The organisation that works to enhance and accelerate the development of Africa's infrastructure is to hold its annual meeting next week - focusing on the impact of the international financial crisis on Africa as a key issue on the agenda.
The 5th Annual Meeting of the Infrastructure Consortium for Africa (ICA), which helps improve lives and economic well-being on the continent by encouraging, supporting and promoting increased investment in infrastructure in Africa, will take place in Rome from 10-11 March 2009.
Hosted by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the meeting will be attended by senior representatives of G8 governments, multilateral agencies such as the African Development Bank, the World Bank, the European Commission, European Investment Bank, and by African institutions such as the African Union Commission, and Regional Economic Communities. Senior representatives of Chinese funding institutions and representatives of the Islamic Development Bank, the Arab Fund Coordination Group and India will also attend.
The meeting's agenda will include:
A workshop to review ICA's past performance based on findings of an independent evaluation and a discussion of strategic options for the ICA's future activity covering the period 2009-2011;
A major discussion of Africa's infrastructure priorities and the outcome of the recent African Union Summit, which was dedicated to infrastructure;
A presentation and discussion on results of the Africa Infrastructure Country Diagnostic (AICD) study;
Discussions on key financial issues such as risk mitigation and project brokering;
A special workshop, jointly hosted by the ICA and the Public-Private Infrastructure Advisory Facility (PPIAF), which will consider the global economic crisis and its impact on infrastructure in Africa.
Speaking ahead of the meeting, ICA Coordinator, Alex Rugamba, said: "This will be a landmark meeting for the ICA. The consortium plays an important catalysing role, bringing people together to increase investment in Africa's infrastructure to help Africa's people. The members of the consortium will be looking at how the ICA can strengthen and enhance its activity for the next three years."
"Consortium members will also concentrate their minds on the challenges facing infrastructure development in Africa due to the international financial crisis and how these might be overcome," he added.
Notes to Editors
Requests for pre-meeting interviews with the Infrastructure Consortium for Africa (ICA) and/or with key participants should be addressed to the ICA's Communications Consultant (details below).
A press conference will take place at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday, 11 March 2009 at 13:00 pm. For all attendance-related issues, please contact Mr Carlo Schillaci (e-mail: accreditamentostampa@esteri.it).
Hosted by the Italian government, the meeting will take place from 10-11 March 2009 at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Rome. The evaluation of ICA's performance and discussions on future strategic options, will take place at a special pre-meeting workshop on 9 March 2009.
The meeting will be co-chaired by the African Union Commissioner, Dr. Elham Mahmood Ahmed Ibrahim, and the AfDB Vice President for Infrastructure, Dr. Mandla Gantsho.
ICA's annual meeting is hosted by the country holding the Presidency of the G8. The 2008 meeting was held in Tokyo, Japan, in March 2008. Please visit www.icafrica.org/fileadmin/documents/Tokyo/Final_Outcome_Statement_ICA_Annual_Meeting_Tokyo.pdf for the outcomes statement from the 2008 meeting.
The role of the Infrastructure Consortium for Africa is to help improve lives and economic well-being on the continent by encouraging, supporting and promoting increased investment in infrastructure in Africa. Acting as a catalyst, the ICA works to enhance and accelerate the development of Africa's infrastructure and to help remove technical and policy barriers. The Infrastructure Consortium for Africa (ICA) was launched at the G8 Gleneagles Summit in 2005.
The ICA is supported by a small secretariat hosted by the African Development Bank. Members include G8 countries, the World Bank Group, the African Development Bank Group, the European Commission, the European Investment Bank and the Development Bank of Southern Africa.
