Lom©: Togolese Minister of Economy and Finance, Essow¨ Georges Barcola, on Thursday urged participants in the first BOAD Development Days to make security and peace top priorities, otherwise the harmonious development of WAEMU will come to a halt, AIB noted.
According to Burkina Information Agency, the West African Development Bank (BOAD) has been instrumental since its inception, investing in various development projects across all sectors. However, the Togolese minister emphasized that without security and peace, the progress achieved so far will cease. Barcola was addressing the audience at the opening of the BOAD Development Days, a new platform for discussing solutions to sustainable development challenges in the UEMOA region.
"The challenges we face are numerous: external shocks, climate challenges, the security crisis, food security, access to energy, industrialization, and the creation of decent jobs for a growing youth population," Barcola highlighted. He further stressed the importance of prioritizing the security crisis among these challenges.
Essow¨ Georges Barcola commended the proactive measures taken by the President of the Togolese Republic, Faure Essozimna Gnassingb©, in addressing insecurity. In 2012, while leading the Conference of Heads of State and Government of UEMOA, President Gnassingb© introduced the Peace and Security Policy within the Union. This policy focuses on alert mechanisms and implementing community measures to shield States from insecurity, as explained by the minister.
The BOAD Development Days, held on Thursday and Friday, gather experts, decision-makers, and investors aiming to identify innovative financing solutions and promote private sector involvement, particularly in agriculture and energy sectors.