BOAD hosts a workshop to launch the preparation of the regional project document on sustainable waste management and reduction of UPOPs and mercury in WAEMU countries

A workshop to launch the preparation of the regional project document on sustainable waste management and reduction of UPOPs and mercury in WAEMU countries was held on 10-11 April 2018 at the headquarters of the West African Development Bank (BOAD) in Lomé. The workshop was open by Mr. Bassary Touré, Vice-President of BOAD, and was attended by Mr. Fiatuwo Sessenou, Minister of Urban Planning, Housing and Living Environment of Togo, the Director of Cabinet representing the Minister of Environment and Forest Resources of Togo, the GEF Coordinator for Africa Region, and officials from Benin, Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, Senegal and Togo.

This workshop was a concrete follow-up to complying with procedures for project preparation and submission to the Global Environmental Facility. As a matter of fact, the regional project in support of sustainable waste management and reduction of emissions of UPOPs and mercury aims to support the promotion of a circular economy in the area of solid waste management (biomedical, electrical and electronic, etc.) and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions associated with poor waste storage in the target countries.

Involving a total amount of US$94.35 million, the Global Environmental Facility will provide support in the form of a grant amounting to US$17.35 million (18%), and recipient countries are expected to make contributions to the tune of US$12 million (13%) in kind or taxes and the remainder will be provided as co-financing in an amount of US$65 million (69%).

According to Mr. Bassary Touré, Vice-President of BOAD, “this regional project further strengthens BOAD’s commitment to support WAEMU member countries in all priority development areas, in conjunction with other technical and financial partners in the sub-region, with particular regard to sustainable waste management”. Actually, BOAD had already contributed XOF6 billion in 2016, or 42% of the project cost, together with the French Development Agency (AFD), the European Union and the Town Council of Lomé to the setting-up of the solid waste landfill over an area of about 192 ha at Aképé in Togo. The landfill commissioned on 25 April this year by the President of the Republic of Togo, and composed of waste storage racks, a sorting platform and a waste processing unit, will help convert waste into alternative fuel.

For his part, Honourable Minister Fiatuwo Sessenou commended the true partnership existing between BOAD and Togo, which materialized into “many beneficial initiatives”.

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