FRANCE WILL GIVE THE IVORY COAST A 1,065 MILLION CFA FRANC (GBP1,770,00 STERLING) LOAN TOWARDS EXTENDING A THERMAL POWER STATION NOW BEING AT VRIBI, NEAR ABIDJAN.

A LOAN AGREEMENT WAS SIGNED IN ABIDJAN ON FRIDAY (14 JUNE) BY M. KONAN BEDIE, IVORY COAST MINISTER IN CHARGE OF ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL AFFAIRS, AND M. POSTEL VINAY, DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF THE GOVERNMENT AGENCY. OTHER CCCE OFFICIALS PRESENT INCLUDED M. MOURETTE-BOURNY AND M. MERY.

THE AGREEMENT WILL DOUBLE THE ORIGINALLY PLANNED OUTPUT OF THE POWER STATION, 32 MEGAWATTS. THE TOTAL COST OF THE OPERATION - 2,200 MILLION CFA FRANCS (GBP3,660,000 STERLING) - WILL BE COVERED IN ADDITION TO THE CCCE LOAN BY OTHER FRENCH CREDITS.

WORK ON THE POWER STATION BEGAN IN FEBRUARY, 1967. THE FIRST STAGE IS TO BE COMMISSIONED IN OCTOBER, 1968, WHILE THE EXTENDED POWER STATION IS SCHEDULED TO BE COMPLETED IN MARCH, 1970.

FOLLOWING FRIDAY'S SIGNING CEREMONY M. KONAN BEDIE PRESENTED MEDALS TO TWO FRENCHMEN IN HONOUR OF THE WORK THEY HAD DONE DURING THEIR STAY IN THE IVORY COAST TO PROMOTE THE GROWTH OF THE INDUSTRY.

THE TWO MEN, DUE TO RETURN TO FRANCE SHORTLY, WERE M. GEORGES BOTHEREL, A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE CCCE AND M. ANDRE LEMAIRE, AN OFFICIAL OF THE RENAULT ASSEMBLY IN ABIDJAN.