BENIN – The Japanese government has awarded a grant of 16 billion CFA francs (US$27.50m) to Benin, through its international cooperation agency, JICA.
The funding will enable work to be carried out on the project to strengthen drinking water supply systems in the departments of Couffo and Plateau.
The funds will enable Beninese authorities to finance the Project to Strengthen Drinking Water Supply Systems in the Departments of Couffo and Plateau, which is under development.
Under this project, the Beninese government has chosen to exploit underground water resources to supply the populations of Couffo and Plateau, and to fight against water-borne diseases.
Thus, new boreholes will be drilled in the two departments located in southern Benin. The project also involves laying new pipes and building reservoirs for storing drinking water.
Approximately 132,000 people will benefit from this drinking water project in the towns of Aplahoué, Azové, Dogbo, Djakotomey, Klouekanmè, Lalo and Toviklin in the department of Couffo and in the Plateau, the towns of Adja-Ouèrè, Ifangni, Kétou, Pobè and Sakété.
Benin’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Aurelien Agbenonci, who is pleased with Japan’s continued support, said that work on the various drinking water project sites will be launched soon.
In January 2021, about 645 million CFA francs (US$695.3m) were released by JICA for the feasibility studies of the project to strengthen drinking water supply systems in the departments of Couffo and Plateau.
This other funding, combined with the CFAF 16 billion (US$17.2bn) grant, is part of Japan’s non-reimbursable financial support and is aligned with Benin’s National Development Plan 2018-2025.
The grant agreement was signed on November 16th, 2021 between Benin’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Aurelien Agbenonci, the Japanese Ambassador to Benin, Takahisa Tsugawa, and the Acting Resident Representative of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in Benin, Kojiro Fujino.
Last month, Sanergy, a tech-enabled startup and the owner of the Fresh Life toilets franchise, received US$2.5 million funding from the JICA.
This is in an effort to address the city’s growing sanitation needs while also helping farmers across Kenya produce more crops with fertilizer produced as a byproduct.
Sanergy plans to expand its reach into additional African and Southeast Asian cities, on the wings of the investment.
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