Cote d'Ivoire to resume electricity supplies to Benin, Togo

Aug 12, 2007 - Xinhua

Cote d'Ivoire's president Laurent Gbagbo has announced, after a brief official visit in Cotonou, that his country will resume with "immediate effect" electricity supply to Benin and Togo.

During the visit Thursday, Beninese president Yayi Boni and Gbagbo held talks focusing on issues of common interest, according to a joint official statement. Gbagbo thanked Boni again for attending "the flame of peace" ceremony which took place in Bouake on July 30 marking the beginning of the disarmament process in Cote d'Ivoire, according to the same source.

Cote d'Ivoire, which provides nearly 20 percent of electricity energy to the two countries, suspended the supply several months ago. Benin and Togo are facing crippling energy problems, which forced the Beninese electricity community, the body which regulates electricity supply in the two countries, to introduce strict electricity rationing which have triggered long periods of electricity power cuts, despite of electricity supply from Nigeria. Source: Xinhua