WASHINGTON, September 26, 2025 - Ousmane Diagana, the World Bank Regional Vice President for Western and Central Africa will undertake a three-country visit to the region from September 27 to October 3. The visit aims to deepen strategic dialogue with country leadership, reinforce partnerships, and advance key priorities in nutrition, energy, water, and regional cooperation.
The trip will include stops in Benin, Burkina Faso and Niger, where the Vice President will engage with government officials, development partners, the private sector, and key stakeholders across several high-level events, to reaffirm the World Bank Group commitment and support to the people of the region.
In Cotonou, Benin (September 27-28), Ousmane Diagana will deliver a keynote speech at the International Conference on Nutrition organized by the Government of Benin. This high-level event is part of a broader national strategy to elevate nutrition on the development agenda, mobilize and foster stronger stakeholder engagement to combat malnutrition and improve human capital outcomes.
In Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso (September 29-30), he will open the High-Level Forum on Defying Drought in West Africa, convened by the World Bank Group in partnership with the Government of Burkina Faso and the International Institute for Water and Environmental Engineering (2iE). The Forum will bring together senior policymakers from Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, and Senegal, alongside technical experts, regional institutions, and development partners to advance coordinated and practical solutions to reduce drought-related loses. A key outcome of the Forum will be the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the World Bank Group and the Government of Burkina Faso to establish the Africa Water Center, a regional hub for innovation, knowledge exchange, and capacity development in the water sector.
In Niamey, Niger (October 1-3), the Vice President will meet with government officials and key stakeholders to discuss key priorities and review the World Bank's partnership with the Republic of Niger. Discussions will focus on urban development, education, energy, and water - including the Kandadji project. He will also conduct field visits to assess the progress of World Bank-financed projects across the country.
