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afrol News, 16 January - The government of Guinea today has secured a loan of 6.88 billion CFA francs (euro 10.5 million) from the Abidjan-based African Development Fund (ADF) to finance parts of its national rural infrastructure programme. About 1960 kilometres of rural roads are to be upgraded. The infrastructure project is "intended to open up rural development communities and improve land acquisition" in the Prefectures of Dabola, Dalaba, Dinguiraye, Koubia, Mali, Mandiana, Télimélé, Tougué, Lélouma, Pita and Siguiri, according to a statement by the Fund. It expected to involve the improvement of about 1960 kilometres of rural roads in the same prefectures. "An effective rural road management and maintenance system would be established through the creation of Village Road Maintenance Committees (VRMC), which will ensure the preventive maintenance of rural roads," ADF says. The project is further to implement a pilot demonstration and land management method improvement methods operation coupled with training on how to use appropriate instruments to protect land rights in the pilot districts of Banko and Koudian. The Guinean government expects that the infrastructure programme will contribute to the reduction of poverty and improvement of the living conditions of rural communities "through the rehabilitation of rural roads that will help open up 70 rural development communities," according to the application. Moreover, the improvement in land acquisition practices was thought to "stimulate production and promote investment and social peace." Finally, the programme was to "strengthen the decentralisation process and put in place basic infrastructure and thereby facilitate access to markets and social services." While the total costs of the programme are estimated at franc CFA 14.45 billion, today's loan agreement with the ADF consists of franc CFA 6.88 billion - or almost the half. The rest will be financed by the government in Conakry. The Ambassador of Guinea to Côte d'Ivoire, Mr Fode Cissé signed the loan agreement for his country while the ADF's Vice President, Mr Bisi Ogunjobi, signed for the Fund. Sources: Based on ADF and afrol archives
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