In response to the invitation extended by H.E. Mr. Denis Sassou-Nguesso, the President of the Republic of Congo, a delegation from the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA), led by H.E. Mr. Abdelaziz Khelef, the Director General, will pay a working visit to the Republic of Congo from October 04 to October 08, 2006.

During his visit to the Republic of Congo, the Director General will be received by H.E. the President of the Republic, H.E. the Minister of Economy, Finance and Budget, and other high-ranking officials. . . .
Talks will cover the mutual cooperation between the Republic of Congo and BADEA, with the objective of exploring the various means of promoting and developing this cooperation and realizing its objectives..

The programme of the visit will include a ceremony of laying of the foundation stone for "Blanche Gomes" Hospital Project, which will be attended by the President of the Republic. BADEA has committed for the said project US$ 6 million. The project aims at supporting the government’s policy towards the expansion and improvement of health services, by the rehabilitation of the old building and completing the new one, so as to improve the health conditions of the population in the capital Brazzaville and surrounding areas, specially through health care to mothers and children.

On the sidelines of the visit, and within the framework of coordination and cooperation with Finance and Regional Organizations, the Director General will visit the Headquarters of the Development Bank of Central African States. During the visit the Bank Director will discuss the existing and the future cooperation between the two institutions.

By the end of June 2006, BADEA’s assistance to Congo reached US $ 40.26 million for participating in financing seven development project.

BADEA’s financing operations in Sub-Sahara African countries have expanded since 1975, reaching US $ 3114.222 million by end of June 2006; this includes the loans provided through SAAFA (Special Arab Aid Fund for Africa) amounting to US $ 214.2 million. The allocations have been earmarked to finance 396 development projects, 367 technical assistance operations, 28 loans for the private sector, including 14 special operations (in the context of Emergency Aid Programme benefiting several African countries effected by drought and desertification), in addition to 59 loans extended through SAAFA. .

BADEA’s operations cover all the 43 eligible countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, in addition to a number of regional organizations. The operations cover infrastructure, agriculture and rural development, rural water, electricity, rural roads, animal and fish production, energy, industry, social and the banking sector over and above technical assistance operations.

The projects selected by BADEA are those, which are directed towards improving the living conditions of the people and easing the pressure on them and reducing poverty, particularly those projects related to rural development and environment such as rural water supply and sewerage, or those aiming at reducing negative impact of drought and desertification. This is obviously in line with the Millennium Development Goals aiming at reducing poverty in developing countries.