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Congo lauds partnership with African Development Bank, seeks enhanced climate funding
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The Bank also funded fiber-optic networks connecting Congo to Cameroon and the Central African Republic and is financing studies for a road-rail bridge between the two Congos
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BRAZZAVILLE, The Republic of the Congo, May 21, 2024/ — The Congolese government has lauded the African Development Bank Group for its vital support to the nation’s development, particularly in infrastructure, where the Bank stands as the country’s key partner.
Government representatives gave the commendation during a three-day visit by the African Development Bank Group’s Vice-President for Regional Development, Integration and Business Delivery, Marie-Laure Akin-Olugbade, during which she engaged with several ministers on political dialogue and support for the Bank’s operations. Jean-Jacques Bouya, Congo’s Minister of State for Regional Development, Infrastructure and Road Maintenance lauded the “very positive cooperation with the African Development Bank in the infrastructure field” and expressed eagerness to expand this partnership, highlighting the Bank’s comparative advantage in funding infrastructure across the continent. The Bank Group has significantly contributed to Congo’s infrastructure development, including the construction of the Ketta-Djoum road, part of the Yaoundé-Brazzaville corridor, and the first section of the Ndende-Dolisie road linking Congo to Gabon. The Bank also funded fiber-optic networks connecting Congo to Cameroon and the Central African Republic and is financing studies for a road-rail bridge between the two Congos. Alongside Africa50, the Bank is leading efforts in resource mobilization for these projects. Minister Bouya presented Akin-Olugbade with studies of various road projects funded by the Bank and sought support for hydroelectric dam studies on the River Congo. The Bank committed to reviewing the request to help address Congo’s energy deficit, which is hampering economic and social development. Bouya also indicated that Congo plans to present some bankable projects at the African Investment Forum, 2024 Market Days scheduled to take place in Rabat in December. Olga Ghislaine Ebouka-Babackas, Minister of Planning, Statistics and Regional Integration, emphasized the need for capacity building to optimize development assistance. She noted the need for the Bank’s support to ensure that management units and sector-specific ministries are adept at navigating financial procedures required by international partners. Minister of Agriculture, Livestock Farming and Fisheries, Paul Valentin Ngobo, and Akin-Olugbade discussed a mid-term evaluation of the Integrated Agricultural Value Chains Development Project (PRODIVAC). This initiative aims to bolster the maize/cassava sectors and enhance seed production capacities. Ngobo also outlined the Agenda for Agricultural Transformation in Congo (ATAC), a government program to advance the agricultural sector. Minister for the Environment, Sustainable Development and the Congo Basin, Alerte Soudan-Nonault, highlighted the challenges in mobilizing climate finance and advocated for Congo’s access to all Bank funding mechanisms. Akin-Olugbade mentioned the Bank’s technical support for the ‘Congo Basin Blue Fund’s readiness project and ongoing efforts to create a carbon exchange and incorporate natural resources into GDP calculations for African countries. Jean-Baptiste Ondaye, Minister of Economy and Finance acknowledged the Bank’s support in Congo’s reforms program with the International Monetary Fund. At the end of 2023, the Bank provided Congo with $92 million in budget support, helping the country address urgent challenges. Ondaye assured that Congo would meet its commitments to the African Development Bank and other partners. Akin-Olugbade outlined the Bank’s new Ten-Year Strategy (2024-2033), focusing on accelerating the “High 5” strategic priorities, aligning with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the African Union’s Agenda 2063, against the background of reforming the international financial architecture. The strategy emphasizes gender equality, youth support, and climate change, particularly mobilizing climate funding. Discussions included the possibility of opening a Country Office in Congo and the government’s preparations to host the Bank Group’s Annual Meetings in 2026. The upcoming resource replenishment meeting of the African Development Fund, the concessional funding window for low-income African countries, was also highlighted. Akin-Olugbade introduced Olivier Béguy as the new resident country economist, succeeding Sié Antoine-Marie Tioyé, whose mission had ended. The Vice-President’s delegation included the Bank’s Director General for Central Africa, Serge N’Guessan, his deputy Solomane Koné, who is also the Country Manager for Congo, outgoing resident country economist Tioyé, Regional Lead economist Hervé Lohoues, and Principal Country Program Officer, Mohamed Coulibaly. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).
Media contact: About the African Development Bank Group: SOURCE |
Day: May 21, 2024
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NEWS UPDATE: Congo lauds partnership with African Development Bank, seeks enhanced climate funding.
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NEWS UPDATE: PAIX Data Centres Expands Capacity in Ghana to 1.2 MW to Boost Africa’s Digital Economy
PAIX Data Centres Expands Capacity in Ghana to 1.2 MW to Boost Africa’s Digital EconomyData centers are essential to support the creation of businesses that can thrive in the digital era, leading to increased employment opportunities and economic transformationACCRA, Ghana, May 21, 2024/ — The expansion will help meet the demand for digital infrastructure as data consumption rapidly outstrips supply in Africa. PAIX Data Centres, a leading provider of data center solutions, today announced the expansion of its facility in Accra to 1.2 MW, in a critical boost to the digital economy that will also spur job creation. The data centre, now one of the largest in Ghana, will help internet service providers (ISPs), cloud providers, and enterprises take full advantage of robust digital infrastructure and improved connectivity, to create online businesses such as e-commerce that will thrive in the digital era. The expansion comes at a pivotal time as the demand for reliable and scalable data centers in Africa is expected to exceed supply by 300% over the next two years. The current installed capacity of 250 MW will need to be significantly increased to 1,200 MW by 2030 to meet the rapidly increasing demand for data, with consumption expected to rise by 40% each year until 2025, according to industry estimates. The upgraded facility boasts state-of-the-art infrastructure and robust security measures, ensuring optimal performance and reliability for mission-critical applications and services. The data center also features advanced cooling and waste management systems, and the increased integration of renewable energy as a power source, to improve environmental impact. The strategic location in Accra offers low latency connectivity to all major regional and international network routes and subsea cables, further enhancing the overall efficiency and performance of its services. PAIX Data Centres acquired its first facility in Accra in 2018 and constructed its second data center in Kenya in 2020. Further locations are under development. The company’s mission is to drive digital transformation and foster innovation across Africa, providing world-class data centre solutions that enable businesses to thrive in a digital age. Africa50, a pioneering infrastructure investor and asset manager, backed by African and global capital, committed $20 million in equity investment to PAIX Data Centres in 2022 to support the company’s expansion into new markets and the upgrade of current facilities.
QUOTES
- Bright Tawiah, Managing Director, PAIX Data Centres, Ghana, said: “This expansion reaffirms our dedication to providing best-in-class data center solutions to our customers in Accra and beyond. As one of Africa’s digital economy hotspots, Accra plays a vital role in driving innovation and growth across various industries. We are proud to be at the forefront of this transformation, enabling businesses to thrive in today’s increasingly connected world”.
- Alexander Sulzberger, Co-Founder & CTO, Ecoband Networks says: “Ecoband Networks has been one of PAIX’s longest-standing customers, utilizing the RackAfrica datacenter in Accra since its inception in 2013. We have been extremely pleased with the continuous expansion and upgrade plans spearheaded by the PAIX management, ensuring the delivery of world-class data center services with zero downtime. This reliability provides Ecoband and our international carrier partners hosted in Accra with a solid foundation for our ISP operations.”
- Gregory Eid, CEO of Teledata ICT says: “At Teledata ICT, we are thrilled to see PAIX Data Centres expanding their capacity in Accra. This significant enhancement not only supports our mission to deliver reliable and high-speed internet services but also reinforces our commitment to fostering digital growth in Ghana. The increased capacity and advanced infrastructure provided by PAIX will enable us to better serve our customers, drive innovation, and contribute to the overall digital transformation of the region.”
- Gershon Dzandu, General Manager, at FTSToday says: “PAIX is at the heart of the colocation industry in Ghana, strategically located in the centre of Accra with expanded state of the art facilities that guarantee safety, security and unparalleled uptime. They are a dream come true for start-ups like FTSToday as they host major international providers in their Accra Facility. They have been an integral part of our growth and continued success and we are very confident that PAIX will continue being the backbone of our drive to provide future-proof ICT and telecommunication solutions geared towards positive Business Growth and value creation for our esteemed customers.”
- Wouter van Hulten PAIX Data Centres CEO says: “PAIX’s investment in our ACC-1 data centre positions it as the leading network hub that is created by the aggregation of multiple undersea cable landing points connecting to terrestrial cables, and this makes Accra a highly attractive gateway to West Africa. We are working closely with our connectivity, CDN, social media, and cloud customers seeking to serve this emerging market. We are developing thriving magnetic cloud and content hubs in Accra.”
