Media Contacts In Washington: Rachel McColgan-Arnold (202) 458 5299 rmccolgan@worldbank.org In Mali: Moussa Diarra 223 222 22 83 mdiarra@worldbank.org WASHINGTON, September 4, 2008 – The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors today approved $35 million in additional funding to support the Household Energy and Universal Access (HEURA) Project in Mali. The target number of communities with access to modern energy services, particularly in rural areas, will be increased. The implementing Malian agency, AMADER, oversaw the original project which was approved in November 2003. Since then, progress has been steady and the additional funding will enable an acceleration of energy access expansion. “The additional funding is intended primarily to support the efforts of local private operators through rural electrification initiatives,” said Koffi Ekouevi, the World Bank’s Task Team Leader for the project. “The project will support the overall objective of the original HEURA to help the Malian government in its efforts to improve the provision of basic energy services to the poor to help stimulate economic growth and thus contribute to the reduction of poverty.” The project includes $2.4 million for capacity development and institutional strengthening, $30.3 million for energy services delivery, and $2.3 million for household energy. Capacity development will focus on strengthening a number of sector agencies including the Water and Electricity Regulatory Commission, the Directorates of Energy and Nature Conservation and AMADER, the rural energy agency. The energy services delivery component will scale up rural electrification projects and multi-functional platforms investment. It will also provide funding for communication to local communities, in an effort to deepen the information around the project. The final component will address household energy, supporting community-based woodland management and energy efficiency initiatives within the household (such as low-consumption lamps and improved stoves).
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