A promise made, a promise kept. French Development Agency (AFD) is releasing €23 million to support 27 projects focusing on the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This promise of funding dates back to the the first half of 2023, when the financial institution launched a call for projects in favour of civil society organisations (CSOs) and start-ups from all five continents. Among the beneficiaries in Africa is the Tenmiya association, which aims to support the sustainable development of oases in the wilaya of Adrar in Mauritania.
These are areas of vegetation isolated in the desert, benefiting from a source of water. The envelope will be used to raise awareness among local communities of the need to protect and enhance these oasis ecosystems. Water in the oases is drying up as a result of overexploitation of the water table by deep drilling and global warming.
Another funded project is “Coeur de forêt”. It is being implemented in Madagascar to support the development of agro-ecology and the preservation of forests. “The aim is to restore and preserve biodiversity while ensuring a decent income for the population through the development of a structured, organic and fair trade sector for the production of aromatic and medicinal plants and their processing into essential oils in the region”, AFD points out.
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The agency headed by Rémy Rioux has also selected the TAWDE concept, which promotes the socio-economic inclusion of communities that are “victims of violence, fraud, trafficking and even sexual exploitation, some of whom have been recruited by criminal movements” in Senegal and Chad. In concrete terms, the support from Paris will improve access for 2,000 children to basic services such as health, water and sanitation (MDG6), as well as enhancing their food security (MDG2).
Benoit-Ivan Wansi