Cooperation to the tune of $955,000 (524 million CFA francs), the program runs from 2020 to 2021.

The president of the Union transfrontalière des collectivités territoriales de l’espace Sikasso – Korhogo- Bobo-Dioulasso (UTCTE-SKBO), Siama Bamba, made a number of requests, such as taking into account the health aspect through the construction of health centers at the borders, with awareness campaigns and vaccinations for the benefit of the population, the financing of income-generating activities for the benefit of young people and women, and the acquisition of units for the processing of agricultural products.

The French ambassador to Burkina, Luc Hallade, reaffirmed his country’s commitment to work for the success of this project. He said he was satisfied to see that PRADEU has reduced women’s water chores thanks to the boreholes drilled in 2020. The diplomat hoped that the States would work together to facilitate the crossing of borders and meet the needs of the population through support to local authorities.

Bourahima Sanou, the mayor of the commune of Bobo-Dioulasso, representing the beneficiaries, welcomed the implementation of this project which takes into account the issue of water and other needs of the population at the borders. He also stressed that PRADEU has strengthened cooperation at the border.

The project is carried out by the WAEMU CCT and the UTCT-SKBO, with the WAEMU Commission and the French Cooperation as partners.

(Featured image by ibrahimdiouf via Pixabay)

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First published in lefaso.net, a third-party contributor translated and adapted the article from the original. In case of discrepancy, the original will prevail.

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Philip Gregg

Philip Gregg is a tech biz writer, with a keen understanding of blockchain technology, Internet of Things, and cloud services. He also serves as chief consultant for an IT business in Washington and a cryptowallet startup in Tokyo. Philip holds an MBA in finance and has previously worked at a Silicon Valley company before striking out on his own. He is a dad to three German Shepherds and owns a sweet vintage Mustang he fondly calls Sadie.