Conference of African Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development

Statement by Abdoulie Janneh
UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of ECA

Mr. Chairman;
Dr. Donald Kaberuka, President, African Development Bank;
Dr. Maxwell Mkwezalamba, AU Commissioner for Economic Affairs;
Honourable Ministers;
Colleagues;
Ladies and Gentlemen;

It is a privilege and honour to welcome you all to the fourth African Development Bank Symposium jointly sponsored with by the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and the African Development Bank .

Let me begin by thanking their Excellencies President Compaore, President Kagame, President Guebuza and President Sirleaf for being with us today. Your presence here clearly demonstrates your profound commitment to the economic development of Africa.

African countries are vigorously pursuing programmes of regional co-operation and integration so as to achieve robust and self-sustaining economic growth and development on the continent and also for the continent to be a significant partner in the global economy. However, for African countries to participate effectively in the g lobalization process as well as deepen regional integration r equire s the development of an integrated transport network , efficient supply of energy and ICTs . We should also promote public-private partnerships in infrastructure development and mobilize resources by creating awareness and organizing investment forums and consultative meetings with donors.

Historically, ECA has been instrumental in infrastructure development on the continent. The commission spearheaded a number of important projects under the two decades declared by the UN General Assembly as the United Nations Transport and Communications Decade in Africa (UNTACDA I and UNTACDA II). Noting the special infrastructure needs of sub-Saharan African countries, ECA and the World Bank jointly launched the Sub-Saharan Africa Transport Policy Program (SSATP) in 1987 to promote and facilitate integrated policies and strategies for transport sector capacity building. The ECA, in collaboration with the AU, AfDB, SSATP and other stakeholders, has developed transport targets and corresponding indicators related to achieving the MDGs. These targets and indicators were adopted by African ministers responsible for transport in 2005 and endorsed at the AU Summit in Libya in the same year. The ECA is also involved in programmes and policies, which promotes sustainable development of energy, water and ICTs.

The Commission for Africa estimates that Africa's infrastructure development would cost US$20 billion a year. In light of this, there is the need for the World Bank, European Union, African Development Bank and other multilateral agencies to scale up their funding for the development of Africa's infrastructure. African countries would also have to devise alternative financing mechanism for the development of its infrastructure.

As most of you are aware, in 2005 an Infrastructure Consortium for Africa was created, with the secretariat based at the AfDB. The consortium, which is made up of the AU, AfDB, the G8 countries, the EU, and the World Bank, is expected to broker and target funding for priority regional infrastructure projects in Africa. Given the significant contributions being made by the ECA in the promotion of transport programmes and policies on the continent, a call has gone out for us to join the consortium. We plan to do that and host the next meeting of the consortium.

It is the dream of our leaders to achieve continental integration. This dream would not be realized if there is no physical integration. Physical integration would require the connectivity of transport modal links among countries and across sub-regions. In other words, African countries, with the assistance of the RECs, need to strengthen their plans of having an integrated network of roads, railways, maritime transport, inland waterways, and civil aviation. In addition, there is the need for the RECs to prepare and implement harmonized laws, standards, regulations, and procedures to ensure the smooth flow of goods and services and to reduce transport costs. We should also promote public-private partnerships in infrastructure development and mobilize resources by creating awareness and organizing investment forums and consultative meetings with donors. Furthermore, for the infrastructure to play its significant and potential role of regional integration, African leaders should ensure the implementation of regional and sub-regional initiatives, and fulfil their commitments.

Today's ministerial round table discussions and high-level seminars are very important and useful for the promotion and strengthening of infrastructure on the continent. It is my expectation that at the end of the day we would achieve a common understanding on: (1) a continental infrastructure policy framework for Africa; (2) innovative financial mechanisms for infrastructure development; (3) a “Way Forward” for financing Africa's infrastructure development; and (4) common strategies for key the institutions (AU, AfDB, ECA and RECs) involved in regional integration and infrastructure developments.

On behalf of the ECA, I thank you all for participating in this august meeting. We wish you a fruitful and successful meeting.







	ADB/ECA Ministerial Round Table & High Level Seminars Infrastructure Development and Regional Integration Statement by Abdoulie Janneh UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of ECA 16 May 2006 Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso Mr. Chairman; Dr. Donald Kaberuka, President, African Development Bank; Dr. Maxwell Mkwezalamba, AU Commissioner for Economic Affairs; Honourable Ministers; Colleagues; Ladies and Gentlemen; It is a privilege and honour to welcome you all to the fourth African Development Bank Symposium jointly sponsored with by the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and the African Development Bank . Let me begin by thanking their Excellencies President Compaore, President Kagame, President Guebuza and President Sirleaf for being with us today. Your presence here clearly demonstrates your profound commitment to the economic development of Africa. African countries are vigorously pursuing programmes of regional co-operation and integration so as to achieve robust and self-sustaining economic growth and development on the continent and also for the continent to be a significant partner in the global economy. However, for African countries to participate effectively in the g lobalization process as well as deepen regional integration r equire s the development of an integrated transport network , efficient supply of energy and ICTs . We should also promote public-private partnerships in infrastructure development and mobilize resources by creating awareness and organizing investment forums and consultative meetings with donors. Historically, ECA has been instrumental in infrastructure development on the continent. The commission spearheaded a number of important projects under the two decades declared by the UN General Assembly as the United Nations Transport and Communications Decade in Africa (UNTACDA I and UNTACDA II). Noting the special infrastructure needs of sub-Saharan African countries, ECA and the World Bank jointly launched the Sub-Saharan Africa Transport Policy Program (SSATP) in 1987 to promote and facilitate integrated policies and strategies for transport sector capacity building. The ECA, in collaboration with the AU, AfDB, SSATP and other stakeholders, has developed transport targets and corresponding indicators related to achieving the MDGs. These targets and indicators were adopted by African ministers responsible for transport in 2005 and endorsed at the AU Summit in Libya in the same year. The ECA is also involved in programmes and policies, which promotes sustainable development of energy, water and ICTs. Distinguished Guests; The Commission for Africa estimates that Africa's infrastructure development would cost US$20 billion a year. In light of this, there is the need for the World Bank, European Union, African Development Bank and other multilateral agencies to scale up their funding for the development of Africa's infrastructure. African countries would also have to devise alternative financing mechanism for the development of its infrastructure. As most of you are aware, in 2005 an Infrastructure Consortium for Africa was created, with the secretariat based at the AfDB. The consortium, which is made up of the AU, AfDB, the G8 countries, the EU, and the World Bank, is expected to broker and target funding for priority regional infrastructure projects in Africa. Given the significant contributions being made by the ECA in the promotion of transport programmes and policies on the continent, a call has gone out for us to join the consortium. We plan to do that and host the next meeting of the consortium. It is the dream of our leaders to achieve continental integration. This dream would not be realized if there is no physical integration. Physical integration would require the connectivity of transport modal links among countries and across sub-regions. In other words, African countries, with the assistance of the RECs, need to strengthen their plans of having an integrated network of roads, railways, maritime transport, inland waterways, and civil aviation. In addition, there is the need for the RECs to prepare and implement harmonized laws, standards, regulations, and procedures to ensure the smooth flow of goods and services and to reduce transport costs. We should also promote public-private partnerships in infrastructure development and mobilize resources by creating awareness and organizing investment forums and consultative meetings with donors. Furthermore, for the infrastructure to play its significant and potential role of regional integration, African leaders should ensure the implementation of regional and sub-regional initiatives, and fulfil their commitments. Today's ministerial round table discussions and high-level seminars are very important and useful for the promotion and strengthening of infrastructure on the continent. It is my expectation that at the end of the day we would achieve a common understanding on: (1) a continental infrastructure policy framework for Africa; (2) innovative financial mechanisms for infrastructure development; (3) a “Way Forward” for financing Africa's infrastructure development; and (4) common strategies for key the institutions (AU, AfDB, ECA and RECs) involved in regional integration and infrastructure developments. Ladies and Gentlemen; On behalf of the ECA, I thank you all for participating in this august meeting. We wish you a fruitful and successful meeting.