GCA Supports Climate-Resilient Transport and Connectivity in the Democratic Republic of Congo
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otterdam, the Netherlands, 4 June 2025 — The Global Center on Adaptation (GCA) has announced its technical support for a landmark $440.2 million investment by the World Bank and the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to develop climate-resilient transport and digital infrastructure under the Second Transport and Connectivity Support Project. Delivered through the Africa Adaptation Acceleration Program (AAAP), the project represents a critical step forward in integrating climate adaptation into national development and infrastructure priorities.
GCA’s support focuses on a pivotal 200-kilometer stretch of the RN2 highway between Mbanga and the Lualaba River. This section, part of a broader effort to connect the Kasai region to Eastern DRC, will be upgraded with climate-resilient features, including reinforced culverts, raised embankments, and nature-based solutions such as bioengineered slopes and reforestation. Designed with a “dig once” approach, the project will embed vital digital, water, and energy infrastructure beneath the roadbed—safeguarding critical services and improving access to markets, healthcare, and education for rural communities.
“The Democratic Republic of Congo stands at the crossroads of vulnerability and opportunity,” said Professor Patrick V. Verkooijen, President and CEO of the Global Center on Adaptation. “This project shows what’s possible when climate adaptation is embedded from the start—not as an afterthought. It offers a model for how we can climate-proof infrastructure while advancing development, connectivity and peace in one of the most climate- and conflict-vulnerable countries in the world.”
GCA’s in-depth climate risk assessments revealed that the RN2 corridor faces mounting threats from pluvial and fluvial flooding, extreme heat, and drought. In some areas, floodwaters could rise up to 5.5 meters, damaging roads, bridges, culverts, and utilities. Without adaptation, climate-related damages could quadruple by 2050 under high emissions scenarios. GCA’s cost-benefit analysis identified a suite of essential and advanced adaptation measures to reduce these risks, while also delivering high social returns through job creation, trade facilitation and improved access to essential services.
The project is expected to deliver tangible and lasting benefits for millions of people. It will ensure the rehabilitation of 200 kilometers of road to climate-resilient standards, improve access to electricity, water, and broadband connectivity, and unlock economic potential along the corridor by supporting key value chains in agriculture, forestry, and green minerals. Importantly, the project will also contribute to improved food security, greater access to essential services, and enhanced regional trade. At least 30% of labor program participants are expected to be women, strengthening inclusion in local job markets. The project’s comprehensive capacity-building program will also improve institutional readiness to deliver future resilient infrastructure investments.
The initiative is also a catalyst for institutional transformation. Through AAAP’s Masterclass on Climate-Resilient Infrastructure, GCA is strengthening local capacity by training stakeholders in climate-informed transport planning. The participatory design process has also ensured that adaptation solutions reflect local priorities and promote social inclusion, including targets for women’s employment in construction and maintenance activities.
By embedding resilience and equity at the heart of infrastructure development, the DRC’s Second Transport and Connectivity Support Project sets a precedent for long-term, climate-smart investment in Africa’s most fragile regions.
