African ministers commit to accelerate transport infra development

African ministers of transport and energy have adopted the decision recognizing the need to address the barriers affecting the continent including policy, regulatory, financial, technical and capacity challenges.

The ministers forged solutions at the just concluded AU’s 4th Ordinary Session of the Specialized Technical Committee on Transport, Transcontinental and Interregional Infrastructure, and Energy.

The cost of transportation in Africa is on average 50 – 175 percent higher than other parts of the world as a result of poor infrastructure.

About 60,000km and 100,000km of new roads are required to provide effective intracontinental connectivity in Africa by 2030.

The current pace of infrastructure development in Africa cannot keep up with rising demand from communities and markets, subsequently having an impact on Africa's competitiveness and participation in global markets.

The poor state of infrastructure has led to the reduction of national economic growth by 2 percent annually in most African countries and as much as 40 percent reduction in industrial productivity.

African Union extended a call to member states to fast-track the ratification process for the Road Safety Charter, the Maritime Transport Charter and the Luxembourg Protocol on railway rolling stock.

Additionally, to complete the harmonisation and domestication of the Yamoussoukro Decision, and to join the Project Implementation Pilot (PIP) initiative to accelerate the implementation of Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM).

As of September 2023, 36 Member States, representing 90% of air transport traffic, have joined SAATM. T

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