2005 - 2006 - Pinsent Masons Water Yearbook 2012

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC PART 2: COUNTRY ANALYSIS
Central African Republic
The Central African Republic (CAR) had a population of 3.8 million in 2002, 42% living in urban areas.
Overall, 59% of people living in urban areas are regarded as having reasonable access to safe
drinking water and 83% for sewerage. The former figure is for 1996 and compares with an estimate
of 19% by the FAO in 1990.
Making water provision viable...
In 1988, the CAR’s Société Nationale des Eaux de Centrafrique (SNE) was virtually bankrupt, with a
negative equity equivalent to 50% of sales. At the beginning of 1989, Bouygues’ SAUR-Afrique was
invited to develop a management plan and a related performance contract. In 1991, SAUR-Afrique
was granted a 15 year concession to operate SNE’s assets. (SODECA) was capitalised in December
1991 as a limited liability company in which the State holds a 25% minority stake. SNE continues to
exist as an asset-holding company. Under the authority of the ministry responsible for water, SNE
and SODECA fix tariffs and modify them according to an agreed formula.
In the Central African Republic, the privatisation of water took place in 1991, with the creation of
Société de Distribution d'Eau de Centrafrique SODECA as an operating company and SNE as an
asset-owning company. 21% of staff left in the first year due to voluntary redundancies and natural
wastage, but staff numbers have subsequently stabilised. The new private operating company was
given two objectives: to cut water rates and to restore the sector's financial balance securely. In fact,
in 1992, SODECA was allowed to increase the water rates for the first time since 1984. The rate for
the first segment of consumption was doubled, while for hydrants it was increased by 16%, and for
large consumers there was a rise of 65%. As a result, turnover from water sales increased from
CFAF1.5 billion in 1992, to CFAF2.5 billion in 1995. This rise was due both to the 1992 tariff increase
and to sub-contracted engineering work on behalf of the asset-owning company.
By 1996, the company had moved from near-bankruptcy in 1988 into a viable entity that was
providing funds to the Central Government. At the same time, network expansion and upgrading has
taken place along agreed lines. The next phase is bringing services from the street level to the
household. A survey of 5,815 households in 1994-95 found that 96% did not have running water and
98% lacked internal lavatories. The capital Bangui had a 13% water connection rate and a 1%
sewerage rate in 1993 with no sewage treatment facilities.
…when there is peace
The 2002-03 rebellion in the north of the country severely affected drinking water supplies, with no
access to safe drinking water for the region, affecting 9% of the CAR’s population. SAUR ended its
involvement with SODECA at this time and the system has experienced increasing problems since
2003. Following the overthrow of the government in the CAR in March 2003, in 2004, the ICRC
helped SODECA make emergency repairs to water systems serving some one million people in
Bangui and seven towns (Bambari, Berberati, Bossangoa, Bouar, Bozoum, Carnot and Ndele). The
priority has been to reduce leakage by repairing or replacing pipes and valves – 50% of Bangui’s
water supply was being lost through leakage and to extend the distribution network into poorer
neighbourhoods. Bouar had lost all water services since December 2003.
69 Pinsent Masons Water Yearbook 2005 – 2006