- The UK guarantees $239 million in AfDB loans to Mauritius and Benin for the climate finance program.
- Benin’s initiative, PAPVS, focuses on flood control and waterborne disease reduction in several towns.
The United Kingdom(UK) has guaranteed Mauritius and Benin two African Development Bank (AfDB) loans totalling $239 million. This support, part of a climate finance program, will aid in constructing energy and sanitation infrastructure.
The AfDB, under the “Room to Run” (R2RS) program, is lending $239 million to Benin and Mauritius. This UK-guaranteed climate financing will help with flood control in Benin. The two partners are contributing $129 million, including a $106 million loan, to the Projet d’assainissement pluvial des villes secondaires (PAPVS).
In Benin, the government’s initiative aims to construct primary structures for draining runoff water in several towns, including Porto-Novo, Abomey-Calavi, Bohicon, Abomey, Ouidah, Sèmè-Kpodji, Parakou, and Natitingou. The PAPVS, financed by various partners, also aims to reduce waterborne diseases caused by flooding.
In Mauritius, the AfDB and the UK provide $110 million under the R2RS program for the Gas Insulated Switchgear Substation Project. This initiative will lay the foundations for efficient integration of variable renewable energies.
It involves necessary investments in grid expansion to enhance the reliability of the national grid, enabling the installation, interconnection, and absorption of renewable energies. Mauritius aims to achieve a 60% share of renewable energies in its electricity generation mix by 2030.
Mauritius, with an installed capacity of 876 MW, mainly relies on oil- and coal-fired power plants. However, transformative projects, like the deployment of 60 MW of solar capacity by French company Qair and the construction of the 10 MW Arsenal solar power plant by GreenYellow, signal a significant shift towards renewable energy on the island off the coast of East Africa.