(Ecofin Agency) - African Development Bank (AfDB) just granted Cote d’Ivoire FCFA600 million to fight avian flu. Funding agreement was signed on April 6, 2016, at Sofitel Hotel Ivoire, between the representative of AfDB’s president and Cote d’voire’s minister for fishery resources, Kobenan Kouassi Adjoumani.

“The grant will serve to reinforce veterinary services, in order to improve and efficiently insure their role as major actors in animal health management and public veterinary hygiene,” the minister said.

The grant comes as Cote d’Ivoire has been facing, since last year, an avian flu outbreak which ravages its poultry. Last year, UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) granted Cote d’Ivoire FCFA300 million to get rid of the epidemic.

Aaron Akinocho