Participants hailed the success of an Open Day for civil society organised by the African Development Bank Group this month in Bangui. The event demonstrated the Bank’s commitment to strengthening its partnership with non-state actors in order to promote inclusive and sustainable development in the Central African Republic (CAR).

The Open Day took place on 13 June 2024.

The event, the first of its kind for the country’s civil society organisations, was held at the Social Security Office (Caisse nationale de sécurité sociale, CNSS) in Bangui. It brought together high-level representatives of the government, civil society organisations and the African Development Bank.

The event generated fruitful discussions on collaboration between the Bank, the government and civil society organisationson maximising the impact of the Bank's operations in the CAR. Participants called for the creation of institutionalised consultation and monitoring mechanisms, as well as capacity-building programmes for civil society organisations. They thanked the Bank for organising an unprecedented citizens' dialogue on development in the CAR and expressed full satisfaction with the quality of the discussions.

The Open Day represents an important step in strengthening partnership between the Bank, the CAR government and civil society to support the country's inclusive and sustainable development. Participants praised the Bank's attentiveness and commitment to those concerns. The partnership is national players in a country in transition, as the CAR moves from aid dependence to development with crucial support from the Bank.

The head of the Bank's country office in the CAR, Mamady Souaré, hailed the vital role played by civil society in the development process on the African continent: "Civil society organisations are indispensable partners of our development programme. Their expertise on the ground and detailed knowledge of the challenges and needs of the people are invaluable assets for sustainable development," he said.

Richard Filakota, CAR Minister of the Economy, Planning and International Cooperation, reaffirmed the commitment of his government to working closely with the AfDB Group and civil society for the country's development.

"Civil society plays a crucial role in development and peace-building efforts in the Central African Republic. We are keen to create an environment where civil society can prosper, based on reforms and a permanent framework for dialogue and consultation," he emphasised.

Commenting on the Open Day, Gilbert Nengbi Kovoungbo, national coordinator of the Consortium of Central African Civil Society Organisations (COSC CAF), said: "We are grateful to the African Development Bank for this inclusive approach, which demonstrates its desire to strengthen partnership with non-state actors in our country. We believe that our active involvement at all stages of projects, from design to evaluation, is essential for ensuring that the Bank's investments really meet the needs of the people."