Bangui, September 17, 2025 – As part of the National Development Plan, the Central African Republic has launched a major infrastructure project to expand and rehabilitate urban water supply systems across the country. This flagship initiative marks a decisive step toward improving living standards, strengthening resilience to climate challenges, and ensuring that access to clean, safe drinking water becomes a reality for all.
Project Overview
With a total investment of USD 59 million, the Water Infrastructure Extension and Rehabilitation Project represents one of the government’s most ambitious undertakings in the field of basic services. Implemented under the supervision of the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Hydraulics (MERH), the project will benefit five key regional centers — Carnot, Ndélé, Bouar, Berberati, and Bossangoa — where growing urban populations face severe challenges related to water scarcity and aging infrastructure.
The project combines the rehabilitation of existing water networks with the construction of new production, storage, and distribution facilities. Construction is expected to begin in 2027, with completion targeted for 2030.
To ensure broad and lasting impact, the financing structure brings together grants, concessional loans, and public-private participation, reflecting the collaborative approach of the PND’s Axis 3 on Resilient and Sustainable Infrastructure.
Objectives
The overarching objective of the project is to significantly increase access to safe drinking water in urban areas by modernizing and expanding key components of the national water supply system.
To achieve this, the project will rehabilitate and expand water production facilities to reach a total capacity of 303 cubic meters per hour across all targeted cities, ensuring a stable and continuous water supply. The program also foresees the construction of storage reservoirs, which will add more than 800 cubic meters of new capacity and greatly improve the system’s ability to cope with fluctuations in demand.
At the same time, the project will extend and modernize the water distribution network over 119 kilometers, bringing reliable service to neighborhoods that have long remained underserved. By installing 8,000 new household and commercial connections and rehabilitating 1,443 existing ones along with 178 public standpipes, the initiative ensures that clean water reaches both private homes and public spaces.
Expected Results and Impact
Once completed, the project will dramatically increase water production in each of the five regional centers:
Carnot: from 25 m³/h → 150 m³/h
Ndélé: from 9 m³/h → 194 m³/h
Bouar: from 80 m³/h → 500 m³/h
Berberati: from 190 m³/h → 270 m³/h
Bossangoa: from 131 m³/h → 270 m³/h
These upgrades will benefit tens of thousands of residents, reduce the prevalence of waterborne diseases, and improve the quality of life for women and children, who are disproportionately affected by the lack of accessible water. In addition, the construction phase will generate local employment and boost small-scale economic activity in related service sectors.
Strategic Relevance
Access to clean water is a cornerstone of the country’s development vision. By modernizing its water systems, the Central African Republic is advancing several Sustainable Development Goals.
Beyond infrastructure, the project symbolizes a broader transformation — one that strengthens resilience, promotes inclusive growth, and reaffirms the government’s determination to make essential public services accessible to every citizen.
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