The Director of the French Development Agency, Mr. Ignatius Monkam-Daverat, and the Ambassador of France to Djibouti, Mr. Serge Mucetti held a joint press conference with CEOs and senior executives of Djibouti Telecom and ADDS Tuesday. This press conference comes as AFD prepares to celebrate its 40 years of presence in our country. We offer you the highlights of the press conference.

In his capacity as head of the French diplomatic mission in Djibouti is Ambassador Serge Mucetti who had the honor to say a few introductory words at the press conference that he had animate with the director of the AFD Djibouti.

In this capacity, Mr. Mucetti highlighted the role and importance of the French Development Agency in the implementation of official development assistance granted by his country to partner nations.

He said that « France operates mainly through its Agency for International Development, AFD, to help countries out of underdevelopment and poverty. This is the social aspect is an important and decisive part in helping that France gives to troubled countries. « 

He added that « among the 7.8 billion euros of commitment, it gives an important part in the education sector. « Mr. Mucetti welcomed development approach focuses on leveraging the locational advantages of RDD that Djibouti authorities were quick to implement.

DTH is one of the major maritime crossroads of the world that must maximize « Has he said. He added that « the areas of logistics and transport, the financial center, port infrastructure, services and telecommunications are all areas that are strategic development and this is a great thing. »

In another more social register, Ambassador of France said in the same order to improve the living conditions of the people, « an equally important part of the envelope of the ODA is intended for businesses private that should support this government strategy that necessarily endorse France through AFD. « 

In terms of the terrorist threat, Mr. Mucetti stressed that it would have no influence on the course of partnership relations between Djibouti and France and vigilance would now be put among the Djibouti authorities and partners development. « 

For its part, the Director of AFD Djibouti Ignatius Monkam-Daverat, made ​​a long statement on the portfolio and priority areas of intervention of the French Development Agency (AFD) in Djibouti.

Thus, he declined these areas as education, urban development and support to the private sector with the objective of improving the living conditions of Djibouti.

Mr. Monkam-Daverat, has stated that « The French Development Agency (AFD) operates in the Republic of Djibouti since 1974, with a level of cumulative commitments of € 91 million over the past ten years (including 23 million euros Proparco, the AFD’s subsidiary specialized in financing private companies).

The priority areas of the agency Djibouti are: education, urban development and support to the private sector, with the aim of improving the living conditions of Djibouti. « 

Firstly, the education sector, which as explained by Mr. Monkam-Daverat has received massive support from AFD to carry out « the reform of secondary education through Education for All project in Djibouti (EPTD, € 8 million), produced from 2007 to 2013. « 

He continued by noting that « this project was to improve access and quality of secondary education while strengthening the management of the education system.

Government contributions, as well as its technical and financial partners including AFD, have significantly improved the gross enrollment ratios, past ten years from 28% to 58% for middle schools. « 

Returning to the urban development sector, the director of the AFD has exhibited the work of his agency, has said he « supports the program of reducing urban poverty Government (PREPUD) in the municipality of Balbala by through three projects.

Integrated urban development program (€ 5.5 million), which runs from 2008 to 2014 in the neighborhood of Daba Balbala Wahle, allowed the construction of social facilities, the construction of roadworks (5.5 km ) and the establishment of a new community development fund.

This project will include a reduction in travel time, strengthening community life and better access to basic urban services.

A second project aims to improve the service for the collection, recovery and disposal of solid waste in the district of Balbala.

This solid consolidation of € 6 million project will run from 2013 to 2016. Finally, AFD finances a sewerage project (€ 5.5 million) under delegated funds from the European Union which will run from 2013 to 2016 and that to solve a health and environmental emergencies, due to runoff outdoor wastewater from several subdivisions Balbala aims. « 

Finally, the director of the AFD has developed the work of the AFD in the field of private sector support. He has stated that AFD « mobilizes its entire range of financing instruments to support the national strategy for creating wealth and jobs.

With the bottom of ARIZ guarantee, AFD has continued to position itself as a partner of the local banks, agreeing to share the risk on their medium-term loans to small and medium enterprises Djibouti. « 

Mr. Monkam-Daverat stated that AFD « in 2008 granted a loan of $ 25 million to Djibouti Telecom to finance its participation in the project of submarine cable international telecommunications fiber optic Europe India Gateway (EIG).

Finally, its subsidiary Proparco became the capital of the BOA in 2010 and in 2008 granted a loan of € 17 million in Doraleh Container Terminal. « 

The Director of AFD concluded his presentation on the outlook for 2014, which will be according to him, « a year of funding for major projects. « 

It is remembered for his statement that « In 2014, new projects financed by AFD to Djibouti will contribute to the major challenges of development. « 

In the education sector, for example, « a new financing agreement (€ 6 million, 2014-2017) was signed April 9, 2014 and aims to better align supply of vocational training in the economy country and complete the reform of the secondary (new bachelor 2016) initiated by the EPTD project. « 

In addition, AFD will continue its action in reducing urban poverty with « a new project involving the rehabilitation of a market and the creation of an urban boulevard connecting neighborhoods Hayableh, Layableh and Mosquito (6 M € ) which will be launched in 2014. « 

Better yet, « AFD will continue its support to Djibouti Telecom to consolidate its position in telecommunications hub through the provision of two new loans, currently under consideration for the financing of two submarine cables. « 

« Finally, AFD intends to help Djibouti to produce green energy cheap and by co-financing of geothermal exploration program in the Lac Assal (€ 2.5 million). »

The Director General of Djibouti Telecom, Mr. Mohamed Assoweh Boo has in turn brought his testimony to the value and interest of financial support AFD granted its society in the realization of a major project optical fiber (see the presentation of the Director of AFD) and the instruction of a second project loan to finance another project of optical fiber also.

In light of all this, said Mohamed Assoweh Boo, society Djibouti Telecom is poised to win the bet and challenge the government gave him, namely the positioning of our country as a regional hub for telecommunications.

This is the Director General of the ADDS, Mr. Mahdi Mohamed Djama which closes official interventions reflecting in turn the value and interest of the AFD in the field of the fight against poverty and urban development through projects including the fight against poverty and the fight against projects PREPUD poverty.

Methods of intervention that are essentially gifts, he has said, unlike the rest of the donors involved in our country.