Integrated Corridor Approach for Infrastructure Development: Knowledge Sharing Webinar

Background

The Integrated Corridor Approach is a multi-infrastructure corridor approach to infrastructure development that works toward a more prosperous Africa by emphasizing projects that maximize job creation and climate friendliness. The approach also contributes to continental integration by prioritizing projects that improve connectivity between urban and rural areas and link different infrastructure sectors together, which if developed together would cost less and develop cross-sectoral synergies. Projects curated this way also guarantee a people-driven Africa as they strengthen the role of women through gender-sensitive infrastructure.

The concept of Integrated Corridor Approach was reinforced during the 2017 PIDA Week held in Swakopmund, Namibia, December 10-14, 2017, where in the Final Communique, the parties undertook to “promote integrated corridor development using data-driven decision-making models to prioritize projects”. Consequently, the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa second Priority Action Plan Phase 2, known as PIDA PAP 2 (2021-2030) sets this approach as its conceptual basis and one of the major project selection criteria.

Therefore, the underlying concept for the implementation of PIDA-PAP 2 will be to promote an integrated, multi-sectorial corridor approach that is employment-oriented, gender-sensitive, and climate-friendly and that connects urban/industrial hubs with rural areas.

Through a series of initiatives taken by Tokyo International Conference on Africa’s Development (TICAD), which is a multilateral platform for Africa’s development, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) identified three corridors as one of their priority intervention areas, namely Northern corridor, Nacala corridor, and West Africa Growth Ring. Three Strategic Corridors Development Master Plan were developed and quite a number of projects that are identified on the Plan are currently at implementation stage.

In furtherance of their partnership, AUDA-NEPAD and JICA are working on strengthening  corridor development by sharing experiences and good practices on various corridors in Africa and learning from JICA’s experience in other regions  in Asia.

To this end, AUDA-NEPAD and JICA  will co-organize a series of webinars on corridor development, the first of which will be held on May 19, 2020.

Main Objectives

• Share knowledge, experiences and lessons learnt accumulated by PIDA projects implementation process by AUDA-NEPAD and JICA’s three corridor development masterplans
• Formulate collective multi sectoral project(s) along the targeted corridors
• Identify the area of collaboration among various international development partners and enhance synergies for accelerating integrated corridor approach

In line with the prevailing conditions of COVID-19, the webinar will also consider the potential impacts of COVID-19 and how Africa’s infrastructure development will emerge from the crisis and shape Africa’s recovery.