BRAZZAVILLE, Republic of Congo – November 3, 2025.
The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) and the Republic of Congo have reaffirmed their partnership to accelerate economic diversification, regional integration, and infrastructure transformation, as preparations advance for the Bank’s 2026 Annual Meetings in Brazzaville.
A high-level AfDB delegation, led by Senior Vice President Marie-Laure Akin-Olugbade, visited Brazzaville from October 26–28 to meet with President Denis Sassou Nguesso and senior government officials. The talks focused on Congo’s 2022–2026 National Development Plan, covering priorities in agriculture, transport, energy, and digital infrastructure.
“This mission marks a new stage in the exemplary partnership between the Republic of Congo and the African Development Bank,” said Ludovic Ngatsé, Minister of Planning, Statistics and Regional Integration. “We share a vision for agricultural transformation, diversification, and regional integration as the keys to Congo’s future prosperity.”
Ms Akin-Olugbade noted that the Bank’s active portfolio in Congo — valued at $223 million — supports sovereign projects in transport, energy, and agriculture, alongside regional infrastructure including the Ndendé–Dolisie and Ketta–Djoum road corridors, and the fibre optic connection linking Congo with Cameroon and the Central African Republic.
During the mission, the delegation visited the site of the national data centre in Brazzaville — a flagship digital transformation project co-financed by the Bank — and assessed progress on the Integrated Agricultural Value Chain Development Project (PRODIVAC).
Preparations for the 2026 AfDB Annual Meetings are being coordinated by a National Preparatory Committee chaired by Minister of State Jean Jacques Bouya. The event is expected to showcase Congo’s economic potential, reform trajectory, and emerging infrastructure to regional and global investors.
“Our discussions focused on flagship projects that strengthen economic integration and lay a solid foundation for the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA),” said Ms Akin-Olugbade.
With co-financing from the World Bank, Islamic Development Bank, AFD, EU, and the Global Centre for Adaptation, Congo is emerging as a regional hub for infrastructure connectivity and agricultural modernization — two pillars at the heart of the country’s development plan.
