Country Strategy Paper (CSP), AfDB

The Country Strategy Paper (CSP) is the African Development Bank's primary strategic planning document for each of its regional member countries, defining the sectors and programmes AfDB will finance over a five-year period and establishing the upstream pipeline from which procurement opportunities will eventually flow.

What is the Country Strategy Paper (CSP), AfDB?

AfDB prepares a CSP for each country in consultation with the national government, civil society, the private sector, and other development partners. The paper sets out the country's development context, identifies which sectors align with AfDB's strategic priorities (particularly the high-5-priority-areas-afdb), and proposes a lending programme for the strategy period. It specifies whether financing will come through the ADB window or the adf window, which directly determines bidder eligibility for the projects that follow.

The CSP is the authoritative forward-looking document for AfDB engagement in a country. Mid-term reviews assess progress and may adjust the programme. Country Strategy Papers are published on the AfDB website and cover both rmc member nations eligible for ADB-window lending and the poorest nations served by ADF concessional finance. Reading the CSP alongside the project pipeline listed in the bank's annual report gives the clearest picture of where contracts will emerge.

Why the CSP matters for bidders

A supplier that reads the CSP for a target African country gains a multi-year view of which sectors AfDB is committed to funding, enabling early relationship building with implementing agencies, pre-qualification preparation, and local partnership development before individual tenders are advertised. The CSP also clarifies the funding window, which is critical for non-African firms: an ADF-funded project is open to global competition, while an ADB-window project restricts eligibility to African companies. Understanding this distinction before investing in business development avoids wasted effort. CSPs also identify co-financing arrangements with other MDBs and bilateral donors, meaning a single project may generate notices on multiple portals and require attention to the specific eligibility rules of each financier involved.

FAQ

How long does a CSP cover?

A CSP typically covers a five-year period. AfDB publishes a mid-term review at roughly the halfway point to assess performance and adjust the programme where needed.

Where can I find CSP documents?

AfDB publishes CSPs on its website under each country's project and operations page. Documents are available in English and French, with the language depending on the country's official language context.

Does the CSP include consulting assignments?

Yes. The CSP covers the full programme of AfDB engagement, including technical assistance and advisory operations alongside infrastructure investment lending, so both consulting firms and contractors can use it to identify forward opportunities.