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H.E. Mr. Abdelaziz Khelef, Director General
of the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA) arrived on Monday
12th March 2007 at Bamako, the capital of the Republic of Mali, as part of a
regional visit to the Republics of Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso extending from
9th March to 19th March 2007.
During his visit to the Republic of Mali, he
will be received by H.E. the President of the Republic of Mali, in addition to
the Minister of Economic and Finance, and other high-ranking government
officials.
Talks will cover areas of cooperation between
the Republic of Mali and BADEA, with the objective of exploring the best means
to promote and develop the relations and realize the objectives of development
in Mali.
During the visit to Mali the Director General
will sign a loan amounting to US $ 2.6 million to finance the project of
reinforcement of the means of the services plant protection and the agricultural
products stored in Liptako Gourma area, which is a regional project located
between the three countries.
By the end of December 2006, BADEA’s
assistance to Mali reached the sum of US $ 129.966 million to finance 40
development operations, in addition to an amount totaling 4.04 million
representing BADEA's participation in reducing the debt of the Republic of Mali
in the frame- work of HIPC initiation.
BADEA’s financing operations have grown since
1975, to reach US $ 3174.52 million by end of December 2006. These include loans
provided through SAAFA (Special Arab Aid Fund for Africa) amounting to US $
214.2 million, and have been earmarked to finance 402 development projects, 374
technical assistance operations, 26 loans for the private sector and 14 special
operations (in the context of Emergency Aid Programme operations for the benefit
of several African countries effected by drought and desertification), in
addition to 59 loans extended through SAAFA.
BADEA’s operations cover all 43 eligible
countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, in addition to a number of regional
organizations. They cover infrastructure, agriculture, rural development,
energy, industry, social and financial sector in the form of project loans and
technical assistance grants.
The projects
selected by BADEA are directed towards improving the living conditions of the
target beneficiaries, particularly those projects related to rural development
and environment, such as rural water supply and sewage, or those aiming at
reducing negative impact of drought and desertification, and reducing poverty.
This is obviously in line with current approaches to development. |
