• CAR to seek $12.8B for 543 projects at investor forum
• "Ambition 28" targets jobs, infrastructure, and diversification
• Backed by World Bank, IMF, AfDB, and other key partners

The Central African Republic (CAR) plans to host a roundtable with international investors in Casablanca, Morocco, on September 14-15 to present its "Ambition 28" development plan. The initiative seeks to raise $12.8 billion by 2028 to fund 543 projects across various sectors, including energy, agriculture, mining, infrastructure, digitization, and tourism.

Key partners, including the World Bank, the African Development Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the European Commission, and the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa, are supporting the plan.

"Ambition 28" is designed to accelerate economic growth, build resilient and sustainable infrastructure, and improve essential public services like education. It also includes vocational training initiatives to strengthen human capital, providing young people and women with access to technical, digital, and innovative careers. This approach aims to reduce unemployment, which disproportionately affects the nation's youth.

According to the World Bank, the youth unemployment rate in the CAR was 11.5% in 2021. The country remains heavily dependent on its natural resources without sufficient economic diversification. With the announced investment, the government aims to address the urgent need for economic stability, human capital development, and foreign investment.

"The objective is to set in motion a real dynamic of development and structural transformation while reducing poverty and improving the well-being of our population," said President Faustin-Archange Touadéra.

The "Ambition 28" plan is part of a broader trend among African nations. Other countries, such as Madagascar, Senegal, and Benin, have implemented similar structured programs to boost youth employment and attract strategic investments. These initiatives confirm that economic diversification and human capital development are key priorities for sustaining growth on the continent.

Félicien Houindo Lokossou