Friday January 26, 2024, in his office, in Brazzaville, Mr. Jean-Baptiste ONDAYE, Congolese Minister of Economy and Finance, chaired the presentation session of the Rainwater Drainage Project of the Congolese capital, in its phase 2 Tsiémé River. In the presence of Messrs. Mauricio Cascioli, Director of the French Development Agency (AFD)/Congo, and Zacharie MOKIEMO, Chief of Staff of the Congolese Minister of Land Planning, Infrastructure and Road Maintenance.

This presentation was made by Mr. Alain Alfred ELELI, Coordinator of the Project Management Unit in partnership with AFD at the General Delegation for Major Works of the Congolese Ministry of Land Planning, Infrastructure and Maintenance road.

According to Minister Jean-Baptiste ONDAYE, this Project consists of developing 4,013 km of the Tsiémé River, starting from the Tsiémé bridge to the outlet of the Congo River, in the 6th Talangaï district. It benefits from the financial support of the AFD, “historic partner of the Republic of Congo”, specified the Minister, through the Credit Agreement signed with the Congo, on July 21, 2015, for an amount of 62 million Euros (i.e. 40 billion 331 million 338,520 CFA Francs).

“For its part, indicated the Congolese Minister of Economy and Finance, the Government is committed, within the framework of this Convention, to implement a coherent plan for the resettlement of populations impacted by the project, in particular the management of expropriations. For this purpose, a dedicated escrow account was opened in the books of the Bank of Central African States (BEAC) for Congo. To date, it has a balance of 10 billion CFA francs.

In the opinion of the Congolese Minister of Economy and Finance, the completion of the rainwater drainage project in Brazzaville constitutes a relevant response to improving the living conditions of the populations. He hoped for the extension of this type of initiative to other rivers in the districts of Brazzaville and Pointe-Noire, as well as the rest of the localities in the Departments of Congo, to eradicate the thorny issue of erosion and flooding.

Note that from the presentation of the project and the discussions that followed, it appears that the work itself could take place no earlier than the first quarter of 2025, and no later than the second quarter of the same year. Because, it would first be necessary to address the questions linked to the updating of studies but also and above all to the compensation and resettlement of local residents who will be expropriated for public utility.

The Communication Unit of the Ministry of Economy and Finance

Photo credits: B2B Communication