Building for Abidjan’s Future Today

Challenge

Cote d’Ivoire stagnated socioeconomically for more than a decade due to turmoil resulting from coups d’état or other conflicts. Especially in Greater Abidjan, the number of refugees or internally displaced persons increased after widespread violence following the 2010 presidential elections. As a result, urban areas of poverty have formed, mainly in the Yopougon and Abobo communes of Abidjan.

These areas not only have inadequate basic infrastructure for education, health facilities, roads, and drainage facilities, but they also have high unemployment due to the limited capacity of the labor market to absorb young people, ex-soldiers, and returnees, creating a socially destabilizing factor.

The significance of the project is in the implementation of technical cooperation that contributes to the stabilization of the communes and social cohesion. The project enables residents to realize a peace dividend through the installation of basic infrastructure, which benefits the communes by providing employment opportunities and improving the living environment.

The project’s mission is to strengthen the capacity of the local counterparts for sustainable and effective basic infrastructure development toward social cohesion at the commune level. Although the inputs for infrastructure rehabilitation through the pilot projects are limited, the project focuses on capacity and model development. The project implementation process will help Ivorians’ own initiatives in the future.

Since the commencement of the project, eight pilot projects have been implemented in Abobo and Yopougon communes. The commune offices established a joint management committee at each pilot project site and are monitoring the pilot projects through the assistance of experts from OC Global.

• Selection of pilot projects
• Participatory planning and design for rehabilitation of basic infrastructure
• Establishment of joint monitoring system by local governments and residents
• Rehabilitation of two schools and reconstruction of two schools (31 classrooms in total)
• Rehabilitation of four roads including drainages (2.5 km in total)
• Development of maintenance system for the rehabilitated facilities
• Capacity development of government counterparts and representatives of residents
  Training programs (e.g., project cycle management, project evaluation, participatory planning methods, social cohesion and community development, public involvement, public relations, diagnosis and inventory development for basic infrastructure, maintenance of basic infrastructure, and construction management)
• Sharing lessons learned at seminars