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Addis Ababa, 29 July 2010 - The Kick-Off Workshop of the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA) was held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on 29 and 30 July 2010, to build consensus on the way forward on how trans-boundary infrastructure development will help support delivery of the African Union Abuja Treaty and the creation of an African Economic Community by 2030.

The workshop built on the successful PIDA political and media launch held during the 24 July 2010 African Union Summit in Kampala, Uganda, where high level representatives including South African President Jacob Zuma reaffirmed the important role regional infrastructure has to play in supporting trade and regional economic integration. The Heads of state also made high level commitments to step up delivery of regional infrastructure in Africa.

Chaired by the African Union Infrastructure and Energy Commissioner, Elham Ibrahim, participants at the workshop including stakeholders and sponsors reiterated their support to the initiative and carefully analyzed the Inception Report.

"Regional Economic Communities, Member States, Specialized Institutions and Africa's development partners were fully supportive of the PIDA initiative and are ready to participate in its development and implementation," the participants resolved.

The PIDA is an initiative of the African Union Commission (AUC), the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) Planning and Coordinating Agency. It covers 4 key sectors: Energy, Transport, Information & Communication Technology (ICT) and Water (Trans-boundary). The initiative will be implemented in two major phases: study phase and implementation phase of the results of the study.

The main objective of PIDA is to maximize efforts and use of resources and to enable African stakeholders to speak with one voice on the basis of a common agenda and common vision for regional infrastructure development.

The specific objectives of the PIDA are to enable African decision-makers to:

Establish and implement a strategic framework for development of regional and continental infrastructure (energy, transport, information and communication technology and trans-boundary water) based on a development vision, strategic objectives and sector policies;

Establish and implement a program of development of such infrastructure, prioritized and divided into short, medium and long term phases and

Prepare a strategy and process for implementation of this program, including a plan of priority actions.

The outcomes of the implementation of the PIDA Study phase:

Sector Policies;

Regional and continental infrastructure Programs and Projects;

Priority actions plans;

Funding measures, monitoring and evaluation processes.

The planning time horizon considered by the PIDA is 2030, divided into short-term or priority action plan 2010-2015; medium-term 2016-2020, and long-term 2021-2030.

The total budget for the PIDA Study is estimated at €7.781 million with duration of eighteen (18) months. Hence completion of the study will be at the end of 2011.

The various governance organs of the study are in place. The PIDA sector studies practically began on 20 May 2010 following the selection and signing of a contract with a Consortium of Consulting Firms lead by SOFRECO. A series of meetings and validation workshops will be held throughout the implementation of the study to enable African Stakeholders to follow-up progress of the studies, make important inputs, and to take gradual ownership of the PIDA program.

Contacts

Lotfi Madani