Infrastructure development key to promoting trade, gender equality, peace and security, says ECA’s Songwe

Abstract

The Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) will continue to support the LAPSSET Corridor Infrastructure Project linking the East African countries of Kenya, Ethiopia and South Sudan with the potential of increasing trade, peace, security and women’s development, its Executive Secretary Vera Songwe said on Monday. In a speech at a ministerial meeting to inspect projects under the corridor in Addis Ababa, Ms Songwe said the ECA was supporting the project, which connects the three countries by roads, rail and ports, not just as an infrastructure project but as a gender project that would see women traders benefit from lower costs of doing business that the facilities would engender.