Prime Minister Christophe Dabiré successively received in audience, Thursday, September 17, 2020, in Ouagadougou, the resident representative of the World Bank (WB) in Burkina Faso, Maïmouna Fam and the acting country representative of the United Nations Organization for industrial development (UNIDO), Frédéric Nikiéma.
The first, Maïmouna Fam, of the World Bank, said to have come, with her delegation, to discuss with the Prime Minister on the partnership program which links Burkina Faso to the World Bank (WB); and inquire about the priorities of the head of the Burkinabè government in a context marked by a superposition of crises, the COVID-19 health crisis and its negative impact on the economy and humanitarian issues. « It is in this context that we discussed the priorities and see how to mobilize more resources and respond to these concerns, » she added.
The current priorities of the World Bank in Burkina Faso are centered around two points, according to its resident representative. “As part of our partnership, we have a new window of opportunity which is prevention and resilience. This assumes that the World Bank can quickly mobilize resources to support internally displaced people, help regions and municipalities affected by the security crisis, be able to provide development solutions, be able to find work for young people, be able to provide basic services (l education, health, nutrition, etc.); these are the projects we are going to tackle, ”said Maïmouna Fam.
Following the World Bank, the head of the Burkinabè government received the delegation of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) led by Frédéric Nikiéma, the interim country representative. This one, making the genesis of the project of creation of the special economic zone Sikasso-Korhogo-Bobo-Dioulasso (SKBO), admits to having come to exchange and take advice, but also to note suggestions and to propose elements on the basis of the ‘experience of its organization to support said creation process. “In May 2018, the prime ministers of the three countries (Mali under Soumeylou Maïga, Burkina Faso under Paul Kaba Thiéba and Ivory Coast under the late Gon Coulibaly) met for the project to create an economic zone in Sikasso. It is a project which aims to create investment opportunities, to create jobs, to ensure the economic development of the regions of our States. There are initiatives that have been taken by the governments of the three countries … UNIDO being a United Nations agency specialized in the field of industrialization, we said to ourselves that it was necessary, even essential to come and discuss with the authorities. to see to what extent we could make our contribution in the realization of this project which will have a very important impact for the development of Burkina Faso and the various countries of the sub-region, ”he declared.
Asked what will concretely consist of the contribution of UNIDO in the process already underway, Frédéric Nikiéma affirms: “Specifically, it will be a question of seeing through the feasibility studies, which will be accompanied by plans for business, economic plans, how to ensure that there are these elements that allow the different actors to play a role in the construction of this economic zone. Beyond this technical and financial expertise, we will mobilize partners to support us in this initiative ”.
Tambi Serge Pacôme Zongo
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