The World Bank has approved $60 million in financing for the Strengthening Urban Resilience Project, aimed at reducing erosion and flood risks and improving access to climate-resilient infrastructure and services in Brazzaville and Pointe-Noire, the Republic of Congo’s two largest cities.
The project takes a multi-sectoral approach, channeling investments into climate risk reduction, urban infrastructure, and public facilities to enhance both resilience and livability in urban areas. It also focuses on strengthening national and local institutions by improving their capacity for resilient urban planning and management.
“The Republic of Congo stands out as one of Africa’s most urbanized countries, with 70% of its population residing in urban areas. Remarkably, over half of the nation’s people live in just two cities: Brazzaville and Pointe-Noire,” said Cheick F. Kante, Division Director for the Republic of Congo. “The country also ranks among the most vulnerable and least ready countries to adapt to climate change. Hence the importance of this project in supporting the Republic of Congo in its efforts to improve climate resilience in urban areas.”
The project will directly benefit approximately 575,000 residents—including 350,000 in Brazzaville and 225,000 in Pointe-Noire—and create more than 450,000 person-days of temporary employment. These outcomes align with the government’s National Development Plan 2022–2026, which prioritizes resilient urban infrastructure, job creation, and sustainable local development.
“Due to significant infrastructure deficiencies in Brazzaville and Pointe-Noire, increasing erosion and flood risks are threatening large segments of the population and resulting in foregone economic growth every year,” said Alexandra Celestin, Country Manager for the Republic of Congo. “This project will address these gaps, helping to reduce climate risks, expand access to infrastructure and services, foster socio-economic development, improve living conditions and support job creation.”
The project builds on the World Bank’s long-term engagement in urban development in the Republic of Congo and adopts an integrated approach to address environmental and infrastructure challenges.
- Component 1 will focus on investments to reduce erosion and flood risks while developing climate-resilient, sustainable infrastructure and services in Brazzaville and Pointe-Noire.
- Component 2 will strengthen urban and disaster risk management policies, support national and local institutions, and build capacity for sustainable and resilient urban planning.
The project’s preparation benefited from technical assistance provided by the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR), the City Climate Finance Gap Fund, the Quality Infrastructure Investment (QII) Partnership, and the Global Center on Adaptation (GCA).
Together, these efforts represent a major step toward enhancing urban resilience, protecting vulnerable communities, and promoting sustainable growth in the Republic of Congo’s rapidly urbanizing centers.
