CAR and AfDB Launch $121M Cross-Border Water Development Programme with DRC

The government of the Central African Republic (CAR), in partnership with the African Development Bank Group (AfDB), has officially launched the Regional Support Programme for the Development of Cross-Border Water Infrastructure and Resources between the CAR and the Democratic Republic of Congo (PREDIRE). The landmark initiative, worth $121 million, aims to harness the vast water resources of the Ubangui Basin to drive socioeconomic transformation, strengthen climate resilience, and promote regional integration.

The launch ceremony, held in Bangui on 5 August 2025, was co-chaired by Bertrand Arthur Piri, Minister of Energy and Water Resource Development, and Mamady Souaré, head of the AfDB’s Country Office for the CAR. Several senior government officials attended, including Éric Mathieu Rokosset Kamo (Infrastructure and Public Works), Ernest Mada (Secretary-General), Nicaise Nassin (Public Safety & Security), Bruno Yapandé (Territorial Administration and Decentralization), and Marcel Dimasse (Civil Service and Administrative Reform). Obed Namsio represented the Minister of the Economy, Planning and Cooperation.

Transforming the Ubangui Basin

PREDIRE seeks to sustainably manage and develop shared water resources along the Ubangui River, directly benefiting over 2.4 million people, 51% of them women, and a significant proportion of youth. The initiative is aligned with President Faustin Archange Touadéra’s vision for equitable access to clean water, sanitation, food security, and environmental protection.

Minister Piri hailed the project as a testament to the “strength of the partnership between the CAR and the African Development Bank” and a key driver for inclusive, sustainable growth.

The programme is built around the water–food security–climate nexus and consists of two major sub-programmes:

1. First Sub-Programme – Launched on Tuesday, it will:

   • Upgrade the hydrological information system in the Ubangui Basin.

   • Prepare for future investments in water resource management.

   • Build climate-resilient water, sanitation, and hygiene infrastructure.

2. Second Sub-Programme – Currently in preparation, it will:

   • Finance water collection infrastructure for the DRC’s Agricultural Transformation Programme.

   • Improve river navigation across the Ubangui Basin and the Congo River.

   • Protect vulnerable communities from climate change impacts.

Flagship Climate-Resilience Initiative

AfDB’s Souaré stressed that PREDIRE is “100% financed for climate action,” calling it a flagship project in the Bank’s climate portfolio. By integrating navigation, sustainable agriculture, and clean water services, the programme aims to boost economic growth while building resilience against extreme weather events.

Major Infrastructure Investments In the CAR, planned works include:

• A 6,500 m³/hour raw water pumping station.

• A water treatment plant with the same capacity.

• A 50,000 m³ storage facility.

• 208 km of new distribution network.

• 15,000 social connections for households.

• New headquarters for the Central African Water Distribution Company (SODECA).

The project will span the provinces of Nord-Ubangi, Sud-Ubangi, and Mongala in the DRC, as well as Greater Bangui in the CAR.

Economic and Social Impact

PREDIRE is expected to generate 3,400 jobs, including 1,200 permanent positions, through infrastructure works, training, water services, and improved navigation. At least 25,000 people will benefit from a targeted resilience and social cohesion programme implemented with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), focusing on vulnerable and displaced populations.

Strengthening Governance and Capacity

The programme will train over 1,300 stakeholders in integrated water resource management and strengthen the role of regional institutions such as the International Commission of the Congo-Ubangi-Sangha Basin (CICOS) and the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS). Every woman targeted under the programme will receive skills development support within national, regional, and community structures involved in resource preservation.

Running from November 2024 to November 2029, PREDIRE represents one of the most ambitious cross-border infrastructure and climate resilience projects in Central Africa, designed to secure the region’s water future while unlocking long-term economic opportunities.