Multilateral development finance institution the African Development Bank Group (AfDB) and the governments of Mauritania and Mali have agreed to mobilize US$ 900 million in support for an international power transmission line connecting Mauritania and Mali.
The project will extend distribution networks between the 2 countries, with almost 1,500 km of high-voltage wires deployed to provide power to 620,000 people while fostering long-term growth in the region.
It additionally incorporates the construction of several solar power stations, and is set to increase solar capacity by 100 MW. According to the AfDB, the project falls in line with the institution’s ambitious Desert-to-Power program, which aims to construct the world’s largest solar power producing region.
AfDB Deputy Director for North Africa and Country Manager for Mauritania, Malinne Blomberg, stated that, “The aim of our involvement in this large-scale project is to turn our policy of supporting the development of green infrastructure in Africa into a reality to promote green, inclusive, sustainable growth, which will significantly improve the living conditions of people in Africa.”
The Mauritania-Mali power line project is an important component of the planned trans-Sahel spine, a regional electrical distribution system connecting Mauritania to Chad through Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali. Currently in the feasibility stage, this infrastructure project is part of a larger endeavour to build a strong and integrated energy network throughout the region’s landlocked countries, contributing to regional growth and integration.
Abdessalam Ould Mohamed Saleh, Mauritania’s Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development, emphasized the project’s strategic importance, adding that it will not only enhance the economy but also connect Mauritania to the Senegal River Basin Development Organization’s grid.