PIDA Week wraps up Nov. 18 with media conference

The inaugural Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA) week is underway and will culminate on Nov. 18 with a media conference entitled “Accelerating Infrastructure Implementation for Africa’s Integration.”

The goal of PIDA, a continent-wide initiative, is to take a deeper look at Africa's infrastructure shortcomings and how they are hindering the continent's efforts to compete in the global marketplace. The organization provides a central place for African stakeholders to meet, pinpoint challenges and develop solutions that will boost intra-African trade and the continent's socio-economic development.

The purpose of PIDA Week, organizers said, was "to help create synergies among the different PIDA-related meetings such as the Steering Committee, the Council for Infrastructure Development , the Infrastructure Consortium for Africa meetings, the NEPAD IPPF meeting and the Continental Business Network meeting that have so far been organized separately."

The week's activities, which have largely taken place at the African Development Bank headquarters in Abidjan, have included a variety of conference, educational and informational sessions and workshops and a PIDA site tour.