The Congolese government has approved the launch of the Regional Program to Support Infrastructure Development and Transboundary Water Resources Management (PREDIRE) with the Central African Republic.
Rural Development Minister Grégoire Mutshail Mutomb announced the decision at the Council of Ministers on Feb. 27. The program was officially launched on Feb. 17 at a ceremony chaired by Prime Minister Judith Suminwa Tuluka.
Funded by the African Development Bank (AfDB), the project allocates $49.6 million to the Democratic Republic of Congo out of a total budget of $257 million for both countries. It will run for five years.
The program targets Nord-Ubangi, Sud-Ubangi and Mongala provinces in northwestern DRC. It aims to upgrade socio-economic infrastructure, strengthen community resilience and promote integrated water resource management in the Ubangi transboundary basin. About 500,000 rural households are expected to benefit. The minister urged local stakeholders to take ownership of the program during implementation.
The project includes construction of a water treatment plant in Gbadolite with a capacity of 2,000 cubic meters per hour, along with a supply and distribution network and related facilities to support REGIDESO. Solar-powered drinking water systems will be installed in several localities in Nord-Ubangi, including Mobaye Mbongo, Bige Nord, Fiwa, Kota-Koli, Yakoma, Abuzi and Wapinda. Additional infrastructure is planned in Mongala province.
The program also includes technical studies for transferring water from the Ubangi River to develop irrigated agricultural areas in the targeted provinces.
The AfDB began procurement procedures in February 2026 for works, equipment and consulting services required to implement the project’s components.
Ronsard Luabeya
