Zuma reiterates support to NEPAD…

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(l-r) Minister Trevor Manuel and President Jacob Zuma at the recent NEPAD Heads of State engagement in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Midrand, 11 February 2011 – During his State of the Nation Address, President Jacob Zuma, for the second year running, reiterated his support to the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD).

“We will continue to participate in the revitalisation of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development with specific focus on the implementation of its infrastructure programme, of which we champion the North-South infrastructure development corridor”, said Zuma.

A key area that has been identified by the African leadership for improved delivery is infrastructure. It is in this regard that eight African countries on the NEPAD Heads of State and Government Orientation Committee (HSGOC) are working to champion regional and cross-border infrastructure projects in order to attract investments and enhance regional integration. This Presidential Infrastructure Champion Initiative is based on the African Union (AU) NEPAD African Action Plan (AAP) and the Programme for the Infrastructural Development of Africa (PIDA).

At the 24th meeting of the NEPAD HSGOC which was held recently at the margins of the 16th AU Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia the leaders of Ethiopia, Namibia, Nigeria, Senegal, DR Congo, Lesotho, Sudan, Benin, Gabon and the African Union Commission welcomed President Jacob Zuma’s chairmanship of the NEPAD High-Level Sub-Committee on infrastructure and the progress being made to identify projects for implementation.

For more information, please contact: NEPAD Agency: Andrew Kanyegirire, Tel.: +27-83-704-4506, Email: andrewk@nepad.org

About the NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency: The NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency (NEPAD Agency) as the technical body of the African Union, works closely with the African Union Commission (AUC), regional economic communities, national governments, civil society and the private sector to push for programmes and projects that focus on improving the lives of the African people. The NEPAD Agency is the leading African development expert, able to mobilise the private sector, heads of state and African people as a force for positive change, building continental prosperity and regional integration. For more information, go to: www.nepad.org