Burkina Faso Is Constructing Its First Expressway

Burkina Faso is focusing on construction and modernizing the country. Part of this new policy objective is to add more roads. Burkina Faso is in the process of building the first expressway within its land. The expressway will connect Ouagadougou to Bobo Dioulasso. An estimated $357 million will be invested in the infrastructure project. More roads are going to be built to facilitate trade  and travel.  Burkina Faso is seeking to transform itself through the Faso Mebo initiative. The new agenda involves improving the standard of living and developing Burkina Faso through a series projects. The new freeway can aid in getting Burkina Faso more access to ports. Constructing a large network of freeways would help with the exchange of goods and services. The contemporary period operates on fast transport. Equipping Burkina Faso with better infrastructure can allow it to be a better competitor in the global economy. Getting connected to the ports in Ghana or Ivory Coast  improves Burkina Faso's economic condition. To ensure that projects are successful more funds and expertise is required. This means increasing the number of skilled workers and keeping employment high. The building of infrastructure indicates that Burkina Faso is on a pathway to modernized national development.      

Earthquake Strike Myanmar and Thailand

 

Myanmar and Thailand have experienced devasting earthquakes. Natural disasters produce a series of long term problems for public health, infrastructure, and housing. Homelessness will increase as a result of destroyed buildings. The military regime in Myanmar has no plans to address the concern of people who lost their homes. Reports estimate that the deaths in Myanmar are 1,600. The number could increase as more debris is cleared. Thailand's capital was damaged from the earthquake. Roads and bridges were also destroyed from the natural disaster. Rebuilding infrastructure is going to require major investments. Myanmar and Thailand might struggle to generate the funds for reconstruction. The military regime also is hostile to external contact. Hospitals are overwhelmed with the injured. The earthquake reveals the need to engineer earthquake resistant buildings. The earthquake was so powerful that skyscrapers in Bangkok were mot spared. The reason Myanmar is so susceptible to earthquakes relates to its location. It is located on a convergence area of the Earth's four major tectonic plates. Myanmar rests on the Sagaing fault. This explains why Mandalay was hit with immense force. Buildings that are older are going to be more vulnerable to collapse. Thailand's older buildings do not meet the safety construction standard. Vigorous earthquake protection for buildings must be required by law. Although regulations do exist, it appears most were not followed in Thailand.    

The Status of Power and Electricity Access In Africa

 

The African continent has a problem with access to power and electricity. Nigeria has suffered from power outages. North Africa based on collected data has more access to power compared to Sub-Saharan Africa. The countries that lack the most electricity are The African Central Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Chad,  and South Sudan. These three countries have a history of civil wars and armed groups fighting the government. The M23 rebels and Seleka rebels have fought in the DRC and the Central African Republic. South Africa has the highest access to electricity in its region. The need for better infrastructure and better power grids should be part of every African country's objective. Power and electricity are needed for modern nations. Electricity can be an indicator of development. Considering Africa's vast mineral and fossil fuel resources the economic possibilities are endless. Data  related to progress on electrification According to the IAEA , the number of people without electricity access expanded. The two major factor related to reversal  was the COVID-19 pandemic and the energy crisis related to events in Europe. The 2019 map shows the status before those two events. The African continent has more access to electricity compared to past. The challenge is keeping the process mobilized. The African Union must develop programs to bring electricity to all of the continent. The World Bank has created a plan known as mission 300. The goal is to get electrification to 300 million in sub-Sharan Africa. Although  the African Development Bank has collaborated with the World Bank on the program, fears of further long term debt arise. Mission 300 wants to have most of the region with electricity by 2030. The time frame is too short for such an ambitious project. The African Union should be leading efforts to provide electricity. Doing so would encourage immense  cooperation between all regions of Africa.