African Development Bank Steps Up Push to Deliver Roads, Airport and Services in CAR

The Pointe-Noire–Brazzaville–Bangui–N’Djamena Multimodal Transport Corridor Development Project, known as CD13, received particular attention because of its importance to regional trade.

The African Development Bank is working with the Central African Republic (CAR) to speed up investments in roads, energy, water and sanitation, agriculture and air transport, focusing on the delays that stand between funded projects and the services communities need. A nine-day mission to Bangui from 11 to 19 September 2026 reviewed construction progress and agreed practical steps to improve delivery, supporting the Bank's new 2026–2031 Country Strategy for the country's economic transformation.

Faster Project Delivery Takes Centre Stage in Bangui

Régis Lakoué Derant, the Bank's Executive Director for CAR, and Léandre Bassolé, Director General for Central Africa, led the delegation, joined by Country Manager Mamadou Coulibaly and institutional experts. Consultations included President Faustin-Archange Touadéra, Prime Minister Félix Moloua, Economy Minister and Bank Governor Marc Mandaba, Finance Minister Hervé Ndoba and ministers responsible for infrastructure, transport, agriculture, energy, water and employment. Lakoué Derant reaffirmed the Bank's commitment to strengthening cooperation and supporting the country's social and economic development.

The discussions produced agreements to improve project preparation, shorten start-up times and strengthen the ability of sectoral ministries and project management units to handle procurement, disbursement and accountability. Bassolé said sectoral meetings and regular discussions would give priority projects fresh momentum under the Prime Minister's instructions, particularly Corridor 13, airport improvements and agricultural initiatives. The emphasis was on removing obstacles early and helping implementing teams move investments towards completion through closer coordination.

Corridor 13 Nears Road Milestones as Compensation Delays Persist

The Pointe-Noire–Brazzaville–Bangui–N'Djamena Multimodal Transport Corridor Development Project, known as CD13, received particular attention because of its importance to regional trade. Backed by $282 million from the African Development Bank Group, the project will give CAR a second link to the port of Pointe-Noire in the Republic of the Congo, diversifying its access to regional markets. Site inspections showed that the 69-kilometre Bossarangba–Mbaïki road section and 4.5 kilometres of urban roads in Mbaïki were 98 percent complete as of 31 August 2026, with the urban works expanded from the three kilometres originally planned and equipped with solar-powered street lighting.

Delays in clearing land needed for construction remained a concern, with outstanding compensation for affected communities holding back progress and prompting Lakoué Derant to call for better planning of these procedures. Infrastructure and Public Works Minister Arthur Bertrand Piri said efforts with the Bank, businesses and other stakeholders were continuing to remove project obstacles. CD13 also includes a modern cardiology centre in Damara, where construction is nearly 50 percent complete, creating a facility expected to strengthen specialist care and improve access to cardiology services nationwide.

Airport Upgrades Move Closer to Completion

At Bangui-M'Poko International Airport, the delegation and Transport and Civil Aviation Minister Herbert Gontran Djono Ahabam reviewed terminal modernisation and associated infrastructure, including the car park and power station, with work more than 90 percent complete. The Airport Modernisation and Extension Support Project, PAMAB, is financed through a $13.67 million grant from the African Development Fund and the Transition Support Facility, supporting improvements intended to meet the standards required for International Civil Aviation Organisation certification and strengthen CAR's air connectivity.

The airport and corridor projects show how the investment programme connects transport improvements with trade, healthcare and wider economic opportunities, making timely completion important beyond the construction sites themselves. The mission ended with a joint commitment from the Bank and CAR authorities to accelerate priority investments, strengthen monitoring and coordination, and resolve bottlenecks quickly, giving the agreed reforms a direct role in delivering infrastructure and services.