NEPAD Agency Chief Executive Officer Dr Ibrahim Mayaki has called on Africa to be ambitious in the implementation of the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA).  Dr Mayaki was speaking at the joint partners’ workshop on infrastructure development in Africa, in Johannesburg.

The workshop which started today aims to fast-track the effective implementation of the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA), in partnership with Regional Economic Communities and the private sector.

“We have the capacities and the institutions to implement ambitious regional infrastructure development projects. I want Africa to be ambitious,” said Mayaki.

For the next three days, representatives of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the Southern African Development Community (SADC), Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), Community of Sahel-Saharan States (CEN-SAD), the private sector and development partners will also assess effective ways for PIDA financing. They will also review methodologies on how best to select future PIDA projects and fast-track current priority projects, in consultation with the RECS.

PIDA, which is a joint initiative by the African Union Commission (AUC), NEPAD Agency and African Development Bank (AfDB), aims to accelerate the delivery of current and future regional and continental infrastructure projects in transport, energy, information and information communications and technology, and trans-boundary waterways.

Dr Mayaki highlighted that the issue of regional integration has often been neglected in past development debates. “Most of Africa’s national problems do not have optimum national solutions, but regional solutions. The RECs are therefore the key pillars in the delivery process of PIDA,” said Dr Mayaki.

The RECs and their member countries are directly responsible for the implementation of the 51 cross-bordering projects. The NEPAD Agency coordinates the efficient and speedy implementation of these projects through the RECs, so as to fuel intra-African trade, create jobs and accelerate sustainable economic growth. 

“The workshop provides a landmark in harmonising coordination between the RECs and private sector to produce tangible results in developing Africa’s infrastructure,” said Aboubakari Baba Moussa, AUC Director of Infrastructure and Energy.

Division Head of NEPAD at the AfDB Ralph Olaye said that with support from the private sector, PIDA is expected to play a critical role in addressing the Continent’s infrastructure problems. The Bank was committed in partnership with the AUC and NEPAD Agency “to strengthen resource mobilisation for PIDA projects at domestic levels” and to build capacities for the effective delivery of PIDA.