- The inaugural ceremony for a new public lighting installation, powered by solar photovoltaic technology, recently took place in Toujounine, Mauritania.
- The roll out is co-financed by the Covenant of Mayors in Sub-Saharan Africa (CoM SSA) and the project Supporting the Nouakchott region for sustainable, resilient and equitable development ARENDDRE.
Three districts in the Nouakchott region have recently benefited from the installation of more than 500 solar streetlights on their main access roads, totalling approximately 17 km of lighting. The initiative has been widely celebrated by the population, given the positive social impact that the improvement of public lighting brings. This includes safety when traveling at night and the potential prevention of robberies and assaults, as well as the economic dimension, since the development of activities such as small businesses and restaurants benefit from this safer and more attractive environment.
This action is the result of the collaboration between two projects financed by the European Union in Mauritania, namely CoM SSA and ARENDDRE, whose objectives include improving urban resilience and improving the quality of life for citizens in cities like Nouakchott, particularly those exposed to the negative impacts of climate change, while addressing the energy transition necessary to reduce emissions and commit to sustainability.
CoM SSA empowers local governments and non-state actors to mobilise in the fight against climate change in Africa. In Mauritania, CoM SSA is co-funded by the European Union and the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID) which has enabled the Nouakchott Region to make significant progress in these three aspects:
- Climate planning, with the preparation of a specific Action Plan for the region, and thematic reports;
- The implementation of pilot infrastructure based on adaptation and mitigation, and access to more sustainable energy; and
- The exchange of experiences and knowledge with other signatory cities in the initiative.
Within CoM SSA, AECID provides support to the following signatory cities: Maputo, Matola and Boane in Mozambique, Dakar and Pikine in Senegal and Praia and Ribeira Grande de Santiago in Cape Verde.
Author: Bryan Groenendaal
