- AfDB signs a $289.5 million deal with Mauritania for rural electrification and solar projects.
- Funding includes a $272 million loan from ADF and a $1.5 million grant from Green Climate Fund.
The African Development Bank (AfDB) has signed a $289.5 million deal with Mauritania’s economy ministry. The aim is to power up rural communities, establish a cross-border electricity link between Mauritania and Mali, and install solar projects.
Mauritania will benefit from a $272 million loan from the African Development Fund (ADF) and a $1.5 million grant from the Green Climate Fund. This will finance a 1,373-km Mauritania-Mali interconnection with a 600 MW transfer capacity and install solar farms along the 225 kV high-voltage line on Mauritania’s side of the border.
The Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa (SEFA) provides a $16 million grant for a rural electrification project in Mauritania. This initiative will connect 40 localities in south-eastern Mauritania to electricity by linking villages to mini solar farms hybridised with a backup generator.
Mauritania’s Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development, Abdelssalam Mohamed Saleh, stated that reliable electricity is crucial for sustainable economic growth. He highlighted the government’s goal to ensure access to electricity for all citizens by 2030 and thanked the AfDB for its contribution.
Additionally, as part of the project, the ADF will provide $33.3 million to Mali, as previously announced by the AfDB.