Housing Finance in Central African Republic
Overview
This profile is also available in French here.
To download a pdf version of the full 2023 Central African Republic country profile, click here.
The Central African Republic is predicted to have a population of 5 017 604 people in 2022 with an urbanisation rate of 1.85%. This puts housing resources under pressure. As a result, in 2018, 95.8% of urban residents lived in slums because of poverty, armed conflict, and limited access to affordable housing.
GDP growth prior to COVID-19 was 3.3%, but in 2021 it was only 0.9%. Transportation, trade, and finance sectors kept 42% of GDP while agriculture, hotels, and diamonds struggled. In 2021, public debt was 46% of GDP, down from 47%. Inflation rose from 2.3% in 2020 to 4.4% in 2021 as a result of security and supply chain disruptions.Inflation is expected to reach 3.8% in 2023.However, transportation and energy projects should increase GDP growth to 3.8% and 3.9% in 2022 and 2023, respectively, but falling commodity prices and weak internal security may hinder this growth.
The financial market in CAR is fragile and poorly supports economic expansion. It is the smallest financial market in CEMAC (17.8% of GDP), and banks there are exposed to the public sector. In November 2021, BEAC increased its marginal lending facility rate from 5% to 5.25. Home ownership is challenging due to high construction material costs, low salaries, and unstable economic conditions.
Droughts, wildfires, floods, and higher temperatures are all threats to the CAR due to climate change. 2019 saw the forced relocation of 100,000 people who also lost their homes and access to clean water.
Price reductions from the new cement mill could perhaps boost demand for and accessibility to housing. Since there haven’t been any big public housing projects in the last ten years, it’s clear that public firms need long-term funding and help from big developers to build homes.
Find out more about information on the housing finance sector of the Central African Republic (CAR), including key stakeholders, important policies and housing affordability:
- Macroeconomic Overview
- Access to Finance
- Affordability
- Housing Supply
- Property Markets
- Policy and Regulation
- Opportunities
- Green Applications for Affordable Housing
- Availability on Data on Housing Finance
- Websites
Each year, CAHF publishes its Housing Finance in Africa Yearbook. The profile above is from the 2023 edition, which has up-to-date profiles for 55 African countries.
Download yearbookCentral African Republic
Macroeconomic Overview
The Central African Republic (CAR) is a landlocked, resource-rich country in Central Africa with a small population of 5 017 604 in 2022. The population growth rate is below 1.85%, with an urbanisation rate of 2.91%.[1] However, the percentage of the urban population that is urbanised has risen from 20.1 % in 1960 to 40% in 2021, which has put increased pressure on the country’s housing resources. In 2017, CAR was one of the poorest countries in the world, with an estimated poverty rate of 75%.[2] In 2018, the World Bank estimated that 95.8% of the urban population lived in slums,[3] linked to the high levels of poverty and insecurity due to the ongoing conflict in the region. Bangui, the capital city, is home to approximately 41% of the total urban population. Most citizens do not have access to rudimentary services as basic infrastructure is inadequate[4] for human settlement.
Gross domestic product (GDP) growth stabilised at 0.9% in 2021, while pre-COVID-19 projections had been for 3.3% growth.[5] The agriculture, hotel, and diamond sectors were hardest hit, while transport, trade, and finance remained at approximately 42% of GDP. Public debt fell slightly from 47% of GDP in 2020 to 46% in 2021. The security situation in the country and supply chain disruptions pushed inflation to 4.4% in 2021 from 2.3% in 2020.[6] Inflation is forecast to increase to 4.3% in 2022 and drop to 3.8% in 2023.[7] GDP growth is projected to rebound to 3.8% and 3.9% in 2022 and 2023 as a result of completion of structural projects in transport and energy[8] but falling commodity prices and deteriorating internal security, among other factors, could undercut growth.[9]
Economic development is limited by CAR’s non-coastal geography, poor transportation systems and largely unskilled workforce. Subsistence agriculture, together with forestry and mining, make up most of the economy. Timber and diamonds account for most of CAR’s export earnings, followed by cotton. Despite showing promising signs of growth, the country is directly affected by regional economic fluctuations, the capture and mismanagement of natural resources by the elite and persistent regional conflict.[10]
While the country signed a Political Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation (APPR-RCA) in early 2019, restoring lasting peace and security remains a challenge and weak institutions hinder the reform agenda.[11] As of 31 July 2022, the total number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in CAR was estimated at 647 883, comprising 154 964 people in IDP sites and 492 919 in host families. This is an overall increase of 6.2% or 37 618 IDPs compared to June 2022.[12] More than half of the country’s population (3.1 million people) needed humanitarian assistance in 2022. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and the government have released a CFA290 643 million (US461.3 million) Humanitarian Response Plan[13] which gave life-saving assistance to 1.2 million people in the first half of 2022, representing 60% of the 2022 Humanitarian Response Plan target.
CAR is not exempt from climate change risks, including droughts, wildfires, floods and increased temperatures.[14] Floods continue to affect CAR and more than 22 450 people have lost their homes and have taken shelter with host families, schools and churches in Bangui, Ombella M’Poko, Lobaye, Nana-Gribizi, Ouham-Pendé and Ouham-Fafa Prefectures since July 2022.[15] The last major floods occurred in 2019 when 100 000 people lost their homes and access to clean water, and most were forced to move to temporary sites or host families. In September 2020, the NGO REACH published a study of flood susceptibility in populated areas and the study revealed higher impact risks of flooding in Ouham and Kémo Prefectures (more than 203 000 people at high risk), while Nana-Mambéré and Ouham-Pendé had low risk scores. The study also showed that most of CAR’s settlements are next to rivers and their basins.[16] The lack of an adequate drainage system and channels often blocked with waste and garbage increase the risk of flooding in the cities.[17]
The government formally launched the country’s first National Adaptation Plan (NAP), prepared with support of the United Nations Development Programme and United Nations Environment Programme (UNDP-UNEP) NAP Global Support Program. The NAP is part of a process to help restore critical sectors and build their resilience to the effects of climate change.[18] CAR also developed an analysis for integrating gender considerations in the NAP process under the framework of CAR’s National Policy for the Promotion of Equality and Equity, as gender-based violence is a particular concern in the country. CAR ranks 151 out of 180 countries on the 2021 Global Climate Risk Index[19] with a Climate Risk Index (CRI) score of 138.83.[20] The environmental risks in CAR are land and watershed degradation and loss of biodiversity among ecosystems and species. The country has ratified international agreements to combat global warming, including one with the EU on forest regulation and the Programme des Nations Unies pour la Gestion du Bassin du Congo.[21] Despite its vast forests and significant agricultural potential, only 5% of the 15 million hectares of arable land are used[22] and agreements such as these are important to preserve forests and use land productively.
[1] Worldometers. CAR population. https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/central-african-republic-population/ (Accessed 4 September 2022).
[2] African Development Bank (2022). African Economic Outlook 2022 https://www.afdb.org/en/documents/african-economic-outlook-2022 (Accessed 5 September 2022). Pg. 134.
[3]World Bank (2018). Population living in slums (% of urban population) https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/EN.POP.SLUM.UR.ZS (Accessed 4 September 2022).
[4] World Bank (2022). The World Bank in Central Africa. 23 September 2022. Overview. https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/centralafricanrepublic/overview. (Accessed on 26 September 2022).
[5] African Development Bank (2022). African Economic Outlook 2022 https://www.afdb.org/en/documents/african-economic-outlook-2022 (Accessed 5 September 2022). Pg. 134.
[6] African Development Bank (2022). African Economic Outlook 2022 https://www.afdb.org/en/documents/african-economic-outlook-2022 (Accessed 5 September 2022). Pg. 134.
[7] African Development Bank (2022). African Economic Outlook 2022 https://www.afdb.org/en/documents/african-economic-outlook-2022 (Accessed 5 September 2022). Pg. 134.
[8] African Development Bank (2022). African Economic Outlook 2022 https://www.afdb.org/en/documents/african-economic-outlook-2022 (Accessed 5 September 2022). Pg. 134.
[9] African Development Bank (2022). African Economic Outlook 2022 https://www.afdb.org/en/documents/african-economic-outlook-2022 (Accessed 5 September 2022). Pg. 134.
[10] World Bank (2022). The World Bank in Central Africa. 23 September 2022. Overview. https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/centralafricanrepublic/overview. (Accessed on 26 September 2022).
[11] World Bank (2022). The World Bank in Central Africa. 23 September 2022. Overview. https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/centralafricanrepublic/overview. (Accessed on 26 September 2022).
[12] UNOCHA (2022) Central African Republic Situation Report. 29 Sep 2022. https://reports.unocha.org/en/country/car/ (Accessed 4 September 2022).
[13] World Bank (2022). The World Bank in Central Africa. 23 September 2022. Overview. https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/centralafricanrepublic/overview. (Accessed on 26 September 2022).
[14] ReliefWeb (2021). Climate risk profile CAR. 28 Jun 2021. https://reliefweb.int/report/central-african-republic/climate-risk-country-profile-central-african-republic#:~:text=The%20Central%20African%20Republic%20is,by%20end%20of%20the%20century.
[15] UNOCHA (2022) Central African Republic Situation Report. 29 Sep 2022. https://reports.unocha.org/en/country/car/ (Accessed 4 September 2022).
[16] UNOCHA (2022) Central African Republic Situation Report. 29 Sep 2022. https://reports.unocha.org/en/country/car/ (Accessed 4 September 2022).
[17] Davies, R. (2022). Central African Republic – Floods Cause Fatalities, Hundreds of Homes Destroyed. 26 July 2022. Floodlist. https://floodlist.com/africa/central-african-republic-floods-july-2022 (Accessed 4 September 2022).
[18] National Adaptation Plan Global Network (2022). Maintaining Peace While Building Climate Resilience: Lessons from the Central African Republic. June 29, 2022. https://napglobalnetwork.org/2022/06/peace-climate-resilience-central-african-republic/ (Accessed 29 September 2022)
[19] Eckstein, D, Künzel, and Schäfer, L. (2021) Global Climate Risk Index 2021. Who Suffers Most from Extreme Weather Events? Weather-Related Loss Events in 2019 and 2000-2019. January 2021. Germanwatch. https://www.germanwatch.org/sites/default/files/Global%20Climate%20Risk%20Index%202021_2.pdf (Accessed 5 September 2022). Pg. 43.
[20] The CRI indicates a level of exposure and vulnerability to extreme events, which countries should understand as warnings in order to be prepared for more frequent and/or more severe events in the future.
[21] African Development Bank (2022). African Economic Outlook 2022 https://www.afdb.org/en/documents/african-economic-outlook-2022 (Accessed 5 September 2022). Pg. 134.
[22] World Bank (2022). The World Bank in Central Africa. 23 September 2022. Overview. https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/centralafricanrepublic/overview. (Accessed on 26 September 2022).
Access to Finance
Compared to the other Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC) countries, the CAR’s financial market remains underdeveloped and plays a limited role in supporting economic growth. It is the smallest financial market in the CEMAC (only 17.8% of GDP), records a high level of non-performing loans (NPLs), and banks have high exposure to the public sector.[1]
In November 2021, the Bank of Central African States (BEAC) raised its Marginal Lending Facility Rate from 5% to 5.25% to replenish the region’s foreign exchange reserves. The financial and banking sector is still embryonic, dominated by a few commercial banks and microfinance institutions based in Bangui.[2] The financial sector comprises four banks that own over 90% of assets, four insurance companies including a social security fund, two postal banks, and five microfinance institutions (MFIs). However, key financial institutions, including investment banks, brokerage firms, and savings and loans associations, are missing from the financial landscape because of the national market’s weak legal framework and structure, and military instability in the country.[3]
Political and social instability has weakened the social fabric, reduced savings and investment among the population, and lessened the number of donors involved in the microfinance sector. The main players are Crédit Mutuel de Centrafrique (CMCA), the Central African Union of Caisses d’Epargne and Credit (UCACEC), the Société Finance Française de Crédit SA (SOFIA Crédit), Caisse d’Epargne et de Crédit de Bozoum (CEC Bozoum), Express Union SA, and the mutual fund of Cifadiennes de Centrafrique (CMCC). On the side lines are a number of microfinance NGOs such as the Danish Refugees Council (DRC), the Catholic Relief Service (CRS), and the International Partnership for Human Development (IPHD).
The United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) in March 2021 created a consultative panel on “women and digital financial services (DFS)” to facilitate regular dialogue between civil society representatives from each of the six CEMAC countries.[4] The panel developed action plans for regulators and public decision-makers focused on improving access to DFS by women, strengthening financial and digital education for women and protecting women as consumers of DFS. The panel also found that women’s voices are often absent from the process of developing related public policies and regulations. Some of the key recommendations made by the panel are that low-amount capped mobile money accounts with no identification requirements should be in place, there should be a guarantee fund for women, the collection and analysis of data disaggregated by gender in the public and private sectors should be encouraged, and competition and fair access to DFS should be encouraged as well.
CAR is primed to establish a housing bank as there has been almost no housing finance instrument available in the country. The housing finance landscape remains underdeveloped, offering many opportunities. A few banks, such as Ecobank Centrafrique and the Sahelo-Saharan Bank for Investment and Commerce, offer housing credit (over a maximum fifteen-year term) and credit for equipment (for a maximum of three years) to individuals at between 8.5% and 17% a year. Additionally, according to the World Bank database on housing finance[5] the minimum income required for a prudent mortgage in CAR is CFA8 742 318 (US$13 876) and only 0.5% of the population can afford this. Most of the population cannot access the mortgage market.
[1] African Development Bank. Central African Republic Economic Outlook. https://www.afdb.org/en/countries/central-africa/central-african-republic/central-african-republic-economic-outlook (Accessed 4 September 2022).
[2] African Development Bank (2022). African Economic Outlook 2022 https://www.afdb.org/en/documents/african-economic-outlook-2022 (Accessed 5 September 2022). Pg. 134.
[3] African Development Bank (2022). African Economic Outlook 2022 https://www.afdb.org/en/documents/african-economic-outlook-2022 (Accessed 5 September 2022). Pg. 134.
[4] UN Capital Development Fund. CEMAC panel: 23 proposals to accelerate the financial inclusion of women in Central Africa. https://policyaccelerator.uncdf.org/whats-new/cemac-23-proposals (Accessed 12 September 2022).
[5] Badev, A., Beck, T, Vado, L., and Walley, S. (2014). Housing finance across countries: New data and analysis. World Bank Working Paper Series. (Accessed 4 September 2022).
Affordability
Affordability is of great concern in CAR’S housing sector. In 2019, unemployment was approximately 34.5% — 36% in urban areas and 30% in rural areas; unemployment was 42.5% among women and 28.5% among men.[1]
The high cost of building materials, low incomes, and the general political and economic volatility make owning a house difficult for the average citizen. In 2021, a simple one-bedroom housing unit with a modern toilet cost on average CFA13.9 million (US$22 062). Average monthly income is only CFA20 844 (US$33), so the cost of a one-bedroom house represents 667 times the monthly revenue. Many IDPs occupy rental units and the main challenge they face, having lost their livelihoods, has been paying the rent. In Carnot and Sibut the monthly rent varies between CFA2 895 to CFA5 790 (US$4.59 – US$9.18) while in Bangui this was between CFA52 110 to CFA579 000 (US$82.7 -US$918.97), depending on the size of the house and the main purpose of renting.
Despite the resumption of the movement of goods thanks to the reopening of the Béloko-Bangui corridor, and the increase in supplies of cement, cement prices have not fallen. A standard 50kg bag of cement which cost CFA10 000 (US$15.87) in 2017 is now CFA13 000 (US$20.63) [2]. A standard iron bar costs between CFA2 000 (US$3.17) and CFA8 500 (US$13.49). A sheet of corrugated iron costs between and CFA5 000 (US$7.93) and CFA20 000 (US$31.74).
[1] African Development Bank (2022). African Economic Outlook 2022 https://www.afdb.org/en/documents/african-economic-outlook-2022. (Accessed 26 September 2022). Pg. 134.
[2] Radio Ndeke Luka (2021). Centrafrique: hausse vertigineuse du prix du sac de ciment malgré la réouverture de l’axe Béloko. 5 April 2021. https://www.radiondekeluka.org/actualites/societe/36785-centrafrique-hausse-vertigineuse-du-prix-du-sac-de-ciment-malgre-la-reouverture-de-l-axe-beloko.html (Accessed 4 September 2022).
Housing Supply
Ongoing political and security crises have damaged the prospects of and ambitions for improving towns and cities. A government project is underway to redesign urban/housing development and planning in Bangui, with the main aim of bringing structure to its breakneck urbanisation and establishing a sustainable and healthy housing environment. Since the emergence of the crisis, a large portion of CAR’s housing stock has been pillaged, burnt, or destroyed. The UNHRC (United Nations High Refugee Commissariat) estimates that at least 170 houses in Bangui’s 8th district and 900 in the 5th district have been badly damaged or destroyed since December 2013. In Begoua, just north of Bangui, an estimated 800 houses have been badly damaged or destroyed. It is estimated that 100 houses were badly damaged or destroyed in Sibut town.
The causes of homelessness in CAR are poverty, a devastating civil war, and recent floods.[1]Some private investors remain hesitant about CAR’s stability and cautious in their housing investment strategy.[2] The recurring crises have hampered CAR’s Ministry of Housing’s ability to initiate and implement several projects. The housing sector in CAR is the least developed in the CEMAC region and despite several attempts by the government to intervene in the housing sector, public and private sector programs are virtually non-existent.[3]
Climate change impacts propel communities’ seasonal migration at the time of drought or flood events in CAR.[4] While the effects of climate change will be widespread, low income communities are at significantly greater risk. An over-dependence on agriculture and forest production, along with ignorance of climate change, a mostly unskilled workforce, and low capacity of local institutions to adopt climate-resilient agricultural practices will affect livelihoods and economic security. In rural CAR, a variety of community-based local adaptation strategies have been implemented, including installing wells near rivers, constructing gutters to drain floodwater, buying drinking water, and using borehole water to mitigate flood and drought.
Communities anticipate a need for more extensive watershed management strategies in upstream and forest areas due to the rapidly changing climate. CAR and the International Bamboo and Rattan Organization (INBAR) are collaborating to create opportunities for the bamboo and rattan industry in the country.[5] A project to make rural communities more resilient and able to adapt to climate change aims to reduce the direct effects of climate change on 20 000 direct and 119 000 indirect beneficiaries, of which 50% will be women and 30% youth in rural communities.[6]
[1] Nelson, H. (2020. Homelessness in the Central African Republic: Causes and Impacts. August 4, 2020. The Borgen Project. https://borgenproject.org/poverty-central-african-republic/ (Accessed 12 September 2022).
[2] Nzam,T. (2022).Central African Republic displaced exit camps for new settlements.10 April 2022. Africanews.
https://www.africanews.com/2022/02/10/central-african-republic-displaced-exit-camps-for-new-settlements// (Accessed 12 September 2022).
[3] World Bank (2020) Housing Finance in the CEMAC Region Current Status, Opportunities, and a Way Forward for Affordable. https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/bitstream/handle/10986/33835/Current-Status-Opportunities-and-a-Way-Forward-for-Affordable-Housing.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y. (Accessed 12 September 2022) PG 80.
[4] Climatecentre. Country-level Climate fact sheet https://www.climatecentre.org/wp-content/uploads/RCCC-ICRC-Country-profiles-Central_African_Republic.pdf (Accessed 12 September 2022).
[5] International Bamboo and Rattan Organization (2018). The Central African Republic joins INBAR. 13 Sep 2018. https://www.inbar.int/carjoinsinbar/ (Accessed 12 September 2022).
[6] Adaption Fund (2022). Proposal For Central African Republic. 15 March 2022. https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwiCy7LyyJH6AhUJKMAKHVHRDtsQFnoECAMQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.adaptation-fund.org%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2022%2F03%2FAFB.PPRC_.29.9_Proposal-for-Central-African-Republic.pdf&usg=AOvVaw0xiaIW_aDfVwMPan3FlceJ (Accessed 12 September 2022).
Property Markets
CAR’s legal system is based on the French civil law system. Prior to the current crisis, several key legislative documents, such as the 1964 Land Code, were under revision but these review processes have not been concluded. The 1964 Land Code classifies land as being either within the public or the private domain of the state. The public domain is defined as all-natural and artificial resources that, by their very nature, should be publicly managed for the benefit of the population. They are inalienable and cannot be traded commercially, for instance, waterways, classified parks, lakes, and railways. The private domain of the state is defined as all unregistered land, landholdings acquired by the state and the exercise of eminent domain. Obtaining ownership rights over land in the private domain of the state is possible. This requires, however, that land be registered (and in most cases developed). The process for registering private property, culminating in the attainment of a title deed, is considered costly and time-consuming. According to the World Bank’s 2021 Doing Business Report, it takes 75 days and 5 procedures, and costs on average 11.1% of the property value to register a property, resulting in a ranking of 172 out of 190 countries for property registration.
In the absence of reliable land registry systems in the CEMAC region, most of the land is neither demarcated nor identified and is the object of numerous disputes. In CAR only 0.1% of the land has been registered. Between 1899, when the title deed system was introduced, and July 2012 only 8 579 title deeds had been issued, according to the land registry at the Ministry of Finance, most of which were for properties in Bangui and other urban areas. Homeowners in rural areas only entered into verbal agreements about their ownership, often with the involvement of a chief. Without access to a formal land title, households cannot obtain mortgage financing from banking institutions.[1] Without access to formal income or land title, most people use the microfinance sector to access credit. The inclusion of unregistered land in the private domain of the state is therefore a significant feature of CAR’s land tenure system. Ownership of registered property can be transferred by way of purchase, inheritance, and lease.
The real estate market in CAR is almost non-existent and there are no real estate operators in the country. Most houses are self-built and when owners want to sell, they advertise in the newspapers or announce their intention informally within their social networks. Also, the country is in need of a housing bank.
[1] World Bank (2020) Housing Finance in the CEMAC Region Current Status, Opportunities, and a Way Forward for Affordable Housing. January 2022. https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/bitstream/handle/10986/33835/Current-Status-Opportunities-and-a-Way-Forward-for-Affordable-Housing.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y. (Accessed 12 September 2022) PG 58.
Policy and Regulation
The technical aspect of the cadaster is complemented by the Ministry of Finance and Budget, which takes care of the financial side of land registration. It also houses the land registration office (known as the Office of Domains). This means that once the land registration office has issued a title deed, the related files are transferred to and stored at the Ministry of Finance and Budget.
CAR filed its Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDC) in 2015 and signed and ratified the Paris Agreement in 2016. The INDC details CAR’s pledges to deal with climate change, including a target to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 5% by the year 2030. Additionally, it lists the top priority areas for adaptation, which are “land use planning, agriculture and food security, forestry, energy, public health, and water resources”. Additionally, CAR’s INDC identifies nine options for addressing climate change adaptation, including “adjustment of the policy framework; improved knowledge of resilience to climate change; sustainable management of the agricultural, forestry, and animal husbandry systems; land-use planning; improvement and development of basic infrastructures; assurance of energy security; improvement of public healthcare systems; improvement of waste management; and sustainable management of water resources”.[1] CAR has signed a treaty that aims to harmonise regional policies on forestry and biodiversity conservation. The treaty is called Comité National de Pilotage de la Convention sur les Changements Climatiques and is being implemented by the Central African Forests Commission.[2]
[1]Climatecentre. Country-level Climate fact sheet https://www.climatecentre.org/wp-content/uploads/RCCC-ICRC-Country-profiles-Central_African_Republic.pdf (Accessed 12 September 2022).
[2] Climatecentre. Country-level Climate fact sheet https://www.climatecentre.org/wp-content/uploads/RCCC-ICRC-Country-profiles-Central_African_Republic.pdf (Accessed 12 September 2022).
Opportunities
Cost-effective housing is needed in all segments of the market and housing value chain due to the high price of building materials. Completion of a new cement plant is expected to lower the price of cement, increasing effective demand for housing over the coming years, as well as enhancing affordability. Additionally, it has been determined that reconstruction after years of conflict which devastated infrastructure is a key determinant of housing finance. The absence of large-scale public housing programmes for almost a decade reinforces the need for increased access to long-term finance and for large-scale developers in the country to assist public companies in supplying housing. However, planned structural support, such as a housing bank, are indicative of a market open for expansion and primed for the introduction of new finance and housing products.
Green Applications for Affordable Housing
The residents of CAR are mostly dependent on groundwater. According to the Central African Institute of Statistics and Economics and Social Studies (ICASEES) (2018/19), 1.6% of urban households had access to clean water in their house, 24.6%, had public tap water, and 25.6% could get water from protected wells. According to the institute, 0.4% of urban households had access to a sewage system, 0.9% to latrines, and 29.3% pit latrines with slabs. Only 14.3% of the population has access to electricity, with rates in rural areas varying from roughly 0.4% to about 35% in Bangui.[1] Although the country has considerable renewable water resources, only 30% of the population has access to clean drinking water and rates range from 36.5% in Bangui to 27% in rural areas.[2]
[1] World Bank (2022). Central African Republic: Increasing Electricity Supply and Access and Supporting the Health System. 3 June 2022. https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2022/06/03/afw-central-african-republic-increasing-electricity-supply-and-access-and-supporting-the-health-system (Accessed 12 September 2022).
[2] African Development Bank (2022). African Economic Outlook 2022 https://www.afdb.org/en/documents/african-economic-outlook-2022 (Accessed 5 September 2022). Pg. 134.
Availability on Data on Housing Finance
Cadastral and property transaction information is available from the Land Registry. The Central Bank (BEAC) releases annual reports and other financial document covering the banking and microfinance sector in the CEMAC. The Central African Institute of Statistics, Economic and Social Studies (ICASEES) is responsible for collecting, managing, and sharing national statistics. It collects macroeconomic data, produces the consumer price index, demographic and social statistics, the industrial production index and surveys.
Apart from these published results, externally funded research and censuses, online newspapers, and reports from international organisations, it is difficult to obtain reliable primary data in the public and the private sector.
Websites
Bank of Central African States (BEAC) www.beac.int
World Bank www.globalfindex.worldbank.org
Relief Web www.reliefweb.int report/central-african-republic/
United Nations Capital Development Fund www.uncdf.org
United Nations Development Progamme www.undp.org
United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) www.unocha.org
Climate Centre www.climatecentre.org
Central African Institute of Statistics and Economics and Social Studies (ICASEES) www.icasees.org