African Development Fund to support Mauritania-Mali power line

• 9 months ago (2023-07-21)
• David Flin

Africa 303 Solar 245 Transmission 181

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The African Development Bank (AfDB), along with other partners, has committed to funding a $900 million multinational power transmission line between Mauritania and Mali. The project will also include developing several solar power stations.

The project aligns with AfDB’s Desert-to-Power initiative, and aims increase solar production capacity by 100 MW. It will also strengthen and extend distribution networks covering nearly 1500 km of 225 kV lines.

The project constitutes an essential link in the trans-Sahel spine, the regional electricity transmission system currently being studied. This will link Mauritania to Chad, passing through three other land-locked countries: Burkina Faso, Niger, and Mali.

Abdessalem Ould Mohamed Saleh, Mauritania’s Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development, said: “The strategic nature of this project will have a strong transformative effect on the economy while creating a connection to the Senegal River Basin Development Organisation’s grid.”

Malinne Blomberg, Deputy General Director and Country Manager for Mauritania for the African Development Bank Group, said: “The aim of our involvement in this large-scale project is to turn our policy of supporting the development of green infrastructure in Africa into a reality – to promote green, inclusive, sustainable growth, which will significantly improve the living conditions of people in Africa.”