Central African Republic - The Bangui Mpoko Airport Modernisation Support Programme (PAMAB)

The Bangui Mpoko Airport Modernisation Support Programme (PAMAB) is justified as a bid to support Central African Republic (CAR) by adopting a gradual approach for implementation of the air transport sector modernisation plan by: (i) upgrading air transport facilities and services at Bangui/Mpoko International Airport; (ii) improving airport security and safety and building the platform’s security/safety capacities. Indeed, Bangui Airport no longer meets the operational requirements of a modern international airport, particularly in terms of security, safety, available surface area, arrival capacity, passenger processing, baggage delivery times, facilitation, amenities offered to operators and congestion of the aircraft parking area. PAMAB is urgently needed by CAR in this context of non-compliance and shortcomings in airport security and safety as recalled above. Its implementation will contribute to a significant improvement in air transport subsector performance in CAR and enhancement of the country’s civil aviation image. It will also contribute to launching air cargo export activities that will expand with the development of high-potential, job-creating agricultural subsectors. The project will be implemented in two phases: (i) phase 1 consisting in the partial upgrading of the air terminal (ii) phase 2 concerning: i) the supply and installation of conveyance and safety equipment additional rehabilitation work on the terminal and ii) capacity building of the Civil Aviation Administration, as part of institutional support to the subsector. The estimated cost of Phase I, the subject of this project, is estimated at 1.118 million units of account. The Project, thus limited to Phase I of the operation, will be financed entirely by the Bank through a grant of one million Units of Account, from the resources of Pillar I of the Transition Support Facility (TSF) and an ADF grant of 0.118 million Units of Account from cancellations.