Guinea-Bissau asks Islamic Development Bank for support for agriculture

Guinea-Bissau today asked the Islamic Development Bank for support to develop the agricultural sector in light of rising world prices, Finance Minister Ilídio Té said.

“We have spoken with the Islamic Development Bank, and they are available to support the agriculture sector so that we can have our food sovereignty and independence,” the Guinean finance minister said.

The minister spoke at the end of a meeting with a mission from the Islamic Development Bank to evaluate ongoing projects in Guinea-Bissau.

Speaking to journalists, the minister said that the world “is in a difficult moment because of the war in Ukraine.”

“There has been a significant increase in the prices of basic necessities in the market. It is a global phenomenon, and we must bet more on agriculture.

“We must have food self-sufficiency. In the 1960s, Guinea-Bissau exported rice,” Ilídio Té stressed.

Besides supporting the development of agriculture, the minister and the Islamic Development Bank also discussed the possibility of investing in industrial development, mining, and sanitation.

“Speed things up and move forward with the new projects that are up our sleeve,” he said, stressing that the Islamic Development Bank is one of the country’s oldest partners.

The Islamic Development Bank’s representative for the country, Eddie Omar Davis, said the mission’s goal is to continue the dialogue for the “development of Guinea-Bissau.”

Among the projects of that financial institution in the country, the representative highlighted the support for constructing the road between Safim and Dugal for regional integration with Senegal.

The professional training to increase employment opportunities for young Guineans was another project highlighted by Eddie Omar Davis.

The mission will remain in Bissau until Thursday, having planned meetings with other Guinean authorities and visits to ongoing projects.

With information from Lusa