The partners involved in implementing PIDA projects at different stages of the project cycle include development banks, other long-term lenders, project preparation facilities, and national, regional and international development agencies. The banks and partners provide credit and grants for financing and funding projects or support the development of policy and legal instruments together with institutional and capacity building.
PIDA provides a strategic framework for priority projects to transform Africa by constructing modern infrastructure to strengthen Africa’s competitiveness and integration into the global economy. Under the auspices of the African Union, the PIDA is jointly undertaken by AUC, AUDA-NEPAD, AfDB, UNECA, and RECs. The following presents the strategic framework:
Institutional Architecture for Infrastructure Development in Africa (IAIDA)
African Development Bank (AfDB)
The African Development Bank (AfDB) is the principal continental development bank providing capital through credit and grants to African States in infrastructure and a wide range of other sectors, including agriculture and industry. AfDB has provided over USD 7 billion in financing for PIDA PAP1 projects (2012-2020)
United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA)
The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) played a critical role as one of the leading agencies in advocating for the implementation of PIDA at various global and strategic partnership platforms. UNECA worked closely with the AUC and -AUDA-NEPAD to identify PIDA projects to be showcased in mobilising the needed resources through national and regional financing, capital markets, the private sector, and development partners
Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)
Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has supported capacity development at institutional and human levels and physical infrastructure development in Africa. The specific areas where support to PIDA has been provided include the corridor development approach, reinforcement of resource mobilisation efforts through the PIDA information system, and enhancement of continental connectivity and trade facilitation.
World Bank Group (WBG)
The World Bank Group is one of the major development partners of PIDA, providing financial resources, technical assistance, and policy advice to support PIDA implementation. The World Bank is leading in developing the capacity to undertake project identification, scoping, and supporting further downstream project preparation to financial closure. Under project identificationin the four infrastructure sectors, the Bank has continued to facilitate the conducting of needs assessment to determine priority projects that will provide the highest impact by enhancing regional connectivity in transport, trading in energy to address the supply of power and other sources of energy and sharing of transboundary water resources.
Infrastructure Consortium for Africa (ICA)
The Infrastructure Consortium for Africa (ICA) is one of the most important fora for resource mobilisation to provide funds for developing infrastructure in Africa. It was established in July 2005 following the G8 decision at its Summit in Gleneagles (UK) to support and strengthen Africa’s transport, water, energy, and ICT infrastructure. ICA operates through a tripartite arrangement comprising bilateral development partners, African institutions, and multilateral institutions.
Development Banks
Development banks are critical in funding project preparation, lending for PIDA project development and operation, and supporting policy development and capacity building in the African states and RECs. Development banks currently lending to PIDA include AfDB, DBSA, ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID), and various African regional and national development banks. The following is a snapshot of some of the most notable regional development banks to support PIDA implementation.
Regional Economic Communities (RECs)
The Regional Economic Communities (RECs) are crucial in PIDA implementation. The RECs act as knowledge banks for PIDA, be the contact points with PIDA leading agencies (AUC, AUDA-NEPAD, AfDB, UNECA), act as promoters of PIDA, and track the progress of PIDA projects. They can also act as surrogate lead agencies, particularly
for multi-country projects.
Germany African Union Development Cooperation
Germany via the Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) has been and continues to be a key proactive strategic partner to the African Union on a wide range of developmental programmes and continental reforms. One of the major reforms has been in the infrastructure sector where strategic support was provided via GIZ that led to the conceptualisation and development of a continental wide portfolio of cross border projects in the water, energy, transport, and ICT sectors.