The World Bank has approved $60 million in funding for the Strengthening Urban Resilience Project in the Republic of Congo. The initiative aims to address erosion and flood risks while improving access to climate-resilient infrastructure and services in Brazzaville and Pointe-Noire, the country's two largest cities.
The project will take a multi-sectoral approach by investing in climate risk reduction, urban infrastructure, and public facilities. It also seeks to build capacity within national and local institutions for more resilient urban planning and management.
Cheick F. Kante, Division Director for the Republic of Congo, said, “The Republic of Congo stands out as one of Africa’s most urbanized countries, with 70% its population residing in urban areas. Remarkably, over half of the nation’s people live in just two cities: Brazzaville and Pointe-Noire. The country also ranks among the most vulnerable and least ready countries to adapt to climate change. Hence the importance of this project in supporting the Republic of Congo in its efforts to improve climate resilience in urban areas.”
According to project details, approximately 575,000 residents—350,000 in Brazzaville and 225,000 in Pointe-Noire—are expected to benefit directly from the project. Additionally, it is projected to create over 450,000 person-days of temporary employment. These objectives are aligned with the government’s National Development Plan 2022-2026 by promoting resilient urban infrastructure while supporting job creation and local development.
Alexandra Celestin, Country Manager for the Republic of Congo, explained that “Due to significant infrastructure deficiencies in Brazzaville and Pointe-Noire, increasing erosion and flood risks are threatening large segments of the population and resulting in foregone economic growth every year. This project will address these gaps, helping to reduce climate risks, expand access to infrastructure and services, foster socio-economic development, improve living conditions and support job creation.”
The Strengthening Urban Resilience Project is part of a broader World Bank effort aimed at advancing urban development in the Republic of Congo through integrated strategies. Its first component targets investments in erosion control and flood mitigation as well as sustainable infrastructure upgrades for both cities. The second component will reinforce policies on disaster risk management while enhancing institutional capacities at both national and local levels for sustainable urban planning.
Technical assistance during project preparation was provided by several organizations including the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR), City Climate Finance Gap Fund, Quality Infrastructure Investment (QII) Partnership, and Global Center on Adaptation (GCA).