Tag Archives: International Development Association

Agriculture, AMA

Guinea Launches AgriConnect Compact to Transform Agri-Food Systems, Strengthen Food Security, and Create Jobs

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Washington, USA, 04 May 2026 -/African Media Agency (AMA)/- The Government of Guinea, in partnership with the World Bank Group, today announced the launch of the Guinea AgriConnect Compact. This integrated strategic framework aims to accelerate sustainable transformation of agrifood systems, strengthen food and nutrition security, create decent jobs, and position agriculture as a key driver of inclusive growth and industrialization.

The initiative is aligned with the 2040 Simandou Agenda, specifically its Pillar 1, which identifies agriculture and livestock as key drivers for economic diversification, export development, and job creation. It is based on a strengthened and complementary coordination approach involving the Government, the World Bank Group through the International Development Association (IDA), the International Finance Corporation (IFC), and the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), as well as technical and financial partners, the private sector, and producer organizations.

The compact aligns three priorities: rural infrastructure, public reforms and investments, and mobilizing private finance around shared goals for agricultural transformation, job creation, and food security.

“AgriConnect enables a better coordination of the World Bank Group’s instruments – IDA, IFC and MIGA – to support Guinea in a profound transformation of its agriculture,” said Issa Mare Diaw, World Bank Group Resident Representative for Guinea. “By combining reforms, public investment, and private sector engagement, we aim to help build more productive, resilient, and inclusive agri-food systems that can deliver food security while creating jobs.”

Priority value chains identified include rice and poultry – to strengthen food security and reduce reliance on imports – complemented by maize and soybeans as strategic inputs. The compact also supports high-potential diversification and export value chains, including fonio and mangoes.

“With the AgriConnect Compact, Guinea is taking a decisive step forward in positioning agriculture as a central pillar of economic transformation, directly linked to the opportunities offered by the Simandou corridor,” said Aminata Kaba, Minister of Agriculture. “Our ambition is to ensure long-term food security, create decent jobs for youth and women, and promote competitive, resilient and market-oriented agriculture.”

“The livestock sector occupies a strategic place in our food security and import substitution policy, particularly for the poultry sector,” said Félix Lamah, Minister of Livestock. “The AgriConnect Compact will build the capacity of producers, improve access to essential inputs such as maize and soybeans, and develop more efficient and inclusive livestock value chains.”

By 2030, the AgriConnect Guinea Compact aims in particular to contribute to: (i) a significant improvement in food and nutrition security, (ii) the creation of hundreds of thousands of direct and indirect jobs in the agricultural and agri-food value chains, particularly for young people and women, (iii) the reduction of dependence on imports of staple foods, particularly rice and poultry products, and (iv) the valorization of the export potential of products such as fonio and mangoes.

“The AgriConnect Compact is fully in line with our ambition to build a more resilient, inclusive and prosperous Guinea,” said Mariama Ciré Sylla, Minister of Economy, Finance and Budget. “It reflects our desire to make agriculture and livestock farming real levers for transformation, job creation and economic sovereignty, in line with the Simandou 2040 Program and our national economic diversification agenda.”

AgriConnect is a World Bank Group initiative to help 300 million smallholder farmers around the world to better valorize their crops to increase their incomes by 2030. It is supported by partners such as the African Development Bank (AfDB), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), Bayer, and Google.

Distributed by African Media Agency (AMA) on behalf of Word Bank Group.

Contacts
In Conakry for the World Bank:
Zubah Beavogui,
+224 625259536
zbeavogui@worldbankgroup.org

For the Ministry of Agriculture:
Kadiatou Bah,
+224 628462692
attachee.cabinet@agriculture.gov.gn

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AMA

A New World Bank-Funded Program to Transform Forest Economies and Drive Jobs Opportunities for 60 million People around the Congo Basin

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Boosting forest value chains, supporting over 500 SMEs, and improving livelihoods for forest-dependent communities

Washington, USA, 02 April 2026 -/African Media Agency (AMA)/- The World Bank Group today approved a new operation that will transform forest economies in Central Africa. The International Development Association (IDA)-funded Sustainable Congo Basin Forest Economies Program (SCBFEP) –$394.83 million for Phase 1—, will improve forest management, strengthen forest value chains, and will generate 220,000 jobs across the Republic of Cameroon, the Central African Republic (CAR), and the Republic of Congo (RoC). This first phase forms part of a larger $1.02 billion multi-phase program to unlock economic, climate, and livelihood benefits from the world’s second-largest tropical forest biome, demonstrating that sustainable economic development and forest stewardship can, and must, go hand in hand.

This next generation of forest investments moves decisively beyond a conservation-only approach, building the economic conditions that make forest stewardship sustainable. Marginalized communities, indigenous peoples, and forest-dependent communities stand at the heart of the program. During its initial phase, nearly 8 million hectares will be placed under sustainable management. The program will reduce annual greenhouse gas emissions by 17.6 million tCO2e and increase the share of legally processed wood by 15%, while supporting community forest enterprises, agroforestry systems, and SME processing zones. More than 500 SMEs and 20,000 people — 40% of them women — will gain access to training, finance, and value chain infrastructure, while over 7,000 youth will be supported into entrepreneurship. These will unlock real jobs and real economic opportunities for the 60 million people living in and around the Congo Basin who have long been bypassed by growth.

“This new program marks a milestone for the Congo Basin, where sustainable forest economies create jobs, raise incomes, and strengthen resilience for millions of people,” says Chakib Jenane, World Bank Regional Director for Planet. “By scaling legal wood production, improving governance, and investing in skills and enterprise growth, countries can unlock inclusive and sustainable prosperity.”

The program adopts a strong regional approach by supporting coordinated investments across the three participating countries, while leveraging the mandates of key regional institutions such as the Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC) and the Central African Forests Commission (COMIFAC) to harmonize forest policies and strengthen cross‑border governance.

“The Congo Basin is a shared resource, and its sustainability depends on coordinated policies and close regional cooperation,” declares Marina Wes, Acting World Bank Director for Regional Programs. “By strengthening regional institutions, the program improves wood trade standards and create a powerful platform for learning and collaboration across the Basin.”

The new initiative aligns directly with the Global Challenge Program on Forests for Development, Climate, and Biodiversity, while supporting participating countries’ national development strategies and regional commitments, as well as their climate objectives. With strong potential to expand carbon market opportunities and mobilize long-term private sector investment in sustainable forestry, it offers a replicable model for how job creation, shared prosperity, and forest economies can advance together.

Distributed by African Media Agency (AMA) on behalf of Word Bank Group.

Contacts:
In Washington: Aby K. Touré, akonate@worldbank.org
In Bangui: Emmanuel C. Dembassa Kette, edembassakette@worldbankgroup.org
In Brazzaville: Franck Bitemo, fbitemo@worldbankgroup.org
In Douala: Odilia Hebga, ohebga@worldbank.org

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Agriculture, AMA

Senegal Launches AgriConnect Compact to Transform its Agriculture Sector

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Washington, USA, 11 February 2026 -/African Media Agency (AMA)/- The Government of Senegal, in partnership with the World Bank Group, today announced the launch of the AgriConnect Senegal Compact. This strategic initiative aims to transform the country’s agri-food systems and improve food security for millions of Senegalese.

Aligned with the Senegal National Agenda for Transformation 2050 and the Food Sovereignty Strategy (SSA 2025-2034), the AgriConnect Pact is a harmonized implementation mechanism mobilizing the Government of Senegal and the World Bank Group – through the International Development Association (IDA), the International Finance Corporation (IFC), and the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) – as well as technical and financial partners, the private sector and producer organizations.

The initiative focuses on three priority value chains: grains, horticulture, and livestock. It is based on three axes: (i) making structural investments in agricultural infrastructure and services; (ii) revising sectoral policies to improve the business environment; and (iii) encouraging more private investment to spur innovation and competitiveness.

By 2029, the AgriConnect Compact aims to achieve more than 90% food security at the national level and create 800,000 formal jobs in the agricultural sector. Among the objectives set are an increase in the cereal coverage rate from 48% to 78%, rice self-sufficiency to 64%, and the establishment of 100 community-based agricultural cooperatives across the country.

In addition to its strategic orientation, this ambition represents a significant shift in the design, coordination, and implementation of national agricultural and food policies.

“AgriConnect is a model platform for structuring a pipeline of projects related to the National Transformation Agenda. Thanks to sector program contracts that involve all stakeholders, it aims to achieve the expected impacts of the Senegal Vision 2050, which is sovereign, just and prosperous,” said Ahmadou Al Aminou Lo, Minister of State to the President of the Republic, in charge of monitoring, steering and evaluating the Senegal 2050 National Agenda for Transformation. “This platform embodies the strategic coherence sought in the structuring of sectors, engines of sustainable growth. The highest government authorities attach particular importance to results-based management during the implementation of these multisectoral programs. Thus, it is expected that the stakeholders in this initiative will aim for operational efficiency to improve the well-being of the population.”

The partnership is part of a national dynamic, which places food sovereignty at the heart of the country’s transformation agenda.

“The AgriConnect Pact aims to concretely transform the lives of our populations,” said Mabouba Diagne, Minister of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Livestock. “These are families that will be able to better feed their children, farmers who will see their incomes increase and stabilize, young people who will find jobs and a future in modern and profitable agriculture. This direct improvement in living conditions, both in our countryside and in our cities, will guide our implementation with the World Bank Group, our partners, and the private sector.”

The World Bank Group is committed to supporting Senegal in translating its goals into lasting impacts for its people.

“What drives us in AgriConnect is the belief that Senegalese agriculture can feed Senegal, create opportunities for its youth, and become an engine of shared prosperity,” said Ousmane Diagana, World Bank Vice President for Western and Central Africa. “Through the coordinated action of IDA, IFC and MIGA, we want to catalyze a dynamic where public and private investment converge towards a single objective: to make food sovereignty and jobs a tangible and lasting reality for every Senegalese.”

The governance of the Pact is ensured by the Minister of State, responsible for monitoring the Senegal 2050 National Agenda for Transformation, with operational implementation entrusted to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Livestock via its ” Delivery Unit “. A joint steering committee will be established for planning, coordination and monitoring with the support of the Technical Group of Partners (GTP).

The Compact was developed in consultation with the following technical and financial partners: the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the World Food Program (WFP), the French Development Agency (AFD), the African Development Bank (AfDB), the Islamic Development Bank (IDB), and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), Kingdom of the Netherlands, MasterCard Foundation and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Distributed by African Media Agency (AMA) on behalf of Word Bank Group.

Contacts
At the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Livestock of Senegal:
Penda Mbow,
(221) 77 274 52 37
mbowpendarts@gmail.com

At the World Bank Group in Dakar:
Seydina Alioune Djigo,
+221 77 442 66 70
sdjigo@worldbankgroup.org

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AMA

Benin: 10,000 Women Entrepreneurs Receive Business Development Support

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Washington, USA, 16 January 2026-/African Media Agency(AMA)/-The World Bank approved $100 million in financing from the International Development Association (IDA) to help Benin promote access to finance and growth for women entrepreneurs in both the formal and informal sectors.

The Women Entrepreneurship Development and Access to Finance Program (WEDAF) is a results-based program (PforR). It will support the government in setting up a Women’s Business Center and provide more than 10,000 women-led micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) with access to loans, training, mentoring, and career advice. This results-based program will competitively select a cohort of promising enterprises led or owned by women-Les Agodjié, who are the champions of women’ s entrepreneurship. These Agodjié Champions will benefit from a package of support, including technical assistance, access to tailored financing instruments, investment readiness support, market access, as well as structured mentorship, to position their businesses as flagships of the Beninese economy and engines of job creation.

“In addition to the challenges that all businesses face, women face specific barriers that limit the creation, development, and growth of their businesses. The WEDAF program aims to accelerate the growth of women-owned and women-led businesses and strengthen their role in creating jobs and wealth,” said Mamadou Tanou Baldé, World Bank Acting Country Manager for Benin. “When women entrepreneurs have access to finance, training, and mentorship, their business performance and job creation increase significantly.”

This program benefits from substantial complementary support from the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the private sector arm of the World Bank Group. The latter will bring its expertise in capital structuring, its ability to mobilize regional investors, as well as its technical expertise, through tailor-made advisory services. It will help overcome capacity, formalization and financing barriers faced by women entrepreneurs. In addition, IFC will offer its own financing solutions, focusing on SMEs with commercial potential, while increasing the number of women-led businesses benefitting. This will involve current and future investments as well as advisory services – such as the Banking on Women program – for the benefit of partner financial intermediaries.

“Only 3.9% of women-managed businesses have access to bank loans, and many operate in a market segment underserved by microfinance institutions or commercial banks. This program is a real opportunity to turn women entrepreneurs into true national champions,” says Vincent Arthur Floreani, IFC Country Officer for Benin.

This program is aligned with the National Policy for the Development and Promotion of SMEs 2025-2035. Its objective is that by 2035, Beninese MSMEs will operate competitively in an adequate institutional framework and a business environment conducive to wealth creation and decent and sustainable jobs.

Contacts
In Cotonou:
Gnona Afangbedji,
+229 01 90 07 4732
yafangbedji@worldbank.org

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AMA

World Bank Scales Up Support to Cabo Verde’s Energy Transition and Universal Access

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Washington, USA, 13 January 2026 -/African Media Agency(AMA)/- The World Bank today approved a $13.30 million concessional financing through the International Development Association (IDA) for Cabo Verde’s renewable Energy and Improved Utility Performance Project (REIUP). The operation is co-financed by a $1.2 million concessional loan and $0.41 million grant from the Canada Clean Energy and Forest Climate Facility (CCEFCF), as well as a $0.4 million reimbursable grant from the Global Infrastructure Facility (GIF).

The financing will support Cabo Verde to accelerate its clean energy transition and achieve universal access to electricity.

Cabo Verde has made significant progress in energy access, achieving 98% coverage and bringing reliable electricity to nearly the entire population. The country has also advanced its energy transition efforts, aiming for 100% renewable electricity by 2040, supported by ongoing sector reforms. Meeting the country’s targets will require further investment in clean power, improved grid stability, and continued reforms following the demerger of the vertically integrated utility ELECTRA. The approved financing supports these national priorities and is expected to leverage substantial private capital for large-scale renewable energy deployment.

“The scaling up of REIUP reinforces Cabo Verde’s ambition to become a leader in achieving universal access to electricity in Africa. By mobilizing private capital to accelerate the energy transition and strengthening the sector’s institutional foundations, the project will help ensure a sustainable, financially viable, and climate-resilient energy sector”, said Kwawu Mensan Gaba, World Bank Energy Global Practice Manager for Western and Central Africa.

The operation will:

  • Increase renewable energy generation capacity by supporting the development of 68 MW of new solar PV and wind generation and 12 MWh of battery storage, through a combination of public investments on smaller islands and private sector participation.
  • Enable the operationalization of a newly established, Government-backed Risk Mitigation Facility, expected to mobilize US$108 million in private capital.
  • Advance Cabo Verde’s efforts to achieve universal access to electricity through 1,800 additional household connections and last mile electrification.
  • Strengthen and consolidate ongoing energy sector reforms and institutional capacity, particularly for newly created entities resulting from the separation of water and power utilities, to improve financial performance, operational efficiency, and reduce commercial losses.

“With this new operation, we are investing in a cleaner, more affordable energy future for Cabo Verde—one that reduces dependence on imported fossil fuels, shields the economy from the volatility of global price shocks, and strengthens competitiveness. At the same time, it will drive job creation in the energy transition, with a strong focus on closing the gender gap in the sector.” said Indira Campos, World Bank Group Resident Representative for Cabo Verde.

REIUP aligns with Cabo Verde’s Master Plan for the Power Sector and complements all other development partners’ efforts in the sector.

Distributed by African Media Agency. on behalf of Word Bank Group

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AMA, Politics

The Gambia: Laying the Foundations for Stable Growth and Jobs

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Washington, USA, 26 November2025-/African Media Agency (AMA)/-The World Bank Group today approved $45 million in grant financing from the International Development Association (IDA) to support the Government of The Gambia’s efforts to enhance domestic revenue mobilization, lay key infrastructure, regulatory and skill foundations for private sector development, and strengthen climate resilience.

“The Gambia is on a good growth trajectory despite the external shocks of recent years, but growth remains fragile due to a combination of structural weaknesses including climate vulnerability. To sustain its growth and improve the living standards of the population, it is essential for The Gambia to pursue and accelerate transformational reforms,” stresses Ephrem Niyongabo, World Bank Economist and Task Team Leader of the project. 

This is the first development policy support operation designed to underpin reforms conducive to inclusive and sustainable growth. The program is based on three pillars. The first pillar seeks to increase government revenue by broadening the tax base and rationalizing tax expenditures. The second pillar seeks to foster private sector-led growth by tackling bottlenecks in key enabling sectors such as energy, telecom and business environment while advancing human capital development, with a focus on expanding opportunities for women and youth. The third pillar aims at strengthening the foundations for The Gambia’s resilience to climate challenges by establishing a robust institutional and legal framework to guide climate action and coastal zone management. 

“This financing will enable The Gambia to carry out reforms to build fiscal space, facilitate the development of key sectors, improve human capital and business environment to enhance participation of the private sector in the economy. The proposed operation provides a critical line to improve access to essential services, enhance women and youth employment opportunities while enhancing environmental sustainability” said Franklin Mutahakana, World Bank Group Resident Representative in The Gambia.

This operation has been designed to meet the authorities’ priorities outlined in the Gambia Recovery-Focused National Development Plan, 2023-2027. The reform program supports the green, resilient, and inclusive development agenda by strengthening the country’s adaptation and resilience to climate change through robust legal and institutional framework for climate governance and climate resilience, ensuring that territorial and sectoral planning integrate climate adaptation and disaster risk management. 

Distributed by African Media Agency (AMA) on behalf of World Bank

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Development, District News

World Bank commits over K88 billion towards Cyclone Idai recovery in Malawi

Malawi News Agency (MANA)

mobilised US$120 million (over K88.1 billion)
AFFECTED BY FLOODS: A woman comes out from her temporary and very small house in Mulanje – File Photo

Written by  McCarthy Mwalwimba

Lilongwe, May 3, 2019: The World Bank on Friday announced that it has mobilised US$120 million (over K88.1 billion) in new resources to help people in the country affected by the assessed impact of Cyclone Idai.

In a statement released in Maputo, Mozambique where the cyclone hit most, the bank says it has mobilised over half a billion dollars in new resources to help people in Mozambique, Malawi, and Zimbabwe.

“The World Bank is activating the International Development Association (IDA) Crisis Response Window (CRW) to provide up to $545 million [over K400.1 billion] in total for the three affected countries.

“This is in addition to nearly $150 million [over K110.1 billion] in resources that have recently been made available from existing projects.

“Together, total World Bank support to the three countries’ recovery reaches around $700 million [about K514 billion],” reads the statement.

World Bank Group President David Malpass said after a tour of Beira’s affected areas that Cyclone Idai caused catastrophic damage that affected millions of people and that the tragedy has been compounded in Mozambique by Cyclone Kenneth.

“The World Bank Group is working closely with our partners to help the population recover from these terrible storms, build back stronger than before, and improve countries’ resilience to natural disasters,” he said.

The statement says Mozambique will receive $350 million [about K257 billion] to re-establish the water supply, rebuild damaged public infrastructure and crops, and support disease prevention, food security, social protection, and early warning systems in the impacted communities.

“For neighboring Malawi, the CRW will provide $120 million [over K88.1 billion] in financing to restore agricultural livelihoods, reconstruct priority infrastructure, and support disease surveillance,” reads the statement made available through APO Group.
The statement further says the World Bank intends to provide an exceptional allocation of up to $75 million (over K55 billion) to select UN agencies to support the people of Zimbabwe also affected by Cyclone Idai.

“Funds will go toward a harmonized multi-sector livelihood support and recovery operation focused on social welfare and community interventions,” reads the statement.

Meanwhile, the World Bank is also working with Mozambique and Comoros to assess and respond to the newest development-Cyclone Kenneth.

Malpass was in Mozambique as part of his first official trip as head of the organisation.

He earlier travelled to Ethiopia and Madagascar to visit several World Bank Group-funded projects; meet with government leaders, private sector representatives, and other stakeholders; and hear from beneficiaries and local partners.