Marlène Susie Nzengou: Reaffirming the World Bank’s Commitment

Bangui, September 26, 2025 – The World Bank will invest more than $2.3 billion in support of the Central African Republic’s National Development Plan 2024-2028, reassured Marlène Susie Nzengou, Alternate Executive Director of the World Bank Group for the Central African Republic in an interview with Africa24. She highlighted the institution’s role in supporting the country’s development and in building conditions for sustainable private investment.

A Strong Outcome from Casablanca

Reflecting on the Investment Round Table held in Casablanca, Nzengou underlined its success: “The results are excellent. The National Development Plan represents $12.8 billion in investments, and $9 billion were announced by participants, including investors, the private sector, and institutions. That is truly a successful outcome, and the Central African Republic and all its partners should be congratulated.”

Daily Work at the World Bank Group

Nzengou explained that her office at the World Bank represents 23 African countries, including the CAR, at the Board of Directors. “It is permanent, daily work — defending the interests of the CAR and ensuring that the authorities are informed of all opportunities the World Bank Group can provide, from poverty reduction to shared prosperity,” she said. She emphasized the importance of ensuring that the CAR has access to the different financing windows of the World Bank’s IDA21, particularly those dedicated to private sector development.

Energy as a Priority

Access to energy remains one of the most urgent challenges for the CAR. “Our office supports the CAR’s vision to provide electricity to the entire population. That is why we advocated for the country to join the World Bank and African Development Bank’s Mission 300 initiative, which aims to provide access to electricity for 300 million Africans by 2030,” Nzengou explained. She noted that the World Bank’s current portfolio in the CAR amounts to $1.2 billion, with $113 million dedicated to energy projects, and that new contributions were announced during the Round Table: $1.3 billion from the World Bank and $1 billion from the IFC.

Investing in Human Capital

Nzengou also stressed the World Bank’s strong focus on human capital: “Everything is connected. Energy is crucial, but it is human beings who make it work. The World Bank’s Human Capital Plan aims to save lives and invest in populations. That means education, access to health care, and clean water,” she explained. Current World Bank projects in the CAR total $325 million in this area, with further increases expected following the new funding commitments.

Coordinating for Impact

She insisted that one of the Bank’s key roles is to ensure coordination among different partners: “We must accompany the authorities to make sure everything fits into a coherent plan. The goal is to avoid fragmentation and to ensure convergence toward a common ambition,” she noted.

Through these efforts, Nzengou concluded, the World Bank aims to help the Central African Republic not only access critical funding but also to structure reforms and investments in a way that secures long-term impact for the population.

Watch the full interview with Africa24 here.