On the occasion of World Toilet Day, which was celebrated on 19 November 2022 under the theme "making visible the need for sustainable toilets for all", the authorities of Ivory Coast inaugurated 1,158 latrines that will improve hygiene and sanitation in several towns, notably Mankono and Bakoro Sobara.
As part of the Special Programme for the Latrineization of Schools in Rural Areas implemented by the government of Ivory Coast, 1,158 latrines have been built in several towns. Among the beneficiary towns are Mankono in the Béré region, and Bakoro Sobara in the Bandama Valley region. Other equipment to combat waterborne diseases was also distributed to local residents. These include hand washing kits, wheelbarrows and rakes.
“Water is life and sanitation is dignity. People will have the right to healthy and appropriate toilets in our construction plans. The Ivorian government is working to improve the living conditions of people throughout the country in the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set by the United Nations for 2030,” said Bouaké Fofana, the Ivorian Minister of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene.
In Ivory Coast, 47.2% of the population, or more than 13 million people, still practice open defecation, including more than 7 million in rural areas, according to official figures. In this context, the government of this West African country has made sanitation one of its priorities in recent years.
Read also-IVORY COAST: Drainage works to reduce flooding in Abidjan
In June 2022, the capital Yamoussoukro benefited from water and sanitation infrastructure, including a sewage sludge treatment plant on the Yamoussoukro-Oume axis as part of the Municipal Water, Sanitation and Hygiene in West Africa (MuniWASH) project. The installation, funded by the United States Agency for Development (USAID), will improve hygiene services for local populations. This project, implemented in partnership with the municipalities, will be completed in 2024.
Benoit-Ivan Wansi
