SWITCH Africa Green grant awards ceremony in Burkina Faso

The grant awards ceremony was held on 3 March 2016 at the Pacific Hotel in Ouagadougou.

The meeting started with welcoming remarks from the Permanent Secretary of the National Council on Environment and Sustainable Development (CONEDD), read on her behalf by Mr. Rasmane Ouedraogo. He said that the Ministry of Environment, Green Economy and Climate Change of Burkina Faso was committed to promoting the green economy, job creation, and economic growth based on the rational use and development of natural resources and the environment in the context of sustainable development and social cohesion. Speeches were then given by Ms. Juliette Biao Koudenoukpo, Director and Regional Representative, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Regional Office for Africa, and Mr. Alain Peigne, a member of the Delegation of the European Union in Burkina Faso.

The SWITCH Africa Green grants were officially awarded by Mr. Peigne, Ms. Biao Koudenoukpo and Mr. Quedraogo to four Burkina Faso organizations (see the table below). Thereafter, a representative of each grantee presented an overview of its project and of the progress made in implementation, allowing the national stakeholders to gain a better understanding of the green business development component of SWITCH Africa Green. The lively sessions were a good opportunity for discussion among the grantees and the participating micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises, as well as with the national stakeholders.

SWITCH Africa Green grants awarded in Burkina Faso