In a context of economic resilience, security instability and energy transition, the first BOAD Development Days were launched at Hotel 2 Février, in the presence of numerous ministerial and diplomatic delegations, financial institutions and the private sector. The event is intended to be a strategic crossroads for rethinking the financing of development in the UEMOA space

Under the aegis of the West African Development Bank (BOAD), this inaugural event, brilliantly placed under the crucial theme of financing the energy transition and sustainable agriculture, transcended the framework of a simple meeting.

In the presence of the Togolese Minister of Economy and Finance, Essowè Georges Barcola, and the President of BOAD, Serge Ekué, these days mark an essential milestone in the quest for harmonious and resilient development for the eight nations of the UEMOA. In a world where climate imperatives and economic aspirations intertwine more than ever, Lomé has emerged as the preferred theater for collective ambition: to shape a future where clean energy and prosperous agriculture become the pillars of shared prosperity for the entire sub-region

Minister Barcola, in a serious speech, welcomed this meeting as a “crossroads of ideas”, a place where thought is translated into concrete action to respond to the climate, food and energy challenges that are gripping the region. “The UEMOA, rich in its human and natural potential, must arm itself with audacity and solidarity to overcome its pitfalls”, he declared, thus laying the groundwork for a forum aimed at redefining development paradigms

Serge Ekué, head of BOAD, for his part, outlined a vision that was both pragmatic and ambitious for the subregion. “West Africa is at a crossroads,” he said with conviction, stressing the urgent need for a collective response to the climate crisis and inadequate access to electricity for millions of citizens. Indeed, with a regional population of nearly 130 million people and a GDP per inhabitant of less than 1,000 dollars, the UEMOA faces a double injunction: to accelerate its economic growth while firmly anchored in ecological resilience. Therefore, the BOAD Development Days, designed to become an unmissable annual event, aim to be the catalyst for this profound metamorphosis, by mobilizing innovative financing and forging