Climate and sustainable cities
The sustainable development of African cities, especially in the face of climate change, was a key theme of the Ouagadougou speech. France supports this transition in African countries by aiding projects that facilitate the implementation of sustainable infrastructure in order to reduce African countries’ carbon footprints, ensure they meet the goals in the Paris Agreement and make use of innovative technologies. This issue will also be central to the Africa-France Summit in 2020.
This is why I want Africa to be a place of radical innovation, of financing for this radical innovation in the fight against global warming, and I want Africa to play its full role, not just in Paris on 12 December but as part of the Global Pact for the Environment, which France launched and which needs to be promoted in the UN framework. I am also thinking of sustainable cities – there will be 500 million more city dwellers on the continent by 2025; no one has ever addressed such a challenge. It will be your, our challenge.
President Emmanuel Macron, Ouagadougou speech, 27 November 2017
Mali: the development of public lighting in Mopti
In Mali, only 24% of the population has access to energy. As part of the TREZOR project, which aims to increase safety in rural areas, public lighting will be rolled out in the Mopti region, boosting the use of solar energy. This project was developed by the Ille-et-Vilaine department and the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs’ Crisis and Support Centre. In 2019, it will benefit 10 areas in the Mopti region.
South Africa: the Hessequa solar desalination plant
Given the drought facing the Western Cape, Cape Town has put in place water consumption restrictions and is seeking solutions. In July 2018, France committed to financing the first solar desalination plant in South Africa in Hessequa. This plant will be the first of its kind to operate solely on solar power, supplying coastal communities with drinking water at competitive prices, without emitting CO2.
Côte d’Ivoire: the financing and construction of the Abidjan metro
The 37.5-kilometre Abidjan metro project connecting the communes of Anyama and Port-Bouët will link major residential areas to business districts. Preparatory work began in May 2018 and delivery is scheduled for 2023. The metro will help reduce road traffic and pollution in the city, while making travel easier for populations. The project is being developed by a consortium of French companies, and will help promote sustainable cities in Côte d’Ivoire.
Ghana: support for women’s empowerment in the face of climate change
This project, which supports the empowerment of women in the face of climate change, was launched in 2018. It involves providing seeds and technical expertise for the establishment of mango and Leucaena plantations as part of a sustainable development initiative. It will also lead to hives being installed in the Salaga district, in the Northern Region. In addition, the project will help to fight climate change by providing training on how to build energy-efficient ovens using local materials. It is run by the Rural Education Volunteer and Social Development Programme (REVSODEP) and supported by the French Embassy as part of the PISCCA initiative, managed by the French Development Agency (AFD).
Uganda: support for public lighting in Kampala
Support for public lighting helps encourage economic development, inclusion, safety and individual mobility. As part of the Cities and Climate Change in Africa initiative, the French Development Agency (AFD) financed the development of an urban lighting master plan in Kampala in 2018. This plan will give the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) a framework for interventions by investors concerned by this issue.
Updated: 30.11.18