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Namibia to host 2017 edition of NEPAD Programme for Infrastructure for Africa (PIDA) week

November 16, 2017

By Wallace Mawire SADC Ministers responsible for Transport and Meteorology have revealed that the 2017 edition of the NEPAD Programme for Infrastructure for Africa (PIDA) Week aimed at highlighting infrastructure development in Africa would be hosted by Namibia. In a recent communique released in Malawi by the ministers, PIDA week is hosted on a rotational basis and this year it is SADC’s turn. Ministers agreed to support Namibia and to participate in PIDA Week activities and meetings from 10 to 14 December 2017 in Swakopmund, Namibia. At the Malawi meeting, ministers analyzed the sluggish implementation of cross-border infrastructure projects through the lens of national ownership of the regional programmes. They concluded that regional cross-border infrastructure, particularly in the areas of transport, and meteorology, has the potential to facilitate intra-regional trade and investment including unlocking national and regional comparative advantages. Ministers underscored the need to address the special needs of landlocked countries to access the rest of the world. Ministers concluded that partnership is the main strategy to implement regional projects. They also agreed that placing regional projects on the national agenda is the core of creating an enabling environment, because the projects only kick off after they get attention of national politicians and policy makers. The ministers have also reported that the high ratio of landlocked countries, the long distances to gateway ports, the lack of an integrated and liberalised road transport market in the East and Southern African regions pose numerous obstacles and impediments to trade. The ministers also noted that to bring a solution to the challenges the Tripartite Transport and Transit Facilitation Programmes (TTTFP) that they approved in 2015 has since been approved by COMESA and the EAC. Ministers also noted that the Tripartite Ministers responsible for Infrastructure launched the TTTFP in Dar es Salaam Tanzania as it is a Tripartite flagship programme. SADC Secretariat on behalf of the Tripartite coordinates the programme. The TTTFP purpose is to develop and implement harmonised road transport policies, laws, regulations and standards for efficient cross border road transport and transit networks, transport and logistics services, systems and procedures in the Tripartite region. According to the Programme for Infrastructure for Africa (PIDA) more needs to be done to improve railways operations so that at least 30% of Africa’s international traffic is moved by rail. It is reported that through the implementation of the Regional Railway Revitalization Initiative (RRI) Pilot Rail Study Project, the NEPAD Business Foundation commenced execution of the North South Corridor Study in February 2017.

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