This report summarizes the findings of the Study of the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA), a programme dedicated to facilitating continental integration in Africa through improved regional infrastructure. Designed to support implementation of the African Union Abuja Treaty and the creation of the African Economic Community, PIDA is a joint initiative of the African Union Commission (AUC), the New Partnership for Africa’s Development Planning and Coordination Agency (NPCA), and the African Development Bank (AfDB).
Infrastructure plays a key role in economic growth and poverty reduction. Conversely, the lack of infrastructure affects productivity and raises production and transaction costs, which hinders growth by reducing the competitiveness of businesses and the ability of governments to pursue economic and social development policies. Deficient infrastructure in today’s Africa has been found to sap growth by as much as 2% a year (Calderón 2008). This is a continental problem that requires a continental solution.
The lack of infrastructure in Africa is widely recognised. The road access rate is only 34%, compared with 50% in other parts of the developing world, and transport costs are higher by up to 100%. Only 30% of the population has access to electricity, compared to 70–90% in other parts of the developing world. Water resources are underused. Current levels of water withdrawal are low, with only 4% of water resources developed for water supply, irrigation and hydropower use, and with only about 18% of the continent’s irrigation potential being exploited. The Internet penetration rate is only about 6%, compared to an average of 40% elsewhere in the developing world.
Deficits like these have a clear impact on African competitiveness: African countries, particularly those south of the Sahara, are among the least competitive in the world, and infrastructure appears to be one of the most important factors holding them back.
The results of the PIDA study will enable African stakeholders to speak with one voice for continental and regional infrastructure development based on a common vision and agenda.
PIDA is grounded in regional and continental master plans and action plans as well as other relevant work undertaken by the African Union (AU), the regional economic communities (RECs), the regional and continental technical agencies (including the lake and river basin organizations (L/RBO) and power pools (PP)), and the concerned countries.
The proposed infrastructure development programme articulates short- (2020), medium-(2030), and long-term (2040) priorities for meeting identified infrastructure gaps in a manner consistent with the agreed strategic framework - based on long-term social and economic development visions, strategic objectives, and sector policies - and buttressed by an implementation strategy for the Priority Action Plan (PAP), 2012–20.
- Table of contents
1. WHY PIDA? WHY NOW?
2. A GROWING AFRICA
3. TRANSPORT OUTLOOK THROUGH 2040
4. ENERGY OUTLOOK THROUGH 2040
5. OUTLOOK FOR TRANSBOUNDARY WATER RESOURCES THROUGH 2040
6. OUTLOOK FOR ICT SERVICES THROUGH 2018
7. DOING THINGS DIFFERENTLY: A STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK FOR REGIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS
8. THE PRIORITY ACTION PLAN: A PORTFOLIO OF PROJECTS THAT WILL PROMOTE INTEGRATION AND GROWTH
9. IMPLEMENTING THE PAP: INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS TO OVERCOME FRAGMENTATION
10. RISKS TO PIDA—AND TO AFRICA
- Readers can access the 75 page report, dated September 2011, here.
Related article: Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa to be key feature of AU summit
The Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA) is to be a key topic of discussion in sessions of the Summit of African Heads of State and Government of the African Union in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from 23 to 30 January. The programme’s mandate is to accelerate the development of Africa’s regional and continental infrastructure.
PIDA will feature in several sessions, but notable among them will be the 26th meeting of the New Partnership for African Development Heads of State and Government Committee on 28 January. The meeting is expected to approve the recommendations and recommend adoption of the PIDA study by the summit. The PIDA study is a joint initiative by the African Union Commission, the NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency and AfDB. It was officially launched in July 2010 at the fifteenth summit of the African Union held in Kampala, Uganda.
The summit’s adoption of the PIDA study will result in the development of concrete steps for its implementation. PIDA promotes the development of regional and continental infrastructure projects in transport, energy, information and telecommunications technologies, as well as trans-boundary water in order to accelerate the physical integration of Africa, boost intra-African trade, and raise African competitiveness in the global economy.
- Growth in Africa’s global competitiveness, including in agriculture and manufacturing
- Growth in Africa’s share of world trade, at least twice today’s share of two percent
- Creation of up to 15 million new jobs through construction, operation and maintenance of PIDA projects - millions more will be created indirectly through the increased economic activity the projects will generate
- A doubling of intra-African trade shares from the current levels of 11–12 percent
- The securing of water resources and basins for future generations
- Growth of ICT bandwidth by a factor of 20
- Access to electricity will be no less than 60 percent in any African countries, providing access to an additional 800 million people.
