Scientific research: Over a billion dollars to finance projects in Burkina Faso

The Minister of Higher Education, Scientific Research, and Innovation, Professor Alkassoum Maiga, presided this Tuesday, May 18th, 2021, the ceremony of presentation of checks to 43 research project leaders. These funds amounting to $2.97 million (1.6 billion CFA francs) will help find innovative solutions to the concerns of Burkinabè.

The announcement was made by the President of Faso in the early hours of the discovery of the first cases of the coronavirus pandemic in Burkina Faso. Indeed, Roch Kaboré had pledged to release $27.9 million (15 billion CFA francs) to finance, up to $9.3 million (5 billion CFA francs) for research, and $18.6 million (10 billion CFA francs) for the production of drugs.

Following this announcement, the money was made available to the National Fund for Research and Innovation for Development (FONRID) to organize its distribution. A call for proposals was launched and fourteen projects were selected. “A call for projects has allowed, with the Covid Burkina fund, to select fourteen projects that will be financed up to $1.5 million (800 million CFA francs),” said Minister Alkassoum Maiga.

Other projects, selected through other calls for tenders, have also received funding. Thus, the IDRC Fund has financed about $186,000 (100 million CFA francs) of projects. The FONRID, in its usual way, selects projects to be financed each year. For 2021, about $1.11 million (600 million CFA francs) will be made available to researchers.

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The researchers wanted to witness the presentation of the checks

These three funds, amounting to $2.97 million (1.6 billion CFA francs), concern 43 research projects. “I would like to say to the beneficiaries that there are other priorities such as food security, care in hospitals, but we have chosen to direct these funds to the actors of scientific research so that they find solutions to a number of concerns of the Burkinabe people. These are health-related issues such as Covid-19, hepatitis, and many other diseases. There are also other sectors such as construction materials, environment, sociology, agriculture, and many other sectors that are funded,” said Alkassoum Maiga to the holders of the various projects.

He also called on them to work with determination. “I am sure that if the beneficiaries apply themselves, at the final appointment, we will have solutions to many concerns of our country and I can only encourage them to commit themselves with determination, to show professional conscience so that the results are worthy of the investments,” he said.

The Minister of Higher Education, Scientific Research and Innovation believes that he will be able to hold a ceremony in the near future for the restitution of projects that should ultimately benefit Burkinabè.

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(Featured image by Department of Foreign Affairs CC BY 2.0  via Flickr)

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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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