The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) and the Republic of Congo are entering a new phase in their partnership, one that blends economic ambition with a shared vision for regional transformation.
In late October, a high-level AfDB delegation led by Senior Vice President Marie-Laure Akin-Olugbade visited Brazzaville to strengthen cooperation and review preparations for the Bank’s 2026 Annual Meetings, which the Congolese capital will host next May.
The visit, from 26 to 28 October 2025, brought together the Bank and senior government officials, including President Denis Sassou Nguesso, in a series of strategic discussions that reaffirmed Congo’s determination to accelerate economic diversification under its 2022–2026 National Development Plan.
The meetings focused on key national priorities, from infrastructure and energy to agriculture and regional integration, as the country seeks to position itself as a hub for growth and connectivity in Central Africa.
“This high-level 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 welcome the Bank’s continued support for our vision of economic diversification, agricultural transformation and regional integration, which are central to Congo’s future prosperity.”
For Akin-Olugbade and her team, the visit offered a chance to take stock of what has been achieved and to map out the next steps in their collaboration.
“We were able to review the status of our cooperation, which is excellent and focuses on supporting Congo in implementing the vision of the President of the Republic,” she noted. “Our discussions focused on flagship projects in the transport, energy and agriculture sectors, as well as regional initiatives that will help strengthen economic integration and lay a solid foundation for the African Continental Free Trade Area, starting in Central Africa.”
The delegation’s itinerary also included a visit to the national data centre project in Brazzaville, one of the Bank’s key investments in the country’s digital infrastructure, accompanied by Ministers Ngatsé and Léon Juste Ibombo, who oversees Post, Telecommunications and the Digital Economy.
Meanwhile, preparations for the 2026 AfDB Annual Meetings are gathering pace. Under the guidance of Minister of State Jean Jacques Bouya, the National Preparatory Committee has already signed a memorandum of understanding with the Bank to formalize hosting arrangements.
Akin-Olugbade described the milestone as a strong signal of Congo’s commitment to delivering a successful event. For Brazzaville, the meetings will be an opportunity to showcase the country’s emerging potential, highlight its reforms, and attract greater investment interest from across Africa and beyond.
With an active portfolio of $223 million, entirely sovereign operations, the AfDB’s work in Congo cuts across sectors that underpin long-term growth. The Bank is helping to upgrade critical regional roads such as Ndendé–Dolisie and Ketta–Djoum, while supporting the deployment of fibre optic cables linking Congo with Cameroon and the Central African Republic.
The partnership also extends to the agricultural front. Through the Integrated Agricultural Value Chain Development Project (PRODIVAC) and the expansion of protected agricultural zones (ZAP), the Bank and the government are working to raise productivity, ensure food security, and create sustainable employment, especially for women and youth.
As the countdown to the 2026 Annual Meetings begins, both sides see this collaboration not just as a preparation for a major continental gathering, but as a symbol of Congo’s broader transformation drive, one rooted in inclusion, innovation, and regional solidarity.
