To provide training to staff members of the national liaison bodies of Côte d'Ivoire and Benin on intellectual property (IP) pre-diagnostics in companies. The national liaison bodies fall under the purview of the ministries responsible for industry in each member State of the African Intellectual Property Organization (OAPI) and act as an intermediary between national users and the Directorate-General of the OAPI.

INPI France

AIPO members

To share expertise to train IP office staff members to carry out company audits and provide practical support when carrying out company audits. IP pre-diagnosis provides an initial, free assessment of IP needs at various stages of a company's development and projects (allowing, inter alia, to determine which IP titles to deposit to provide the best possible protection, which stakeholders to mobilize in order to build an IP strategy, and which training courses to follow in order to develop IP competencies).

Sharing expertise in supporting companies.

To enable public authorities responsible for intellectual property to implement pre-diagnostic tools.

June 2023

https://www.inpi.fr/prediagnostic-pi

caroline.rolshausen@dgtresor.gouv.fr, Regional Adviser for Intellectual Property for Africa, Regional Economic Service for West Africa, Embassy of France in Côte d'Ivoire

To improve the quality and sustainability of services supplying drinking water to crisis areas

AFD (French Development Agency)

Ministry of Water and Sanitation

The aim of the project is to improve the living conditions of vulnerable population groups (internally displaced persons, host communities) living in 10 rural areas in the Central-North region. The primary objective is to strengthen, modernize and ensure sustainable access to basic water supply services for populations in crisis areas. The project has three specific objectives: to improve access to basic water and sanitation services for both host communities and displaced populations; to contribute to the sustainable and efficient management of water services that are adapted to the population's vulnerabilities; and to build the capacities of local stakeholders and institutions to plan, formalize and regulate water supply services in crisis areas.

Budget : EUR 6,000,000

This project is based on three initiatives: a new approach to formalizing and implementing design/modernization/operation contracts, allowing the private company Vergnet Burkina to streamline decision-making interfaces; a transformation of supply arrangements through the installation of automatic standpipes to improve the quality of service to users; and the introduction of a prepayment system for water.

The project will deliver a long-term improvement in the quality of life of displaced and host populations (150,000 people) within the areas targeted by funding by ensuring sustainable access to basic water services. It will also help mitigate and prevent conflicts between communities over water access and use. The project will also provide an opportunity to test a practical approach to the humanitarian-security-development nexus.

Current or in progress

Five years

https://www.afd.fr/fr/carte-des-projets/renforcer-services-publics-ruraux-eau-potable-burkina-faso#

To strengthen the structure of the national health and social protection system. The project is based on a public policy matrix, which includes key actions and indicators co-defined with the Bangladeshi authorities and seeks to strengthen the resilience of the health and social projection system. The activities will help, in particular, to support healthcare staff involved in the response to COVID-19, improve the quality of human resources and health infrastructure, bolster epidemiological surveillance through laboratories, establish non-contributory health insurance mechanisms and advocate for additional resources earmarked for health funding. Overall, the project aims to build the capacities of health services to adapt to climate change by improving surveillance of climate-sensitive diseases, the energy efficiency of infrastructure and disaster preparedness. The project also aims to promote gender equality between men and women in terms of access to vaccines, high-quality health services, health insurance, training and salary benefits for female healthcare staff.

AFD (French Development Agency)

Ministry of Health

As part of the response to the COVID-19 epidemic, the AFD is supporting the Government of Bangladesh through a public policy-based loan to develop the COVID-19 vaccination campaign and strengthen the national health and social protection system.

Loan (EUR 200 million) over 20 years

Health

The main expected output is to strengthen Bangladesh's health and social protection system in the medium and long term The specific objectives to be achieved are: to attain a critical level of immunity to COVID-19 among the population by supporting the Government's response to the health crisis; to provide high-quality care by investing in infrastructure, training staff and strengthening epidemiological surveillance to detect emerging pathogens (including climate-sensitive diseases); and to extend universal health care coverage through non-contributory insurance mechanisms.

Current or in progress

20 years from 01/01/2022

https://www.afd.fr/fr/carte-des-projets/financement-budgetaire-renforcement-systeme-sante-et-assurance-maladie-non-contributive-bangladesh

The AFD is supporting the project to develop the Kakono hydropower plant in Tanzania

The AFD; this project is being implemented with support from the European Union. Co-financing: African Development Bank (AfDB)

Kagera region, Tanzania; Tanzania Electric Supply Company Limited (TANESCO)

The main objective is to strengthen low-carbon economic growth in East Africa by supporting the development of renewable energy, cross-border connections and regional grid stability in the Kagera region, as well as in the neighbouring regions of Tanzania and Uganda.

EUR 110,000,000 over 25 years

Renewable energy

The project is in line with the specific objectives of the National Energy Policy (2015) of improving electricity reliability and the coverage of transmission and distribution networks; increasing the use of renewable energy in the generation mix; and accelerating rural electrification to foster economic transformation. The project is a priority of the Power System Master Plan 2020 update. For Tanzania, at the national level: reliance on electricity supply in the underserved Kagera region will improve and provide increased access to affordable and reliable energy; the share of renewable energy in Tanzania's electricity mix will increase; the project will reduce the intensity of national greenhouse gas emissions by 0.33% by avoiding the release of 388,000 tonnes of CO2 annually compared to emissions from a thermal (diesel) power plant – the type of plant currently operated by TANESCO in the region; the project is expected to have a positive social impact, directly and indirectly, on communities in the project area and, more widely, in the regions which will be supplied with electricity (1,000 direct jobs, indirect jobs that will benefit local communities and stimulate long-term economic development in the region. Fisheries could potentially be set up in the Kakono reservoir). For East Africa, at the regional level: the project will contribute to the regional energy market in East Africa; and it will pave the way for the forthcoming interconnection between Tanzania and Uganda.

Current or in progress

Project start date : 01/01/2023 Project start date : 01/01/2028 Project funding for 25 years

https://www.afd.fr/fr/carte-des-projets/centrale-hydroelectrique-de-kakono