GITEGAI, Burundi, August 19, 2024 -/African Media Agency(AMA)/-A delegation from the Burundian government and the African Development Bank visited on August 9, 2024, the works of electrification projects financed or co-financed by the Bank Group in Rubirizi and Kabezi, in the province of Bujumbura Rural. The delegation included the Minister of Finance, Budget and Economic Planning, Audace Niyonzima and the Minister of Hydraulics, Energy and Mines, Ibrahim Uwizeye and the Bank’s Country Manager in Burundi, Pascal Yembiline accompanied by an expert on the Bank’s energy projects in Burundi, Raymond Kitandala Luhana.
The members of the delegation, accompanied by the Director General of the Burundi Water and Electricity Production and Distribution Authority, Lieutenant-Colonel Jean Albert Manigomba and the project coordinator, Ezechiel Bagayayutunze, were able to assess the progress of the work on the ground as well as the quality of cooperation between Burundi and the Bank in the implementation of these essential infrastructures for the development of this Great Lakes country.
In Rubirizi, they visited the transmission station, under construction, as part of the Kamanyola-Bujumbura Interconnection Project, co-financed by the Bank and the European Union to the tune of $37 million. The station, once completed, will be the injection point for the energy that will be produced by the Ruzizi III regional hydroelectric plant, which also benefits from Bank financing.
With an installed capacity of 160 megavolts – the largest in the country – the transmission station will strengthen the reliability and stability of the electricity network in Bujumbura, the country’s economic capital, and ensure its operational flexibility. Pending the construction of the Ruzizi III power plant, this station will be connected to existing lines to distribute the energy produced by the national power plants. Commissioning is scheduled for December 2024. The project will enable a 7% increase in the national electricity access rate and a reliable electricity supply to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and public buildings.
In Kabezi, the delegation was able to observe the progress of electrification work as part of phase 1 of the Energy Access Project, which covers 36 localities in 11 provinces of Burundi. This project, exclusively financed by the Bank and the Burundian government, for a total amount of 26 million dollars, will ultimately connect 25,000 households in the beneficiary localities; which will contribute to improving the living conditions of the populations. The first connections of new subscribers are planned for the first quarter of 2025.
Both sides noted the progress made and the challenges ahead, including delays in the implementation schedule and the need to expedite fair compensation for all those affected by the projects.
The Minister of Finance expressed satisfaction with the qualitative development and the level of progress of the works and urged the companies and teams of the Water and Electricity Production and Distribution Authority to redouble their efforts to meet the deadlines set for the completion of the works.
Pascal Yembiline recalled the actions to be undertaken quickly by each party for a harmonious completion of the projects. He reiterated the Bank’s availability to support the government of Burundi in the development of its energy sector.
The African Development Bank is an important partner of Burundi in the field of electricity infrastructure. Its commitment in the energy sector amounted, as of July 31, 2024, to US$147 million for the financing of five projects, including two national projects (Jiji and Mulembwe Hydroelectric Power Plant Project, and Energy Access Project-Phase 1) and three regional projects (Kamanyola-Bujumbura Interconnection Project, Kigoma-Gitega Interconnection Project and Ruzizi III Regional Hydroelectric Power Plant Project).
This support will continue through the Bank Group’s Country Strategy Paper (CSP) for Burundi for the period 2024-2029, which will help the country address factors of fragility and strengthen its resilience by relying on two priority areas: support for agricultural value chains and economic and financial governance to strengthen the resilience of the economy; and strengthening energy and transport infrastructure for inclusive and green growth.
Distributed by African Media Agency (AMA) on behalf of the African Development Bank.
Source : African Media Agency (AMA)
2024-08-19 08:29:30
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