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Echoes from the field

Burundi PPP- Training Workshops For The Burundian Government on infrastructure PPPS

Bujumbura, Burundi, April 11, 2022: From April 11 to 21, 2022, a series of three training workshops on Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) was held in Bujumbura for Burundian government officials and representatives. The capacity building workshops marked the consolidation of the cooperation between the Republic of Burundi and the ALSF which has been gaining momentum over the past two years.

This training series was organized in collaboration with the Agence d'appui à la réalisation des contrats de partenariats public-privé ("ARCP"), and brought together more than thirty-five participants from the public sector, and from different ministries involved in the implementation of PPPs. Participants included permanent secretaries and officials from various sectors such as energy, water, infrastructure (ports, highways, railroads etc.), health, defense as well as legal advisors from various government agencies.

The first workshop held on April 11, 2022 was a ministerial awareness meeting on the use of PPPs. the second workshop held from April 12 to14, 2022, was for Permanent Secretaries and various public sector stakeholders, while the third workshop brought together ARCP members and technical staff from various ministries from April 15 to 21, 2022.

The workshops focused on the preliminary aspects of PPP projects and project financing, such as risk allocation, financing structure, indemnities, force majeure, and the applicable legal and institutional framework in Burundi. The participants had the opportunity to deepen their knowledge and skills in the PPP sector, and to share their different experiences in this area. The training for technical staff included case studies from Burundi and the African continent.

The Facility collaborated with the law firms Pinsent Masons and Mabushi Chambers, and technical advisor, Global 4 Solutions, to develop and deliver the training.

"After a period of forced suspension due to restrictions imposed by the pandemic, face-to-face meetings and one-to-one interactions allowed us to finalize our discussions for the implementation of a range of projects in Burundi. The infrastructure/PPP training workshops are just the beginning of a long collaboration with the Government of Burundi. The workshops have allowed for enriching discussions and reflections on the difficulties and challenges that the Government faces in implementing PPP projects in Burundi. We look forward to returning soon for capacity building in the energy and mining sectors”. Mehdi Oomar, ALSF Legal Advisor.

 

The ALSF in brief

Established by the African Development Bank in 2008, the ALSF assists African governments in negotiating complex commercial transactions, providing legal and technical assistance and developing capacity building tools in the key sectors of infrastructure and public-private partnerships, energy, natural resources and extractive industries, as well as on sovereign debt and creditor disputes.

 

Contact us

Eve EHOURA, Communication Officer: e.ehoura@afdb.org

ALSF website : https://www.alsf.int