Dec 28, 2015 | News

Five Million Euro Grant to support Africa’s Infrastructure projects

Africa’s infrastructure development drive has received a major boost in the form of a Five Million EURO Grant from the German International Development Agency, GIZ.

The Grant, signed in the Ethiopian Capital Addis Ababa, is part of GIZ’s on-going support to the African Union and NEPAD. It falls under the Institutional Architecture for Infrastructure in Africa (IAIDA II) a three year capacity building project aimed at enhancing the management of the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA).

Mr Winfried Zarges, Sectorial Manager, at GIZ’s AU office said that investing in infrastructure was essential to ensure a better future for Africa’s children and  GIZ would continue to be a strong development partner of Africa. At a cost US$68 billion to implement by 2020, the projects will lead to a robust regional system, fuelling international trade, job creation and sustainable economic growth.

Earlier, AUC Deputy Chairperson Mr Erastus Mwencha said that while Infrastructure is an enabler that determines Africa’s capacity to compete effectively and ensure the growth, it is also a sector that has a huge finance deficit.

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AUC Deputy Chairperson Mr Erastus Mwencha with SADC Executive Secretary Dr Stergomena Lawrence Tax at the CID meeting

Speaking at the first meeting of the Council for Infrastructure Development (CID), Mr Mwencha cautioned that the lack of adequate funding for infrastructure should not deter the continent from moving fast to ensure that implementation of infrastructure projects. He suggested that the CID should actually hold its meetings in areas where the infrastructure projects are, rather than in conference halls, so that they can get an actual of feel of what was happening on the ground.

NEPAD CEO Dr Mayaki said that PIDA was a revolution for Africa for two main reasons: “It has allowed Africa to think in the long term, as is the case with the AU’s Agenda 2063. We have also reached, through PIDA, critical regional priorities which were not the case in the sixties and seventies”, he said.

Adama Deen, Head of NEPAD’s Transport Programme, presenting the Sandton Roadmap 2014-15 a synthesis of outcomes on the PIDA Workshop in February 2013 and the PIDA implementation plan, which include project development, dometicrsource mobilisation, private sector engament and effective communications initiatives.

The NEPAD delegation  has a packed Agenda in Addis Ababa today, with the Heads of State and Government Orientation Committee Summit, and the launch of Agriculture in Africa, a joint NEPAD and AUC publication, as well as bilateral meetings with partners. The Agriculture in Africa book is developed within the context of sustaining the CAADP momentum and reflects debate and consultations on two key themes - Agenda 2063 and Post 2015 Agenda.