Energy and transport sector projects dominate the East Africa market and present substantial opportunities, with the built environment in the region contributing 20 percent of the continent’s infrastructure construction and deals. This interview with stakeholders outlines trends in East Africa, the role of Chinese investments and challenges to obtain affordable capital due to high transaction costs.
Source: CNBC Africa
Reports suggest that a number of investors are keen to put their money into infrastructure projects in Africa. However many governments are unable to develop convincing proposals to tap into the funding. The new partnership for Africa’s development or NEPAD, has now set out on mission to fill in this gap. CCTV’s Girum Chala spoke to NEPAD’s CEO, Ibrahim Mayaki about this initiative.
Source: CGTN Africa
The AUC signed a five-year action plan with the People’s Republic of China in 2015 to advance the development of the flagship project of Africa’s continental Agenda 2063. The integrated high-speed rail network aims to promote economic development and cooperation in transportation, with an ultimate ambition of connecting all capitals across the continent. The 656 km Ethiopia- Djibouti electric cross-border railway is the first of its kind in Africa and forms the basis of discussions on this Talk Africa episode, with various stakeholders sharing perspectives on developments in railway infrastructure.
Source: Talk Africa
The meeting, which was held alongside the AfDB’s annual meetings in 2016, focused on the critical role that the private and public sectors ought to consider in de-risking the PIDA projects and thereby creating a platform to promote implementation thereof. The CBN was launched in June 2015 in response to the instruction by African Union Heads of State and Government to assimilate private sector expertise and leadership into crucial continent-wide infrastructure projects
Source: Africa Investor
The Kaleta dam is a 240 MW hydro-power plant located in Guinea, 115 km northeast of Conakry and 130 km upstream of the mouth of the Konkouré River. The project forms part of the OMVG Energy Project (Gambia River Basin Development Organisation) involving four countries, i.e The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau and Senegal. The construction of the dam was completed inJune 2015 and commissioned on 28 September at a cost of $526 million.
MoveAfrica seeks to address aspects of trade by exploring ways in which to drive down costs and increase efficiency of trans-boundary transportation and logistics; bearing in mind that much time is lost at border posts and at check points which has a direct bearing on the cost of transport, trade and industrial productivity. As Africa heads towards the establishment of the Continental Free Trade Area (CFTA) which will create a single continental market for goods and services, with free movement of business persons and investments. MoveAfrica is a perfect fit as it being a continental initiative aims to be private sector driven and complement the profile of the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA) Transport Project objectives as well as Boosting Intra Africa Trade (BIAT) and Accelerating Industrial Development in Africa (AIDA) Frameworks.
According to the Frost & Sullivan’s analysis of infrastructure development in Sub-Saharan Africa shows $174 billion dollars is being invested in transport and logistics infrastructure, while $28 billion dollars is being invested in the development of major Trans-African road, rail corridors and deep-sea ports in order to rapidly improve trade volumes in sub-Saharan Africa. Driving Forward discuss the connection between road, rail and ports with Bongani Mankewu, Chief Executive of the Rail Road Association of South Africa.
Source: CNBCAfrica
NEPAD CEO Dr Ibrahim Mayaki addressed a forum on Innovative Solutions to Job Creation for Africa’s Youth, on the sidelines of the UN’s Africa Week in New York. Dr Ibrahim Mayaki also pointed out that for Africa to deal with the 300 million unemployed youth, it would require structural transformation and industrialization of economies that is focused on rural areas.
Source: SABC Digital News
In principle, pension funds present a compelling natural fit to the longer-term liability profile of most infrastructure investments, with the primary appeal being the potential to deliver predictable cash flow streams over time and notable return on investment. NEPAD CEO, Dr Ibrahim Mayaki, addressed a forum and emphasised the development of a robust transparent and predictable legal framework as a critical requirement to unlock private investment for infrastructure development on the continent.
Source: ECA_Official Video Channel