The World Bank in the Republic of Congo

The Republic of Congo (Congo-Brazzaville), located in Central Africa, covers 342,000 km2. Its population of 5.7 million is largely young, with 47% being under age 18. More than half of the population lives in its two main cities —Brazzaville and Pointe-Noire. The country is one of the least densely populated in Africa, with 14.8 residents per square kilometer. 

Covered mainly by tropical forests, the Republic of Congo also has one of the largest areas of tropical peatlands, a fragile ecosystem that removes carbon from the atmosphere and stores it, thus helping to slow global warming. The oil sector accounts for more than half of GDP and more than 80% of the country’s exports, making it one of the top 10 producers in Africa. The country also has a wealth of mineral resources that remain largely untapped. 

Political Context

President Denis Sassou Nguesso, who headed the country from 1979 to 1992, was returned to power in 1997, and has won all elections since 2002 and, more recently, the March 2021 election. The government of Prime Minister Anatole Collinet Makosso is composed of 37 ministers and is according priority to institutional, economic, financial, social, and inclusive governance. 

Social Context

With a human capital index of 0.42, the country has made little progress in the areas of health and education. Infant mortality remains high at a rate of 36 deaths per 1,000 live births. Only 30% of primary school children have attained the required proficiency levels in math and 40% in French. The electrification rate in urban areas is 66% compared to just 13% in rural areas. Access to clean water is below the country’s hydrological potential, as 74% of households have access to a clean water source, of which only 46% are in rural areas. 

Economic Context

The Congolese economy contracted by 3.5% in 2021, leading to an increase in extreme poverty from 51.9% in 2020 to 53.9% of the population in 2021. The economic recovery was affected by the fall in oil production in 2021 (-11% on a year-on-year basis).

Headline inflation remained contained at 2.0% in 2021, despite pressures on food prices that rose by about 3.4%, affecting the poor in particular. Although Congo remains in debt distress, recent debt restructuring agreements, higher oil prices, and improved debt management have restored the sustainability of public debt, which fell from 113% of GDP at end-2020 to 98% at end-2021.

GDP is forecast to grow at a rate of 3.5% in 2022 and 3.8% on average over the period 2023-2024. This outlook is subject to downside and upside risks. Downside risks include uncertainties related to the COVID-19 pandemic and oil production. While a protracted war in Ukraine could increase inflationary pressures in the country, high oil prices could potentially boost the economic recovery.

Last Updated: May 10, 2022

In January 2022, the government approved a new National Development Plan (NDP) for the 2022-2026 period, which focuses on economic diversification to reduce fragilities and put the country on the path to high, resilient, and inclusive growth.

The World Bank Group’s 2020-2024 Country Partnership Framework (CPF) with the Republic of Congo identifies their strategic areas of engagement over five years. A Performance and Learning Review (PLR) conducted in the fall of 2021 took stock of progress in the implementation of the CPF and introduced a number of changes in the document. The final version of the PLR, which extends the CPF until 2025, was approved by the Board of Directors on April 7, 2022.

This strategy, which is aligned with the government’s objectives, is aimed at helping the country improve economic management, create a business environment conducive to economic diversification, strengthen its human capital, and improve the delivery of basic public services, in particular health, education, and social protection services. As of March 30, 2022, the World Bank is financing 15 national projects and one regional project amounting to $593 million. 

Last Updated: May 10, 2022

The Support to Enterprise Development and Competitiveness Project (PADEC) aims to promote entrepreneurship by supporting the creation and development of micro, small, and medium enterprises and strengthening their competitiveness. Since it became effective in 2019, PADEC has provided assistance to 179 project developers as part of its Business Plan Competition, as well as to 40 enterprise development subprojects.

The Urban Development and Poor Neighborhood Upgrading Project (DURQUAP) aims to improve access to infrastructure and basic services for residents in four poor neighborhoods in Brazzaville and Pointe-Noire. It also provides assistance in urban management to the authorities. Since its launch, it has:

• paved 21.280 km of urban roads
• installed 17.950 kilometers of culverts
• rehabilitated one market
• prepared two local urban development plans

The Forest and Economic Diversification (PFDE) Project works to strengthen the capacity of the forest administration and help local communities improve their management of forest resources. It has helped some 500 households develop agroforestry crops in ecologically degraded areas. The program has also facilitated the implementation of activities with shorter cycles, such as beekeeping, which increase the incomes of the population while restoring the environment.

The $41.8 million Emission Reductions Program (ERP) in Sangha and Likouala Project aims to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation. This agreement rewards sustainable development and forest preservation practices. It will be implemented in the departments of Sangha and Likouala, which cover more than 12 million hectares and account for almost 60% of the country’s forests.

The Skills Development for Employability (PDCE) Project aims to train 10,000 vulnerable young men and women living in the urban and periurban areas of Brazzaville and Pointe-Noire in 29 promising trades for the Congolese economy. To date, 5,163 young people have benefited from this free training. One survey shows that 63.4% of men and 54.1% of women secured paid employment or were self-employed five to eight months after their training.

The $100 million Commercial Agriculture Development Project (PDAC) is aimed at improving the productivity of farmers and their access to domestic markets. The project has had a number of achievements since January 2021. These include:

• financing for 893 producer groups and micro, small, and medium agribusiness enterprises
• the rehabilitation and maintenance of 1,556 kilometers of agricultural roads, the construction of bridges, and the electrification of rural areas
• the opening and clearing of waterways - along the Libenga, Motaba (Likouala), and Ndeko rivers.

The Regional Project for Strengthening Disease Surveillance Systems (REDISSE IV) seeks to strengthen national and regional capacities for surveillance and epidemic preparedness.

The COVID-19 Emergency Response Project (PRUC) aims to prevent, detect, and respond to the threat posed by COVID-19. Among other things, it has enabled the purchase of 933,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines.

The $50 million Health System Strengthening Project – KOBIKISA – aims to improve the provision and quality of maternal and child health services for the most disadvantaged households. Its objectives are as follows:

• the assessment and upgrading of more than 1,158 health facilities
• the implementation of a certification system before the project closes
• the purchase of medicines
• the availability of stocks of blood and other blood products

The World Bank and the Republic of Congo signed a $41.8 million agreement on May 3, 2021 to reduce carbon emissions and preserve forests. The program will be one of the first in Africa to test the REDD+ system on a large scale and will be implemented in Sangha and Likouala, which cover more than 12 million hectares and account for almost 60% of the country’s forests. 

Last Updated: May 10, 2022

The World Bank Group, China, the European Union, Agence française de développement, and the African Development Bank are the main financial partners of the Republic of Congo. They are all working to promote economic diversification, improve the business environment, develop the health and education sectors, and strengthen social protection. The various United Nations agencies and the Development Bank of the Central African States are also active in the country.

Last Updated: May 10, 2022