The World Bank has approved a US$70 million grant from the International Development Association (IDA) to enhance access to basic infrastructure and services and build climate resilience in cities across the Central African Republic.
Under the CAR Inclusive and Resilient Cities Project (PROVIR), approximately 1.6 million people are expected to benefit from improved living conditions, better access to basic services, and climate-resilient infrastructure. The project aims to protect residents of selected cities from flooding and erosion by installing upgraded drainage systems for rainwater management and slope stabilization.
Guido Rurangwa, the World Bank’s Country Manager for the Central African Republic, stated: “Tens of thousands of people in cities across the Central African Republic are exposed to the risks of natural disasters, which are worsening as a result of climate change. CAR is not adequately equipped to cope with increasingly heavy rainfall, entailing risk of erosion and flooding, which threaten lives and essential urban infrastructure and services.”
The project primarily focuses on vulnerable populations, including displaced persons, women, and young people in Bangui and Berberati.
Ranked second globally in terms of vulnerability to climate change, the Central African Republic faces numerous natural disaster risks exacerbated by poverty and political insecurity. In 2022, torrential rains displaced 22,450 persons, destroyed 2,000 homes and about a dozen bridges, and flooded thousands of latrines and wells. Additionally, increasing desertification is causing pasture and farmland to disappear more rapidly in southern Chad and northern Central African Republic regions. This situation fuels conflicts involving transhumance and drives more people into urban areas seeking refuge.
PROVIR aligns with the World Bank Group’s climate change resilience program—particularly its Action Plan on Climate Change (2021-2025)—to promote green, resilient development in competitive cities.
The International Development Association (IDA), established in 1960 as part of the World Bank Group's fund for the poorest countries, provides grants and low- or zero-interest loans for projects that boost economic growth, reduce poverty, and improve lives. IDA supports development work in 113 countries with annual commitments averaging $21 billion over the last three years; about 61% of these funds go to Africa.