The construction of the Kandadji hydroelectric dam in Niger has been put on hold, due to the economic sanctions imposed on the country. The Chinese group Gezhouba, in charge of the project, announced in a letter addressed to the labor inspectorate of Tillabéri, the cessation of construction activities of the dam as well as the gradual dismissal of local workers.
These sanctions, from ECOWAS, the European Union and the World Bank, make it impossible to settle accounts for the Chinese company, explains the China Gezhouba Group. Faced with this situation, the company is forced to stop the construction of the dam, providing a period of one week for the shutdown process.
The Kandadji hydroelectric dam is of great importance for Niger’s food security and energy independence. By allowing the irrigation of 45,000 hectares of land and increasing the country’s electricity production, this project, estimated to cost more than one billion euros, was to contribute to the country’s economic and social development.
However, the accumulated delays, in particular due to the Covid-19 pandemic, have already delayed the commissioning of the dam which was initially scheduled for 2025. With the stoppage of work, its completion risks being further delayed, compromising thus the expected benefits in terms of irrigation of agricultural land and electricity production.
This situation highlights the vulnerability of infrastructure projects in countries subject to economic sanctions. The consequences of such political decisions can have a considerable impact on the economic and social development of the nations concerned, and hinder the achievement of important objectives such as energy self-sufficiency and food security.
It is therefore essential that governments and international bodies take these potential consequences into account when deciding to impose economic sanctions, in order to assess their impact on populations and ongoing development projects