Addis Ababa — The Economic Commission for Africa will be hosting a regional forum from 24-26 July 2014, at the UN Conference Centre on the theme: "Boosting Market Integration and Intra-African Trade through Effective Management of Regional Transport Infrastructure and Services". The meeting aims to assess the implementation of cross-border transport infrastructure Projects in Africa.

The forum is being held in Ethiopia, a country which records a high level of implementation of transport projects and infrastructure. The host government will offer participants with the opportunity to travel on a study tour of one of its major transport infrastructure projects.

The forum aims to contribute to efforts to address emerging trade issues, particularly around the role of how to manage cross-border transport infrastructure and services in order to strengthening market integration and enhance intra-African trade. It will also enable different stakeholders to exchange information and experiences on issues surrounding the relationship between trade and transport.

Among several objectives, participants will discuss the role of transport infrastructure and services in regional trade; as well as mainstreaming trade in transport projects as a strategy for resource mobilization, particularly in the context of the Aid for Trade initiative. There will be an exchange views on the challenges to the implementation of regional transport infrastructure projects. Updates will be provided on where Africa stands on the implementation of the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA) and other regional projects.

Expected at the meeting are representatives of national project implementation units/Agencies; associations of national road agencies, Regional Economic Communities (RECs), the African Union Commission Corridor Management Organisations, transport associations, development partners and international organizations.