On Thursday, July 10, 2025, in Brazzaville, Christian Yoka, Congolese Minister of Finance, Budget and Public Portfolio, and Claire Bodonyi, French Ambassador to the Republic of Congo, co-chaired the 8th meeting of the Steering and Monitoring Committee (COS) of the Debt Reduction and Development Contract (C2D), signed in 2010 between the two countries. In addition to speeches by the two co-chairs, participants heard four presentations. These presentations led to interactive discussions, followed by the adoption of three decisions and four recommendations.

Minister Christian Yoka indicated that the first Debt Reduction and Development Contract (C2D), amounting to €80 million, was signed between France and the Republic of Congo on September 29, 2010, in Brazzaville, for a period of five years, covering the period 2010-2015. The second C2D, amounting to €149 million, signed on December 10, 2014, also covered a period of five years, from 2015 to 2019. Each of these contracts was governed by a Framework Agreement, which defined the terms of disbursement of the funds (a total of €229 million) and their allocation to projects agreed upon between the Republic of Congo and the French Development Agency (AFD).

As a summary, the Minister of Finance of the Republic of Congo stated that “to date, the entire allocation of €229 million has been committed to finance 13 projects and 2 Capacity Building Study Funds (FERC). Of the 13 funded projects, 3 are completed: the Brazzaville Stormwater Drainage Phase 1; the Social Worker Training; and the Social Safety Nets project. Of the 2 FERC, the first has been closed. Of these 13 funded projects, 2 have been cancelled: the financing of priority investments in the Recovery Plan for the Congolese Electricity Company (E2C); and the Rehabilitation of the company's Training Center. From 2025 to 2027, the following projects will be completed: the Brazzaville Corniche; the North Congo Forest Landscape Project (PPFNC); The Agricultural Sector Recovery Support Project (PARSA); the Support Project for the Network of Education, Training, and Apprenticeship Centers (ARCEFA); the renovation work on the water infrastructure of the Brazzaville University Hospital (awaiting official acceptance); and the Higher Education Modernization Support Project (AMES).

The MOSSALA, TELEMA, Flood Management, and Sanitation projects in Pointe-Noire are scheduled for completion in 2029. It should be noted that the resources allocated to the MOSSALA and TELEMA projects come from the reallocation of funds from canceled projects.

For her part, the French Ambassador added: “The C2D has enabled the mobilization of a total of €229 million (or 150.2 billion CFA francs), allocated to projects in the following three jointly defined strategic sectors: Infrastructure; Human Capital Development; and Environment and Agriculture.”

However, the French diplomat noted, some projects will require particular attention. “Indeed,” she explained, “the funds allocated to certain infrastructure projects will likely not cover all planned activities, due in particular to inflation in the construction market. This is the case, notably, for the Flood Management and Sanitation Project in Pointe-Noire, for which the objective of reducing flooding in the Loango watershed is unlikely to be fully achieved due to a lack of funding. Discussions are already underway to identify possible solutions.” I can only confirm our full commitment to supporting this discussion, including through broader dialogue with other partners in the Congo.”

Regarding the presentations, participants attended: a presentation on the follow-up to the decisions and recommendations of the 2024 Strategic Plan (COS 2024), by Bertille Mapouata, Director of Cooperation at the Ministry of Finance, Budget, and Public Portfolio; a presentation on the overall C2D program: progress of projects financed under the C2D and the main challenges encountered in their implementation, by Maurizio Cascioli, Director of the French Development Agency (AFD)-Congo; a presentation of the Communication Action Plan, by Sarha Ngouala, Project Manager at SOROM HOLDING GROUP; and a presentation by Anne Marie Nzila, Representative of Congolese Civil Society.

Regarding decisions, participants adopted the allocation of remaining resources from the C2D Capacity Building Studies Fund (FERC) and the C2D Account at the Bank of Central African States (BEAC); the arbitration on the ARCEFA project; and the validation of intervention principles related to communication surrounding projects financed under the C2D.

Concerning recommendations, participants advocated making available the maintenance and operating budgets for infrastructure and other equipment financed under the C2D; seeking additional funding to fill funding gaps for certain high-impact social projects; accelerating the implementation timelines of certain ongoing projects; and improving the visibility of projects financed under the C2D.

The Communication Unit of the Ministry of Finance, Budget and Public Portfolio