The inadequate infrastructure on the African continent is widely accepted as a hindrance to sustainable economic growth and poverty reduction, both from the perspective of business in terms of competitiveness and that of government; which is in pursuit of delivering economic and social development policies.

Road access, electricity provision, the availability and use of water resources as well as internet penetration are all below par on the continent relative to other parts of the developing world, leading to increased production and transaction costs which collectively stunt Africa’s growth potential.

Recognising the clear impact of the perpetual infrastructure deficit on African competitiveness, a study of the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA) was carried out which considered the challenges, risks and requirements for development across four key sectors enabling regional integration. The PIDA Study Synthesis Report summarises the findings of the study and presents a strategic framework for regional infrastructure projects in four key sectors; namely Transport, Energy, Transboundary Water Resources, ICT Services. Furthermore, it presents a sector-by-sector Priority Action Programme (PAP) and an implementation strategy which singles out the significance of ownership among member states as a fundamental enabler for the success of regional infrastructure programmes.

The Synthesis Report was completed in 2011 and is available for download, along with individual reports for identified key sectors.