Burkina Faso’s military authorities have agreed to work with Russia to build a nuclear power plant to enhance the country’s electrical supplies.
The government of Burkina Faso announced in a press release that it has signed a memorandum of understanding for the development of a nuclear power facility.
After losing favor with most of its Western allies, the junta has recently moved to ally itself with Russia.
Since taking over last year, the junta has looked to Russia for financial and military assistance.
Only 21% of people in Burkina Faso have access to electricity, making it one of the least electrified nations in the world.
The new agreement with Russia is the result of discussions Capt. Ibrahim Traore, the head of the Burkinabe military, made with Russian President Vladimir Putin in July at the Russia-Africa conference in Moscow.
Capt. Traore asked President Putin for his cooperation in building a nuclear power plant in Burkina Faso, saying that it would help the nation and its neighbors satisfy their energy needs.
He was quoted at the time as saying, “We have a critical need for energy; this is an important point for me because we need, if possible, to build a nuclear power station in Burkina Faso to produce electricity.”
We are in the center of West Africa, where there is a shortage of electricity, therefore our position is rather crucial.
The agreement fits into Burkina Faso’s 2030 goal of 50% of rural areas having access to electricity and 95% of urban areas having it.
According to the International Energy Agency, Burkina Faso derives the majority of its electricity from biofuels like wood and charcoal, with oil products making approximately one-third of the nation’s
The price of energy in Burkina Faso is also among the highest in all of Africa, according to the US aid organization USAid.
The only commercial nuclear power producer in Africa at the moment is South Africa, although more countries on the continent are following suit.
Following a 2017 agreement between Presidents Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Vladimir Putin, Russia is assisting Egypt in building a nuclear power plant at a cost of $30 billion (£24 billion).
In the same year, Russia also agreed to construct power plants in Nigeria, but work has not yet started on that project.
Kenya has also stated that it intends to construct its first nuclear power station by the year 2027, but it has not yet chosen an international partner.
Since being installed as president in a coup in September 2022, Traore has been in charge of the nation.