BUJUMBURA, Jan. 21 (Xinhua) -- The Burundian government and the World Bank have signed agreements on three grants totaling 168.3 million U.S. dollars to finance a climate resilience project and two energy projects.
The agreements were signed in Bujumbura, the economic capital, by Burundian Finance, Budget and Economic Planning Minister Nestor Ntahontuye and Hawa Cisse Wague, the World Bank representative to Burundi. They were in the presence of Burundian Hydraulics Energy and Mining Minister Ibrahim Uwizeye and Emmanuel Ndorimana, permanent secretary at the Burundian Ministry of Environment, Agriculture and Livestock, which will implement the projects.
"We're glad to have signed these three financial agreements. They are indeed in line with the country's National Development Plan and the vision of an emerging Burundi in 2040 and a developed one in 2060," said Ntahontuye, the finance minister.
The climate resilience project, which has a budget of 88.3 million dollars, is aimed to boost the productivity of fragile lands in Burundi's targeted hills.
The project will be implemented for six years.
"The other two financial agreements come as additional supports to two existing energy projects that have not been completed," Ntahontuye said, referring to one aimed to boost energy services to villagers living outside Bujumbura and the other that helps build the Jiji-Murembwe hydropower dams.
The Jiji-Murembwe dams, expected to be completed in June 2026, have a power generation capacity of 49 megawatts. ■
