The aim of the workshop was to assess the progress of projects funded by the Bank, identify operational obstacles and propose practical solutions to speed up their implementation. In a context of post-crisis economic recovery, the country portfolio review is an essential exercise for guaranteeing the relevance, coherence and effectiveness of the Bank Group’s intervention in the Central African country, which is emerging from several years of crisis.
The African Development Bank Group is currently implementing 19 projects in the Central African Republic, representing a commitment of around $579 million. The projects cover strategic sectors such as transport infrastructure, water and sanitation, agriculture, energy, governance and social issues.
At the start of the review, the Trade and Industry Minister, Thierry Patrick Akoloza, representing his colleague for the Economy, Planning and International Cooperation and the Bank’s governor for the Central African Republic, recalled that the review was part of the vision of the National Development Plan (NDP) and that it reflected the commitment of the CAR government to maximize the impact of external funding to support the well-being of the population. He praised the constructive dialogue and ongoing collaboration with the Bank Group, describing the workshop as a “strategic lever for adjusting actions and improving results on the ground”.
Other members of the government, including Jean Laurent Syssa-Magalé, Minister of Higher Education, Scientific Research and Technological Innovation, and Éric Rekosse Kamot, Minister of Infrastructure and Public Works, along with the chiefs of staff of sectoral ministries, project managers, technical and financial partners, and representatives of civil society and the private sector, played an active part in the review.
The head of the Bank Group’s Country Office for the Central African Republic, Mamady Souaré, emphasized the scope of the joint review. “The portfolio’s performance can only improve with frank dialogue, national ownership of the projects and better coordination between all actors. This workshop embodies our shared ambition to transform financial commitments into tangible results for the population,” he commented.
Mr Souaré added that the workshop illustrated the Bank Group’s determination to strengthen accountability, national ownership and operational effectiveness. He stated that it symbolized a renewed partnership, with a focus on stability, resilience and inclusive growth in the CAR.
At the end of the workshop, Mr Souaré and the chief of staff at the Ministry of the Economy Moïse Zami gave a joint press conference, during which they shared both the conclusions of the workshop and future prospects.
The PPIP, the result of the mini reviews completed in advance and adopted during the workshop, is a strategic document that sets a clear operational direction and serves as the basis for stronger dialogue between the Bank Group and the CAR government to improve the effectiveness of the institution’s operations on the ground and the achievement of the expected objectives.
On the day after the portfolio review workshop, the CAR President, Faustin Archange Touadéra, officially launched the work to build a 221 km road between Gouga, Mbaïki and Bangui. Funded by the Bank Group to the amount of $282 million, the road forms part of the Pointe-Noire–Brazzaville–Bangui–N’Djamena Multimodal Transport Corridor Development Project, illustrating the regional dimension of the Bank Group’s commitments.
(left to right, front row): Jean Laurent Syssa-Magalé, Minister of Higher Education, Scientific Research and Technological Innovation; Éric Rekosse Kamot, Minister of Infrastructure and Public Works; Mamady Souaré, head of the African Development Bank Group’s Country Office in the CAR; Thierry Patrick Akoloza, Minister of Trade and Industry; and Robert Eguida, head of regional programmes at the African Development Bank.
Second row: Representatives from other ministries, international organizations, civil society and the private sector.