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OFID signs loan and grant agreements to boost socio-economic development in nine partner countries
OFID Director-General Suleiman J Al-Herbish (right) and HE Amara M. Konneh, Minister, Ministry of Finance and Development Planning of Liberia.
Vienna, Austria, February 22, 2016. The OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID) has signed new public sector loan and grant agreements totaling over US$60m to help boost socio-economic development in nine partner countries. The agreements were signed by OFID Director-General Suleiman J Al-Herbish and high-ranking officials of the beneficiary countries, including HE Amara M. Konneh, Minister, Ministry of Finance and Development Planning of Liberia; and HE Mubin Mirzaev, Deputy Minister of Finance of Uzbekistan.
The public sector loans will support the following:
| Country | Project | Amt (US$m) |
|---|---|---|
| Belize | Airport Link Road Project. To build a carriageway, bridge and roundabouts and upgrade airport access roads to decrease traffic congestion in Belize City and improve connectivity, thus providing an easier, cheaper and safer means of transport. | 11.78 |
| Côte d'Ivoire | Expanding Girls' Access to Secondary Education. To raise enrolment and retention rates through the constructing and equipping of six secondary schools, including hostels, to accommodate around 9,000 girls. | 11.50 |
| Kenya | Rongai Hospital. To construct and equip a new hospital and residential staff building in Rongai city. On completion, the project will improve the quality and accessibility of affordable healthcare services for some 150,000 people. | 5.00 |
| Liberia | Upgrading of Gbarnga- Salayea Road. To pave an 81km earth stretch that runs through a major agricultural area. At least 142,000 people will benefit from year-round access to social services and marketplaces, which will in turn help improve livelihoods and reduce poverty. | 20.00 |
| Uzbekistan | Improving Drinking Water Supply in Rural Areas of Koshrabad District of Samarkand Region. To improve health indicators and living conditions of approximately 68,000 people through the construction and upgrading of water supply infrastructure. | 11.00 |
| Total | 59.28 |
ECOWAS Regional Center for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE). US$860,000 (grant). To provide communities, businesses, small enterprises and public buildings with access to modern energy services through the implementation of mini-grid schemes in Benin, Cape Verde, Senegal and Sierra Leone. Over 4,200 people are expected to directly benefit from the project. Co-signing the agreement was Mahama Kapiah, Director-General of ECREEE.