Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa's advisory group meets

In conjuction with the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa's (PIDA) first-ever PIDA Week, the Infrastructure Advisory Group (IAG) convened its second meeting at the African Development Bank's (AfDB) headquarters late last week in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.

PIDA is a continental effort that aims to improve Africa's infrastructure so that its nations' markets can become more competitive globally.

Attendees at the meeting included African Union Commission Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy Elham Ibrahim, NEPDAD Agency CEO Ibrahim Mayaki, African Union Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture Rhoda Peace Tumusiime and AfDB Regional Integration and Trade Department Director Moono Mupotola.

In her opening comments, Ibrahim went over the functions of the IAG with regard to infrastructure policies, program alignment with African priorities, and strategies for fund mobilization, lobbying and advocacy. Ibrahim said 2016 would be the midway mark for PIDA Priority Action Program (PIDA PAP) implementation and that the last four years of the plan would be the time to review priority projects for the last four years and to choose new priority projects for a 2030 completion.

Mayaki highlighted the NEPAD Agency’s role in implementing recommendations of the Dakar Financing Summit, including the launch of the PIDA Service Delivery Mechanism (SDM), Continental Business Network (CBN) and roundtable on Project Preparation Facilities (PPFs).

Representing the vice president in charge of infrastructure, regional integration and the private sector, Mupotola spoke about the AfDB’s dedication to infrastructure development and highlighted the bank's five priorities for the continent: light and power, food availability, integration, industrialization and improved quality of life for Africa's people.