ADB/ECA Ministerial Round Table & High Level Seminars: infrastructure development and regional integration

Abstract

Statement by Abdoulie Janneh UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of ECA at the ADB/ECA Ministerial Round Table & High Level Seminars. Mr. Janneh, on his remarks highlighted that, 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. 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. 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.