Roads in Africa

Abstract

The purpose of this report is to provide a picture of the present situation and future prospects for roads and road transport in Africa. It should thus serve as general background information in studying and assessing the particular needs and priorities in the development of road transport. The present paper concentrates mainly on providing statistical information and a description of international road connections of African countries. Thus, it only covers part of the vast field of road transport. This report is concerned exclusively with roads, which, however, are only a part of the transport system. Al though the role of road transport in the economies of the developing countries is becoming increasingly important, its share as compared to railways and inland waterways varies greatly from one country to another. Thus, the assessment of the adequacy or inadequacy of the transport system of a country cannot be based only on the investigation of its position as regards road transport. The basic function of all transport systems is to move persons and goods from a place to another and this function is not always most efficiently and economically satisfied by road transport and very rarely by road transport alone.