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AFRICA
CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC
MDG7
Progress Towards Environmental Sustainability
Over 85% of household energy consumption in the Central African
Republic comes from traditional fuels. This large reliance poses an
increased threat to the country’s ecosystems, unprotected areas, and accelerates the already rapid rate of deforestation.
Reforestation efforts, while extensive, have not been up to pace with the high rate of deforestation.The Central
African Republic has set a country-specific target of increasing the proportion of protected areas by 15% in order
to reach this MDG 7 target by 2015.
The proportion of the population with access to safe drinking water increased from only 20% in 1990 to 38.8% in 2000,
thanks to financial support from the international community. Progress has been most notable in rural areas where the rate
increased from 18% in 1990 to 34% in 2000. However, the city of Bangui experienced a decrease in this rate from 63% to 58% during
the same period; this is mainly due to exceptionally rapid population growth as well as to the emergence of sporadic residential
neighborhoods. On the other hand, if efforts to increase the extent of access to safe drinking water continue at a steady rate, it is
possible that the Central African Republic will reach MDG 7 global Target 9 by 2015.
Indicators for Target 11 reveal that 66% of the country’s rural population lives in slums, as opposed to 34% of urban inhabitants.
Over 80% of slum dwellers do not have access to safe drinking water. In 2000, only 25.6% of urban and rural households had access
to a sanitary installation system.
QUICK FACTS
CURRENT PORTFOLIO BUDGET
Total UNDP-GEF and Co-Finance: $3,768,000
Total: $3,768,000
CAMEROON
BerbÈrati
CHAD
CENTRAL AFRICAN
REPUBLIC
Bouar
Carnot
CONGO
(Brazzaville)
Bambari
Bangui
SUDAN
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC
OF CONGO
While a National Environmental Action Plan was adopted in 1999, it
was not followed up with concrete actions and was therefore poorly
implemented. Other programmes and sectoral projects have had
little impact due to the lack of coherent targets and goals. It is clear
that much remains to be done in order to advance the prospects for
environmental sustainability and to fulfill the targets under MDG 7. 1
Pro-poor Strategy to Ensure Access to Energy 2
SPOTLIGHT
The energy situation in the Central African Republic is alarming: under 0.1% of rural households
have access to modern energy sources and approximately 90% of the rural population
relies on wood fuel to supply their energy needs. This is a major obstacle to future development
of the rural population, as their livelihoods are based on agriculture. The lack of access
to modern, renewable energy resources is also a critical factor in the current levels of poverty
in rural villages, and further prolongs unsustainable development.
As a result, the Government has pledged to ensure that by 2015 at least 10% of rural households
have access to modern, renewable energy for their domestic needs and production. This corresponds
to the electrification of approximately 10 villages per prefecture, for a total of 160 villages. The
National Energy Policy Framework for Poverty Reduction is a pro-poor strategic document that defines the framework for intervention
in the renewable energy sector in rural areas, and will mobilize the Government, NGOs, civil society associations and villages
for this task. UNDP is supporting the capacity-building of decision-makers to promote energy for poverty reduction. The
budget for this project is approximately US$ 100,000 and will be executed by UNDP, with assistance from the Ministry of Mining,
Energy and Hydraulics.
The framework will promote the importance of environmental protection, engaging rural communities and local authorities in
ENERGY
the realisation and management of the projects. A national coalition to increase rural people’s access to improved energy services
is already under preparation. In addition, the Local Committee for Energy Initiatives is monitoring and providing oversight to
various alternative energy projects for rural households. Lastly, the country’s rivers contain numerous waterfalls and rapids that
are suitable for hydroelectric alternatives and are being actively explored as a source of alternative energy.
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