DR Congo: World Bank funds technical support for Inga

Despite pressure on donors from renewed opposition to big dam projects, the World Bank board on 20 March approved a $73.1m technical assistance grant for the Inga III Basse Chute project. The bank said the grant for the Inga III Basse Chute and Mid-Size Hydropower Development Technical Assistance Project would finance a series of environmental, institutional, social and technical studies to guide sustainable development of Inga III and selected mid-size hydropower projects. The bank said the project would create national institutions such as the Inga development agency to pilot site development and award concessions on a competitive basis.