- The US signs MOU with Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso
- MCC to fund regional electricity market integration
The United States (US) government, under the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), has signed a memorandum of understanding with the governments of Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso. The MOU is aimed at integrating the two West African countries into the West African regional electricity market.
The MOU with the two West African countries follows a first agreement signed with the West African Power Pool (WAPP) to integrate national electricity networks into a unified regional electricity market. As part of the agreement, WAPP will lead a feasibility study to assess the viability and socio-economic and environmental impacts of investing in a high-voltage transmission line linking both countries.
The MCC Acting Executive Director said, “Strengthening regional integration will require both the construction of ‘hard’ infrastructure and the implementation of reforms needed to harmonise institutional policies and processes that help reduce or eliminate trade barriers”.