BANGUI, May 17, 2017 – Kristalina Georgieva, World Bank Chief Executive Officer, arrives in the Central African Republic tomorrow for a two-day visit to see the impact of Bank programs and follow up on commitments from the 2016 Brussels Donor conference, during which the Bank pledged half a billion dollars to rebuild the country.
This will be Georgieva’s fourth visit to the country since 2013, and her first as the World Bank CEO. Georgieva will meet with President Faustin Archange Touadéra, senior leadership from the government and state institutions, as well as development partners. In view of the World Bank’s commitment to improving access to basic services and jobs for poor communities in the eastern and central regions, Georgieva will travel with President Touadéra to Bambari—the country’s second largest city still plagued by tensions—to meet with the communities, particularly those living in camps for displaced persons. She will have a chance to interact with a diverse group from community associations, women’s groups, youth and faith-based organizations. She will also meet with private sector representatives to discuss ways to crowd-in investment for the benefit of the people of the Central African Republic.
“The Central African Republic has suffered tremendously from conflict and violence, which are still affecting many communities,” said Georgieva. “We must do our part to support CAR's efforts to overcome the legacies of the past by delivering on our commitments to investing in peace and development. We at the World Bank are here to stay, to help restore stability and rebuild the country."
---
The World Bank recently contributed to the Central African Republic’s economic recovery program, which was presented at the International Donors’ Conference held in Brussels in November 2016. An exceptional allocation of US$500 million was pledged to the Central African Republic over the next three years to help the country rebuild after years of successive crises. Financing for this ambitious program, which is being partially covered by the International Development Association (IDA) turn-around facility, is 10 times greater than the amounts the World Bank usually allocates to the Central African Republic.
