Ivory Coast has 54 percent of its population living in cities, with a high concentration in Abidjan, which hosts 5.5 million inhabitants, President, Alassane Ouattara told the G20 Conference on German Direct Investment in Africa on Tuesday.
Ouattara, who took part alongside German Chancellor, Angela Merkel and several of his peers at the G20 Conference on German Direct Investment in Africa, said: “54 percent of the Ivorian population lives in cities, especially in Abidjan, which has 5.5 million inhabitants”.
He referred to a flagship project for water purification and drainage implemented by the German firm Gauff GmbH & Co Engineering KG and the German bank KFW, with the support of the Ivorian government, a note from the presidency in Abidjan said.
The Ivorian President noted the importance of this project, considering the challenges of sanitation and rainwater drainage.
According to him, it is “undeniable” that this sanitation and drainage project is of paramount importance for his country.
He went on to say that the project also allows Cote d’Ivoire to be well equipped to face up to the challenges of climate change with all its disasters, including floods, the note added.
Mr. Ouattara has also encouraged the German government to join France in securing the United States’ signature on the COP 21 Climate Agreement.
German Chancellor and Egyptian President, Abdel Fattah Al Sissi, the current Chair of the African Union, have both welcomed the positive results that have been achieved since the implementation of direct cooperation between Germany and the African member states of the “Compact With Africa.”
They stressed, however, that challenges remain, including the issue of security and the fight against terrorism, climate change and youth employment.
Agreements on, among others, sanitation and military engineering and the establishment of a German commercial representation in Cote d’Ivoire were signed during this ceremony.
AP/ls/fss/as/APA