The Central African Republic has partnered with the African Development Bank (AfDB) to strengthen its institutional capacity in tackling illicit financial flows and managing resource-backed loans. The initiative, conducted under the AfDB’s Governing Natural Resource Outflows for Enhanced Economic Resilience (GONAT) project, involved a four-day training and policy dialogue held in Bangui from June 10 to 13, 2025.
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The program brought together government officials, private sector stakeholders, civil society actors, and community representatives to enhance national oversight over natural resource management and related financial structures. It focused on improving the ability of institutions to identify, assess, and respond to financial risks stemming from both legal and illegal outflows tied to the extractive sector.
Technical sessions during the workshop addressed key issues including the classification and measurement of illicit flows, drivers of capital flight, risks associated with opaque lending arrangements, and policy strategies for financial transparency. Participants also explored tools for legislative reform, governance accountability, and multi-sector collaboration.
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On the final day, a policy roundtable served as a platform to review the training outcomes and align stakeholders around actionable next steps. Emphasis was placed on institutionalizing the knowledge gained and fostering continued cooperation between government agencies and development partners.
This effort forms part of a broader strategy by the African Development Bank to enhance economic resilience in resource-rich countries vulnerable to external debt risks and revenue leakage. The Central African Republic, alongside five other participating countries, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mozambique, Sierra Leone, and Zimbabwe, is taking part in the GONAT project to improve domestic revenue retention and fiscal management.
By strengthening the country’s capacity to oversee financial flows and negotiate transparent, beneficial agreements in the resource sector, the program aims to support more sustainable and inclusive economic growth.
