The BNDES will support with R$ 6.5 million the conduction of a technical study to evaluate the feasibility to produce biofuels in member countries of the Economic and Monetary Union of West Africa (UEMOA). Works will be conducted by the consortium of BAIN-MMSO — formed by the consultancy office of Bain Brazil LTDA; and the firm Machado, Meyer, Sendacz e Opice Advogados —, which was selected by means of Public Call performed by the BNDES in 2011.

The resources, non refundable, are from the Projects Structuring Fund (BNDES FEP) and will make possible to undertake a survey throughout the territory of Benin, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Mali, Niger and Togo, including environmental conditions, social, market, infrastructure, regulatory framework and tax structure, among other things, that may have an impact on sustainability and viability of bioenergy production.

The analysis also takes into account the results of studies on execution, or already undertaken in Guinea-Bissau and Senegal, thus covering the total territory of the eight sub-Saharan countries members of UEMOA, in order to identify areas suitable for the sustainable cultivation of key raw materials used in the production of bioenergy.

07 May 2012