COUNTRY FOCUS: BURKINA FASO
“
BY PROVIDING SUCH
DIGITAL TOOLS, BUSINESSES OF
ANY SIZE AND INDIVIDUALS OF
BURKINA FASO FACE AN EXCITING
PROSPECT OF GROWTH.
country while providing higher quality
services to residents at a lower cost. “This
is an essential step for the development
of the digital economy and e-government
initiative, which has received support
from the World Bank-financed e-Burkina
Project,” said Charles Hurpy, World Bank
Task Team Leader.
Cheick Kanté, World Bank Country Manager
for Burkina Faso added: “This additional
WARCIP-Burkina Faso funding should
help improve the quality of the internet
network both domestically and between
Burkina Faso and the rest of the world. We
are also hopeful that these resources will
help bring down regional and international
connectivity costs.”
What have been the implications
of the World Bank’s approval of
a US$20 million IDA credit to
improve connectivity?
You are referring to an additional financing
of an existing project. This original project
has produced concrete outcomes (a fibre
optic network to connect to Ghana, a virtual
landing station etc).
The additional financing aims to scale-
up these efforts, in order to reduce
international connectivity prices and
ultimately retail prices of Internet. The
vision is one of a country connected directly
The World Bank’s International
Development Association (IDA) helps the
world’s poorest countries. Established in
1960, it provides grants and low to zero-
interest loans for projects and programmes
that boost economic growth, reduce poverty
and improve poor people’s lives. IDA is one
of the largest sources of assistance for the
world’s 75 poorest countries, 39 of which are
in Africa.
Resources from IDA bring positive change
to the 1.5 billion people who live in IDA
countries. Since 1960, IDA has supported
development work in 113 countries. Annual
commitments have averaged about US$18
billion over the last three years, with about
54% going to Africa.
Charles Hurpy, World Bank Task Team Leader,
spoke to Intelligent CIO to outline some of
the biggest benefits of the project.
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