WASHINGTON, June 14, 2023 - The World Bank has approved a $140 million grant from the International Development Association (IDA)* to improve access to basic services and strengthen economic opportunities and local institutions in targeted areas across Chad.
The Chad Territorial Development and Resilience Project (ResiTchad) will invest in climate-resilient community infrastructure such as boreholes, roads, urban resilience infrastructure, sociocultural centers, and small productive and income-generating investments. These investments, which have been identified by the local communities themselves, aim to reduce vulnerabilities specifically related to the isolation of targeted areas. Larger-scale transformative investments are also planned in key economic hubs within targeted cities in the country and may include infrastructure linking urban centers and their surrounding areas, supporting local value chains, trade and transport services, and commercial and industrial spaces such as markets, livestock markets, and bus terminals. Training and capacity building will be provided to local communities, provincial administrations, and local governments, with a focus on enabling communities to engage in sustainable local development and institutions to deliver public services.
“ResiTchad is a critical response to the risks related to climate and fragility, as well as to the new influx of persons displaced by the Sudanese crisis,” said Clara de Sousa, World Bank Country Director for Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and Chad. “As the first Bank-financed integrated local development project in northern Chad, ResiTchad aims to serve as a catalyst for additional support to these lagging and fragile regions,” she added.
“In the targeted project area, women and girls are disproportionately exposed to economic and social vulnerabilities driven by social and cultural norms,” said Rasit Pertev, World Bank Country Manager for Chad. He further noted that “all measures will be taken, within the context of ResiTchad, to prioritize the participation of women and ensure that their needs and concerns are reflected in the decision-making process related to local development planning.”
The project targets provinces in the north (Borkou, Ennedi-Est, Ennedi-Ouest, Tibesti) and in the east (Ouaddaï, Sila, Wadi Fira), owing to their fragility, vulnerability to climate change risks, and the large refugee presence (in eastern provinces). It will benefit approximately 769,000 persons, 384,500 of whom will be direct beneficiaries. The beneficiaries will be the local communities and will include vulnerable households and groups, refugees, host communities, youth, women’s associations and local government officials.
The far north is the country’s most fragile region and is characterized by an arid climate, repeated conflicts, isolation of its population and decades of underinvestment leading to limited access to basic services. Chad’s eastern region, which is grappling with climate vulnerabilities, is home to a large number of Sudanese refugees, whose return prospects remain uncertain in the medium term.
*The International Development Association (IDA) is the World Bank’s fund for the poorest. Established in 1960, it provides grants and low- to zero-interest loans for projects and programs that boost economic growth, reduce poverty and improve poor people’s lives. IDA is one of the largest sources of assistance for the world’s 76 poorest countries, 39 of which are in Africa. Resources from IDA bring positive change to 1.6 billion people. Since 1960, IDA has supported development work in 113 countries. Annual commitments have averaged about $21 billion over the last three years, with about 61 percent going to Africa.
