By Nina Gabrielle Mich
The Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa dubbed PIDA Week adopted new and salutary recommendations for the transformation of Africa starting in 2019.
The PIDA week 2018, whose 4th session was hosted in Victoria Falls, Northern Zimbabwe saw over 4000 delegates in attendance adopt a series of recommendations.
Notable amongst these recommendations include the establishment of a platform to engender good governance to attract foreign direct investment(FDI). Another recommendation was to facilitate the inclusion of the private sector in PIDA priority projects, facilitate capacity building in the key sectors for the development of continental infrastructures, support efforts to accelerate the development of PIDA priority projects, particularly those located in cross-border areas likely to strengthen the regional integration process, said to be a prerequisite for growth, to intensify communication and attract more visibility on PIDA projects.
Initiatives such as PIDA will continue to get support from partner organizations says Mamadi Souare, Regional Manager in charge of the African Development Bank (AFDB) integration.
“This has been a successful PIDA Week, we will stay with PIDA, NEPAD it plays a better rule to attract investors,” said Mamadi.
Africa proposes to build modern, standards-compliant infrastructure based on financial models that would address the issue of finance and risk-sharing.
“In 2019 we are counting more on the African private sector, we have already started discussions to see how to build ICT-enabled smart infrastructure that will reduce wait times, transportation and fight against poverty and corruption, “says Sheikh Bedda, Director of Infrastructure and Energy at the African Union.
The reduction of internet costs is a solution to the infrastructure deficit for Africa which will count towards 1.6 billion inhabitants by 2020 noted Dr. Kuiri Tjipangandjara Chair of Global Water Partnership (GWPSA).
Véronique Moampea Mbio, Deputy General Manager of the CSPH in Cameroon saying “We have the same problems, one of the resolutions that I appreciate is that the regulators must work together by watching the activities of the governments which will make their actions in rural areas more tangible. We must keep hope. The public services of water, energy has a cost, the prices are imposed on us because we do not have the technology “.
