The Saudi Development Fund (SDF) has signed a grant agreement for 8 million euros with the Guinean Ministry of the Economy, Finance and Planning. The funding will be used to build 140 boreholes equipped with solar pumps to improve the supply of drinking water in rural areas of Guinea.
The fifth stage of the Saudi water drilling and rural development programme in Africa is continuing in Guinea. The West African country is benefiting from an €8 million grant for the construction of 140 large boreholes. The funding is being provided by the Saudi government through the Saudi Development Fund (SDF).
The boreholes will be constructed in villages not yet connected to the drinking water network. As part of the project, 120 boreholes will be equipped with solar pumps to reduce the impact of power outages.
Water pumped from the water table will be stored in 20 elevated tanks with a nominal capacity of 50 m3, distributed via a 4,500 m network and standpipes. Through this programme, Saudi Arabia aims to contribute to the achievement of the sixth sustainable development goal (SDG6) in Africa by 2030. This goal aims in particular to provide universal access to drinking water in Guinea Conakry. In the West African country, the current rate of access to drinking water is 77% according to a report by the African Development Bank (AfDB).
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With Guinea, the number of installations carried out in Africa under the Saudi rural development programme will rise to more than 6,440 boreholes for a total financing of 330 million dollars. At least 4.5 million people benefit from these drinking water facilities on the continent. The programme also aims to reduce the proliferation of water-borne diseases and promote development in various sectors of activity affected by water shortages.
Inès Magoum
