Mali looks for consulting support to ensure compliance with international standards

Having obtained a loan from the World Bank’s International Development Association (IDA) arm for the Rural Electrification Hybrid System Project (SHER), the government of Mali has made the decision to deploy some of the funds towards hiring consultants to ensure compliance.

SHER was first approved in the IDA in 2013, and is designed with the objective of promoting connectivity in Mali’s rural areas. The project not only focuses on increasing access to electricity in these areas, but also works to ensure that this energy is generated through renewable means.

To this end, mini-grids across the country are undergoing expansion and improvement efforts, and the additional capacity is being provided through hybrid systems including solar panels and batteries. The project is aimed at facilitating economic growth and has received widespread recognition for its focus of renewable forms.

Mali has even been selected to be the first country to implement the Renewable Energy Valuation on a Large Scale programme, organised by the Climate Investment Fund. The hybrid sections of the programme are implemented by the Malian Agency for the Development of Domestic Energy and Rural Electrification (AMADER).

AMADER is now on the lookout for consulting support, primarily to ensure that the large volume of contractors and operators being recruited for the project operate in compliance with international standards, both in technical and in environmental terms.

Compliance is of essence for this project, particularly as it relies on funding from the World Bank, which operates with strict guidelines with respect to international standards. Companies that operate on any project funded by the World Bank must, therefore, operate within its stipulated laws.

The profile of consulting firm being sought leans heavily towards the domain of environmental regulations, with expertise and experience in working on developmental projects of international standards. Many such consulting firms are currently active across Africa, given the flurry of developmental activity currently underway on the continent.