Pre-identification of a project to develop access to water and electricity in the Central African Republic

Since 2013, the Central African Republic has experienced significant inter-community tensions that have had serious economic and social impacts. The country is now one of the poorest in the world, with an HDI index that declined between 2013 and 2017. Access to water services (75% in urban areas, 40% in rural areas) and electricity (around 5% nationally) is among the lowest in Africa and is concentrated in urban areas, particularly in Bangui, the capital. However, due to events, development actions have also been concentrated in Bangui or in rural areas. A large number of small towns (5 to 10,000 inhabitants) do not have any services, even though the demand seems high. Thus, in complementarity with the actions underway, the AFD wishes to develop a different approach adapted to these small towns, allowing the coupling of water and electricity access services with innovative equalization systems.

Phœnix accompanies the AFD in the analysis of the legal and institutional feasibility of coupling these services, the evaluation of potential demand and capacity to pay of the populations and the definition of the guidelines of the project (intervention zone, institutional arrangements, management model, services and technological options).