The telecom equipment provider Alcatel-Lucent will equip Burkina Faso with a Cloud network which will enable the country to develop new digital public services.

The virtual infrastructure whose aim is to meet the future demand in terms of digital services in the sectors of health, education, justice, etc., will be rolled out in Ouagadougou, the capital, and in five provinces of the country. This corresponds to approximately 400 buildings in 13 regional urban centres which will be connected through 513 km of fibre optic.

This project, with a start date set for 2017, is the result of an agreement between the ministry of Digital Economy Development and Posts (MDENP) and Alcatel-Lucent. Its realisation is supported by a funding from the Danish government through the Danida Business Finance Agency which will contribute € 30 million (FCfa 19.9 billion) with a direct subsidy of € 15.5 million (FCfa 10 billion).