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REVISION OF THE AU/NEPAD 
AFRICAN ACTION PLAN 2010 _2015 
Abridged Report 2010_2012 
Advancing Regional and 
Continental Integration in Africa 
Together through Shared Values 
THE NEW PARTNERSHIP FOR AFRICA'S DEVELOPMENT 
NEPAD 
A PROGRAMME OF THE AFRICAN UNION
Citation 
Revision of the AU/NEPAD AFRICAN ACTION PLAN 2010–2015: 
Advancing Regional and Continental Integration Together through Shared Values 
Abridged Report 2010–2012 
Acknowledgement 
The management of the NEPAD Agency would like to thank the African Development Bank management for 
providing the technical and financial resources for the preparation of the revised AU/NEPAD African Action Plan 
and the Abridged Report. 
Credits 
This report is published by the NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency (NEPAD Agency). Content from this 
report may be freely reprinted, with attribution to the NEPAD Agency, and a copy of the reproduced content 
would be appreciated. Copyrighted photos may not be reproduced. 
Correspondence may be addressed to: 
Physical Address 
NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency 
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New Road & 6th Road 
Midridge Office Park 
Corner of Challenger & Columbia Avenue 
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Midrand 
Johannesburg 1685 
South Africa 
Postal Address 
PO Box 1234 
Halfway House 
Midrand 
Johannesburg 1685 
South Africa 
Tel: +27 (0) 11 256 3600 
Fax: +27 (0) 11 206 3762 
Emails: info@nepad.org 
media@nepad.org 
Website: www.nepad.org 
(c) NEPAD 2011
Contents 
Acronyms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 
Executive Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 
Background, rationale and objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 
Inputs to the AAP revision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 
Revised AU/NEPAD African Action Plan 2010–2015 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 
The Road Map: way forward . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 
1. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 
1.1 Background . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 
1.2 AU/NEPAD guiding principles and current conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 
1.3 Context and rationale of the review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 
2. Approach to Revising the AAP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 
2.1 Consultations with stakeholders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 
2.2 Selection of programmes and projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 
2.3 Prioritisation of programmes and projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 
2.4 Sequencing, monitoring and managing programmes and projects . . . . . . . .13 
2.5 Content reliability and costing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 
2.6 Sectoral objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 
2.7 Priority programmes and projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 
2.8 Cost of implementing the Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 
3. Infrastructure: Energy, Transport, ICT and Transboundary Water Sectors . . . . . . . . . . .16 
3.1 Energy: towards a sustainable energy future for Africa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 
3.1.1 Energy and regional integration in Africa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 
3.1.2 Partners in energy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 
3.1.3 AU/NEPAD's strategic focus in energy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 
3.2 Transport: enhancing mobility for Africans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23 
3.2.1 Transport and regional integration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24 
3.2.2 Partners in transport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24 
3.2.3 AU/NEPAD strategic focus in transport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24 
3.3 Information and communication technology (ICT): 
bridging Africa's digital divide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28 
3.3.1 ICT and regional integration in Africa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29 
3.3.2 Partners in ICT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29 
3.3.3 AU/NEPAD's strategic focus in ICT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30 
3.4 Transboundary water: advancing regional cooperation in 
water resource management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32 
3.4.1 Water and regional integration in Africa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32 
ABRIDGED REPORT 2010–2012 www.nepad.org 3
Contents continued... 
3.4.2 Partners in transboundary water . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33 
3.4.3 AU/NEPAD's strategic focus in transboundary water . . . . . . . . . . . .33 
4. Gender Development: Advancing Gender Equality in Africa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35 
4.1 Gender development and regional integration in Africa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35 
4.2 AU/NEPAD's strategic focus in gender development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36 
5. Cross-Cutting Sectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39 
5.1 Trade, industry, market access and private-sector development: advancing 
Africa's competitiveness in the global marketplace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39 
5.1.1 Trade, industry, market access and private-sector 
development and regional integration in Africa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39 
5.1.2 Partners in trade, industry, market access and 
private-sector development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40 
5.1.3 AU/NEPAD's strategic focus in trade, industry, market access and 
private-sector development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40 
5.2 Environment and climate change: promoting sustainability 
and stewardship for Africa's ecosystems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40 
5.2.1 Regional integration in environment and climate change in Africa . . .41 
5.2.2 Partners in environment and climate change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41 
5.2.3 AU/NEPAD's strategic focus in environment and climate change . . .42 
5.3 Governance: towards a democratic future for Africa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42 
5.3.1 Governance and regional integration in Africa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43 
5.4 Capacity development: building a capable and responsive 
leadership for Africa's future . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43 
5.4.1 Capacity development and regional integration in Africa . . . . . . . . .44 
5.4.2 Partners in capacity development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44 
5.4.3 AU/NEPAD's strategic focus in capacity development . . . . . . . . . . .44 
6. Implementation of the Revised AAP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45 
6.1 Success factors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45 
6.2 Financing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45 
6.3 Financing to accelerate programme and project implementation . . . . . . . . .46 
6.4 Accessing sources of programme and project financing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46 
6.5 Monitoring, managing and evaluating the AAP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48 
6.6 Institutional support to AAP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48 
6.7 Revisions and stakeholder engagement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49 
6.8 Stakeholder engagement and wider dissemination of the AAP . . . . . . . . . . .49 
7. The Road Map: the Way Forward . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49 
4 REVISION OF THE AU/NEPAD AFRICAN ACTION PLAN 2010–2015
Acronyms 
AAP . . . . . . . . .AU/NEPAD African Action Plan 
AfDB . . . . . . . .African Development Bank 
AFFM . . . . . . . .African Fertiliser Financing Mechanism 
AGRA . . . . . . . .Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa 
AIDS . . . . . . . . .Acquired immune deficiency syndrome 
AMCOW . . . . . .African Ministers' Council on Water 
APCI . . . . . . . . .African Productive Capacity Initiative 
APF . . . . . . . . .Africa Partnership Forum 
APRM . . . . . . . .Africa Peer Review Mechanism 
AU . . . . . . . . . .African Union 
AUC . . . . . . . . .African Union Commission 
AWF . . . . . . . . .African Water Facility 
BPFA . . . . . . . .Beijing Platform for Action 
CAADP . . . . . . .Comprehensive Africa Agriculture 
. . . . . . . . . . . .Development Programme 
CAB . . . . . . . . .Central Africa Broadband Network 
CA-BI . . . . . . . .Central Africa Broadband Infrastructure 
. . . . . . . . . . . .Programme 
CAMI . . . . . . . .Conference of African Ministers of Industry 
CASSy . . . . . . .Central Africa Submarine System 
CDI . . . . . . . . . .Capacity Development Initiative (NEPAD) 
CDM . . . . . . . . .Clean Development Mechanism 
CDSF . . . . . . . .Capacity Development Strategic 
. . . . . . . . . . . .Framework 
CEDAW . . . . . .Convention on the Elimination of all Forms 
. . . . . . . . . . . .of Discrimination Against Women 
CEN-SAD . . . . .Community of Sahel-Saharan States 
CEPGL . . . . . . .Economic Community of the Great Lakes 
COMESA . . . . .Common Market for Eastern and 
. . . . . . . . . . . .Southern Africa 
CSO . . . . . . . . .Civil society organisation 
DFID . . . . . . . . .Department for International Development 
. . . . . . . . . . . .(UK) 
DRC . . . . . . . . .Democratic Republic of the Congo 
EAC . . . . . . . . .East African Community 
ECA . . . . . . . . .United Nations Economic Commission 
. . . . . . . . . . . .for Africa 
ECCAS . . . . . . .Economic Community of Central 
. . . . . . . . . . . .African States 
ECOWAS . . . . .Economic Community of West 
. . . . . . . . . . . .African States 
EIB . . . . . . . . . .European Investment Bank 
EU . . . . . . . . . .European Union 
FARA . . . . . . . .Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa 
G8 . . . . . . . . . .Group of Eight 
GDP . . . . . . . . .Gross domestic product 
GEF . . . . . . . . .Global Environment Facility 
GID . . . . . . . . . .Gender, Institutions and Development 
. . . . . . . . . . . .Database 
GSM . . . . . . . . .Global System for Mobile Communications 
GTZ . . . . . . . . .German Agency for Technical Cooperation 
HIV . . . . . . . . . .Human immunodeficiency virus 
HSGIC . . . . . . .Heads of State and Government 
. . . . . . . . . . . .Implementation Committee (NEPAD) 
HSGOC . . . . . .Heads of State and Government 
. . . . . . . . . . . .Orientation Committee (NEPAD) 
ICA . . . . . . . . . .Infrastructure Consortium for Africa 
ICF . . . . . . . . . .Investment Climate Facility 
ICT . . . . . . . . . .Information and communication technology 
IDA . . . . . . . . . .International Development Association 
IGAD . . . . . . . .Intergovernmental Authority on 
. . . . . . . . . . . .Development 
IPPF . . . . . . . . .Infrastructure Project Preparation Facility 
JICA . . . . . . . . .Japan International Cooperation Agency 
LVBC . . . . . . . .Lake Victoria Basin Commission 
MDGs . . . . . . . .Millennium Development Goals 
MIP . . . . . . . . .Minimum Integration Programme 
MW . . . . . . . . .Megawatt 
NBI . . . . . . . . . .Nile Basin Initiative 
NEPAD . . . . . . .New Partnership for Africa's Development 
NERICA . . . . . .New Rice for Africa 
NSAS . . . . . . . .Nubian Sandstone Aquifer System 
OAU . . . . . . . . .Organisation of African Unity 
ODA . . . . . . . . .Official development assistance 
OECD . . . . . . . .Organisation for Economic Co-operation 
. . . . . . . . . . . .and Development 
OMVS . . . . . . . .Organisation pour la mise en valeur du 
. . . . . . . . . . . .Fleuve Sénégal 
PIDA . . . . . . . . .Programme for Infrastructure Development 
. . . . . . . . . . . .in Africa 
PPP . . . . . . . . .Public–private partnership 
REC . . . . . . . . .Regional Economic Community 
SADC . . . . . . . .Southern African Development Community 
SAPP . . . . . . . .Southern African Power Pool 
SATA . . . . . . . .Southern Africa Telecommunications 
. . . . . . . . . . . .Association 
SREAP . . . . . . .Sub-regional Environmental Action Plan 
STAP . . . . . . . .Short-Term Action Plan (NEPAD) 
UHURUNET . . .Submarine cable of NEPAD ICT Broadband 
. . . . . . . . . . . .Infrastructure Network 
UMA . . . . . . . . .Arab Maghreb Union/ 
. . . . . . . . . . . .Union du Maghreb Arabe 
UMOJANET . . .Terrestrial network of NEPAD ICT 
. . . . . . . . . . . .Broadband Infrastructure Network 
UNDP . . . . . . . .United Nations Development Programme 
UNEP . . . . . . . .United Nations Environment Programme 
WTO . . . . . . . . .World Trade Organization 
ABRIDGED REPORT 2010–2012 www.nepad.org 5
Executive 
Summary 
Introduction 
‘Towards Greater Unity and Integration through Shared 
Values’, then to increase the rate of implementation of 
regional infrastructure projects and programmes, AU/NEPAD 
will prioritise projects whose sponsors have strong ‘Shared 
Value’ credentials and subscribe to the principles of good 
governance, anti-corruption, and rule of law, etc. 
Mainstreaming of gender in infrastructure, particularly for 
the attainment of the MDGs, will be a key objective of the 
short term AAP 2010–2012. 
Background, rationale and 
objectives 
The AU/NEPAD African Action Plan (AAP) is the defining 
statement of Africa's current priority programmes and 
projects related to the promotion of regional and continental 
integration, anchored in the Guiding Principles of the New 
Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD). The 10th 
meeting of the Africa Partnership Forum (APF) in Tokyo in 
2008 recommended the revision of the AAP. The present 
report is an Abridged Version of the revised Plan. 
The African Development Bank, on behalf of the NEPAD 
Agency, was tasked to carry out a review and revision of the 
AU/NEPAD African Action Plan (AAP). 
The revised AU/NEPAD African Action Plan 2010–2015: 
Advancing Regional and Continental Integration was 
validated in June 2009 in Tunis, and was then endorsed by 
the Heads of State and Government Implementation 
Committee (HSGIC) and the African Partnership Forum 
(APF) in January 2010. In order to implement the revised 
AAP, it will be launched formally in January 2011 at the 24th 
HSGOC and 16th AU Summit. 
A critical next step for the AAP is the development of a 
Road Map for the implementation of a short-term priority 
action plan (PAP), focusing on Infrastructure as priority for 
the period: 2010–2012. The prioritisation of the AAP (the 
Abridged version) for implementation in the short term is 
necessary, for the following reasons: 
 To fast track the implementation of key projects through 
accelerated financial closure, of the African Action Plan 
priority action plan (PAP). 
 PIDA: The need to combine previous infrastructure 
flagship programmes, such as the NEPAD Short-Term 
Action Plan (STAP) and the infrastructure component of 
the African Action Plan (AAP), into a common 
AU/NEPAD priority infrastructure programme, i.e., the 
Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa 
(PIDA): 2010–2040. 
The Abridged AAP Report contains a snapshot of the 
African Action Plan Infrastructure priority action plan (PAP) 
for the period, 2010–2012. The report covers 23 
Infrastructure projects in Energy (5), Transport (9), ICT (6) 
and Transboundary Water (3), as well as two Gender 
Development programmes, with an estimated net resource 
requirement of US$9.3 billion, for such projects to reach 
financial closure. As the theme of the 16th AU Summit is 
The AU/NEPAD African Action Plan (AAP) was originally 
conceived and developed in 2005/2006 in a drive to fast 
track the implementation of Africa's development and 
initiatives, including the MDGs. It consists, primarily, of the 
current priority programmes and projects with high potential 
impact on regional integration in Africa and requiring co-ordination 
at the continental level. 
The AAP is intended as a platform for dialogue with 
international African partners, to raise resources for much 
needed public and private investment and to monitor and 
evaluate progress. The 10th meeting of the Africa Partnership 
Forum (APF) in Tokyo found that the 2008 version of the 
Plan, estimated to cost US$115 billion, lacked context for 
its priorities, a clear indication of the status of projects, and 
a reliable basis for resource requirements. As a result, the 
African Development Bank (AfDB), together with the African 
Union Commission (AUC), NEPAD Secretariat and the UN 
Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), were mandated by 
the African Union (AU) and NEPAD to revise the AAP, with 
the overarching objective of producing a revised AAP with 
buy-in from all stakeholders. 
6 REVISION OF THE AU/NEPAD AFRICAN ACTION PLAN 2010–2015
Inputs to the AAP revision 
 Stage 1: Programme/Project Identification 
 Stage 2: Feasibility/Needs Assessment 
 Stage 3: Programme/Project Structuring and Promotion 
 Stage 4: Implementation and Operations. 
Each programme or project was set at one of these stages. 
Thus, users of the Plan can easily understand which 
development steps would normally have been 
accomplished, and may evaluate the reliability of the 
information presented accordingly. 
The Programme/Project Development Stage model was 
used to substantially redress the unmethodical use of 
costing figures encountered in previous versions of the Plan. 
Where Stage 2 or Stage 3 studies had been done (i.e., 
preliminary or detailed design), implementation cost 
estimates were accepted. Where such cost estimates were 
not available, the cost of studies needed to refine an 
initiative and move it to the next stage was identified as the 
relevant cost. Financing commitments were identified for 
each programme or project. Using this methodology, 
costing and net resource requirements were identified for all 
priority programmes and projects in the Plan. 
This framework also provides a useful structure for 
monitoring and managing the implementation of the Plan. It 
would enable the NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency 
(NPCA) to measure and report on the progress of each 
initiative from stage to stage towards implementation, to 
judge whether the normal steps and standards have been 
achieved and to identify gaps to be filled in and barriers to 
be overcome. It will also assist proponents to plan the 
sequence of steps to be taken to bring their initiatives to 
reality. 
Revised AU/NEPAD African 
Action Plan 2010–2015 
The review and revision process took place over a five-month 
period, between January and June 2009. 
 Consultations were held with the four lead institutions 
(AfDB, AUC, NEPAD Secretariat and ECA). 
 Field visits were made to each of the eight Regional 
Economic Communities (RECs) and a final validation 
seminar was held with the RECs in June. 
 Discussions were held with international partners and 
stakeholders. 
 Progress was reviewed by the NEPAD Steering 
Committee in May and September 2009 and the draft 
Plan was endorsed by the 13th AU Summit and 21st 
NEPAD HSGIC in June/July 2009. 
 The NEPAD Steering Committee determined that a five-year 
timeframe, 2010–2015, would be appropriate for the 
revised Plan. 
The process for selecting activities and initiatives for the 
revised AAP incorporated the following steps: 
 Beginning with priorities from the 2008 AAP, priority 
projects and programmes identified by the RECs were 
collected and reviewed. 
 Sectoral priorities were reviewed with the lead 
institutions, to refine the priority list and to update 
information. In infrastructure, decisions by the AU 
Summit in February 2009 set priorities in energy and 
transport. 
Progress with implementation of the Plan between 2005 and 
2008 had been negligible, and only a small number of 
infrastructure projects have reached implementation since 
2008. A prioritisation analysis was conducted, aimed at 
delivering bankable, 'quick-win' projects and programmes 
with strong regional integration impacts. The criteria 
included: 
 Strategic alignment with AU/NEPAD objectives, RECs' 
master plans and partner orientations 
 Development impact in terms of contribution to regional 
integration, economic growth and the MDGs Readiness 
of projects and programmes for implementation. 
Because at least half of the initiatives under consideration 
were at an early stage of development (pre-feasibility or 
feasibility stages), it was important to focus attention on 
steps to be taken during the Plan's timeframe to develop a 
sustained flow of viable programmes and projects into the 
future, and to accelerate that process. 
To clarify the state of readiness, a four-stage sequencing 
model or framework, based on the normal steps and 
activities of programme and project development, was used 
to describe the current status of programmes and projects 
in the Plan, as follows: 
A 'new look', considerably expanded presentation has been 
developed for the revised Plan. To provide a context for the 
priority programmes and projects, the Plan features a high 
level overview of each sector: key components and 
resources, why the sector is important to the overall 
economic and social development of Africa, regional and 
continental aspects and the main challenges that must be 
overcome to realise its potential. 
The priority initiatives described in the revised Plan fall 
within nine sectors, which the AU and NEPAD have jointly 
agreed are strategic to the objective of realising the socio-economic 
transformation of the continent: 
 Infrastructure (Energy; Transport; Information and 
Communication Technology (ICT); and Transboundary 
Water) 
 Agriculture and Food Security 
 Human Resource Development (Health; Education, 
ABRIDGED REPORT 2010–2012 www.nepad.org 7
Youth and Training; and Social Affairs) 
 Science and Technology 
 Trade, Industry, Market Access and Private-Sector 
Development 
 Environment and Climate Change, and Tourism 
 Governance and Public Administration, and Peace and 
Security 
 Capacity Development 
 Gender Development. 
This Abridged Version of the Plan includes chapters 
detailing two of the priority sectors – Infrastructure and 
Gender Development. There is also a chapter providing 
similar information for the major cross-cutting sectors – 
Trade, Industry, Market Access and Private-Sector 
Development, Environment and Climate Change, 
Governance and Capacity Development. 
Statements of AU/NEPAD's sectoral objectives have been 
included in the revised Plan, to provide a policy framework 
for the priority programmes and projects in the Plan. They 
have been developed through multi-stakeholder consultative 
processes and have been reviewed and authorised by 
ministerial and summit consideration. They indicate the 
comprehensive sectoral planning and policy coherence that 
have evolved since the NEPAD Programme of Action was 
launched in 2001. 
The prioritisation analysis found that virtually all priority 
programmes and projects align with sectoral objectives and 
contribute to regional or continental integration. Of the 25 
priority programmes and projects listed in the abridged 
version of the AU/NEPAD African Action Plan, 2010–2012: 
 8 are at Stage 2: Feasibility/Needs Assessment 
 15 are at Stage 3: Programme/Project Structuring and 
Promotion 
 2 are at Stage 4: Implementation and Operations. 
The Abridged version of the AAP contains priority initiatives 
at Stages 2 and 3, with a limited number of Stage 4 
projects, as lessons-to-learn from, in the application of PPP 
arrangements in regional infrastructure projects. The short-term- 
priority Plan is intended to develop a sustained flow of 
regional and continental scale investments over time. Within 
the two-year life of the Plan, it is expected that significant 
progress will be made at each of these stages, to eventual 
financial closure, a key milestone. 
The aggregate cost of implementing the AAP priority action 
plan (PAP) is as follows: 
The total cost of implementing eight Stage 2, fifteen Stage 3 
and two Stage 4 priority programmes and projects is 
estimated at US$10.8 billion. After commitments of US$1.55 
billion are subtracted, the net financing requirement is 
US$9.3 billion. 
Given recent experience (as described in the Infrastructure 
Consortium for Africa (ICA) Annual Reports, for example), a 
significant part of the US$9.3 billion capital expenditure 
requirements, and most if not all of the preparation costs, 
could be firmly committed within the two-year timeframe of 
the Plan. 
The Road Map: way forward 
The following specific implementation steps will be taken to 
strengthen and use the AAP (a precursor to PIDA) as the 
cornerstone of Africa's short-term engagement with 
development partners to accelerate progress in 
implementing its priority projects for the period, 2010–2012. 
The following steps will form the Road Map for the 
implementation of the AAP short-term priority infrastructure 
projects. 
Step 1: AAP Launch at the 2011 African Union Summit 
The first step is the need to formally launch (i.e., showcase) 
the AAP's priority action plan (PAP) at the 24th Heads of 
State and Government Orientation Committee (HSGOC) 
meeting during the 16th AU Summit in Addis Ababa, 
Ethiopia, in January 2011. The launch will be the most 
significant event around the AAP since its endorsement by 
the 21st HSGIC and the African Partnership Forum (APF) in 
January 2010, and will demonstrate once again the high-level 
commitment of the NEPAD HSGOC and African 
leadership to the African Action Plan. 
Step 2: AAP PAP Advocacy Workshop/Conference 
The second step in the Road Map is to engender an 
advocacy process through a series of road shows with key 
stakeholders such as the Regional Economic Communities 
(RECs) and their member countries (RMCs), civil society 
organisations (CSOs) – both in Africa and outside the 
continent – and development partners, to seek the 
requisite buy-in and ownership of the African Action 
Plan priority action plan (PAP). Such road shows will begin 
in earnest in mid-2011, after the launch of the AAP. 
Step 3: Investment Round Table 
The third, and vital, phase of the Road Map is the 
Investment Round Table with partners and donors for 
resource mobilisation for the AAP priority action plan. In this 
regard, the AUC, NPCA and AfDB will develop a common 
strategy to engage partners at the level of the Infrastructure 
Consortium for Africa (ICA) and the G8 some time in the 
third quarter of 2011. 
Step 4: Institutionalise the AAP 
Step 4.1 Create a central AAP unit 
The NPCA will act as the executing agency for the 
implementation of the AAP priority action plan (PAP): 
2010–2012 
8 REVISION OF THE AU/NEPAD AFRICAN ACTION PLAN 2010–2015
Step 4.2 Create a management information system (MIS) 
The NEPAD MIS for tracking all AAP programmes and 
projects will be re-vitalised. The templates contained in this 
report could function as a data input template for 
programmes and projects in the database. The database 
should be continually updated through the year by the staff 
of the AAP Unit, based on regular inputs from proponents. 
Step 5: Improve the methodology of the AAP 
Step 5.1 Establish sector and programme, project targets 
and outcomes for monitoring and evaluation 
Sectoral strategies exist for all sectors of the AAP. However, 
most sectors do not include quantifiable targets, baseline 
measurements and projected outcomes. In order to improve 
the objectivity and reliability of the AAP screening and 
prioritisation process, and for effective monitoring of global 
progress, results-based targets and indicators will be 
prepared for all sectors. A possible method of 
implementation could be: 
 Preparation by AU/NEPAD – Preparation of the targets 
and outcomes could be undertaken by a small task 
force of sectoral experts of the tripartite African 
institutions led by AU/NEPAD. 
 Adoption by sectoral forums – The targets and 
outcomes would then be reviewed and adopted at the 
various continental ministers' forums for each of the 
sectors. 
Similarly, a logical framework of results and outcomes will 
be established for programmes and projects, to enable 
monitoring and evaluation at this level. Evaluation of 
operational programmes and projects is a necessary 
element of attracting continuing support by international 
and African partners. 
Step 5.2 Introduce cross-cutting themes into sector and 
programme/project plans 
Promotion of cross-cutting objectives such as gender 
equality, respect for the environment and other MDGs, and 
allocation of funds for common needs such as capacity 
development, will be effectively achieved; as they will be 
built into sector, programme and project plans. Such an 
approach is normal practice for international financial 
institutions. Measurement of progress toward these 
objectives in programme and project reports is necessary to 
create a base for appropriate monitoring and evaluation. 
Strengthening these practices will facilitate funding by 
international partners, who are expected to report on cross-cutting 
themes in their worldwide activities. 
Step 6: Review activities and outputs 
Step 6.1 Publish and distribute regular AAP updates 
AAP will be published according to a regular annual 
schedule and distributed to a list of key influencers in the 
major international organisations, African continental and 
regional institutions and national governments and CSOs. 
Most of this distribution will be made electronically. 
Step 6.2 Conduct a mid-point review of sectoral progress 
At the beginning and mid-point of each year (2011–2012), 
progress toward the specific goals of each sector in the 
revised AAP will be evaluated. At this time a comprehensive 
review will be made of all activities that contribute to 
sectoral objectives, not just priority programmes and 
projects, so that Africa's leaders and the population at large 
can see 'the big picture' on an occasional basis, and make 
informed judgements on reallocation of resources. A mid-term 
progress review report will be provided to the NEPAD 
Steering Committee, and the HSGOC for information and 
guidance. 
Results and impact measures will be an important part of 
such reviews. Examination of the AAP in the context of the 
Minimum Integration Programme (MIP), a programme being 
developed by the AUC and the RECs, will provide further 
information on the links between sectoral investments and 
regional integration. 
Step 7: Improve stakeholder communications through 
better information and support for African civil society 
Step 7.1 Establish a continental statistical portal on the new 
NEPAD website 
The AAP will be presented in an online, interactive 
continental statistical portal, to allow partners and donors to 
access up-to-date information on all AAP sectors and 
programmes. AAP-related content to be made available on 
the portal includes: 
Sector pages 
Online library of relevant sector strategies, summits, 
declarations etc. 
 Background to the regional integration agenda in the 
sector 
 Goals, objectives, expected outcomes, and progress of 
regional integration work in the sector 
 Overview of all international, continental and regional 
organisations working in regional integration in the 
sector and links to their web pages. 
Programme pages 
Each AAP programme and project will have its own page 
featuring: 
 Information in the programme/project template 
 Online library of publicly available documents explaining 
the programme in full detail 
 Link to the programme's website (when available). 
AAP database 
A database on AAP programmes and projects will be 
accessible to task managers via login, to update their 
programme status and place links to key project reports and 
data. A public version of the portal will allow users to query 
data fields according to their interests (e.g., a search that 
identifies programmes with capacity building or gender 
components), or to review and validate project assumptions 
and analysis. 
ABRIDGED REPORT 2010–2012 www.nepad.org 9
Step 7.2 Establish regular forums for dialogue with 
stakeholders and strengthen civil society participation 
Regular forums will be established each year to allow 
stakeholders an opportunity to engage in dialogue on the 
AAP process. 
 International stakeholders – The primary forum for these 
discussions will be the Africa Partnership Forum (APF), 
for a general review of the AAP and major issues such 
as commitments and harmonisation. 
 Ministerial/sector conferences – Sessions will also be 
established at ministerial conferences for sector-specific 
dialogue and reviews, relating to the progress of 
programmes and projects, financing issues, and areas 
where ministerial intervention can overcome obstacles. 
Expert panels could be used for validation and advice 
where available and appropriate. 
 Regional and national stakeholders – A focus on the 
AAP will be regularly added to regional and country 
meetings between AU/NEPAD, AfDB and ECA, so that 
RECs and national representatives maintain a 
continuous awareness and can provide feedback on the 
purpose and usefulness of the AAP. 
 Additional stakeholders – In the longer term, additional 
participatory mechanisms will be considered, such as 
online dialogues, discussion boards, and moderated 
discussion forums, to allow a broader range of 
participants to review and comment than those who 
normally attend conferences. This would be a cost-effective 
means of reaching individuals as well as CSOs. 
 Create a Centre of Excellence for the Promotion of 
African Civil Society – To further encourage the 
participation of civil society organisations in the 
economic and social life of the continent, and in the 
activities highlighted in the AAP in particular, it is 
proposed to create a Centre of Excellence for the 
Promotion of African Civil Society. Civil society groups 
often supply the resourcefulness, dedication and 
tenacity that initiate economic and social change, 
strengthen democracies and generate positive results in 
areas such as gender development, good governance, 
environmental awareness, health promotion, education, 
and adoption of new technologies, to name only a few. 
 Efforts by African institutions, such as the RECs and the 
African Union, to engender regional and continental 
integration and to maintain a focus on the Millennium 
Development Goals, depend on collaborative work with 
and support by African civil society. At the same time, 
many civil society groups are traditionally based and 
locally oriented. They may therefore need support to link 
with other organisations with similar interests in different 
regions, through capacity building, training and 
networking to share information, learn from each other 
and cooperate on a broader scale. Creation of a Centre 
of Excellence will expand the skills that enable civil 
society organisations and individuals to participate 
effectively in the continent's development and in the 
implementation of NEPAD values through the AU/NEPAD 
African Action Plan. 
10 REVISION OF THE AU/NEPAD AFRICAN ACTION PLAN 2010–2015
1.1 Background 
1.2 AU/NEPAD guiding 
principles and current 
conditions 
1. Introduction 
The AU/NEPAD African Action Plan 2010–2015 is a defining 
statement of Africa's current priority initiatives related to the 
promotion of regional and continental integration. Covering 
a wide range of sectors, the Plan showcases projects and 
programmes in which investment is planned and for which 
financing is being sought, both internationally and from 
African sources, during the period 2010–2012, at least for 
infrastructure. It highlights the objectives, challenges and 
opportunities of programming to advance the goals of 
regional and continental integration in Africa, led by the 
African Union Commission (AUC), NPCA, AfDB and the 
eight Regional Economic Communities (RECs), under the 
banner of the New Partnership for Africa's Development 
(NEPAD). The Declaration by the Heads of State and 
Government at the AU Summit in February 2009 underlined 
the need for all stakeholders to work together to accelerate 
the pace of implementation of these efforts. 
The mandate to pursue regional and continental integration 
through the African Union is derived from the Lagos Plan 
of Action (1980), the Abuja Treaty on an African Economic 
Community (1991), the Sirte Declaration (1999) and the 
Constitutive Act establishing the African Union (2000). 
NEPAD was adopted as a programme of the Organisation 
of African Unity (OAU) in July 2001, in Lusaka, Zambia. In 
2002, the African Union was launched in Durban, South 
Africa, as the successor to the OAU. NEPAD functions as 
the AU programme in support of regional and continental 
integration and Africa's development objectives. The AU 
embodies the principles and values of the NEPAD vision. 
The African Union Commission (AUC), the administrative 
body and Secretariat to the AU, has been given the 
mandate to advance the cause of integration and socio-economic 
development of the continent. Its role in this 
respect is reflected in the vision statement of the AUC's 
2004 Strategic Plan, to: 
“build an integrated Africa, a prosperous and peaceful 
Africa, driven by its own citizens and representing a 
dynamic force in the international arena.” 
The Accra Declaration of the AU Assembly of July 2007 
called for acceleration towards the economic and political 
integration of the African continent. The AU has developed 
and articulated a comprehensive set of strategies and 
programme plans covering key social and economic activity 
sectors. 
The Regional Economic Communities constitute the building 
blocks and pillars of regional and continental integration, as 
set out in the Abuja Treaty of 1991. The eight officially 
recognised RECs are: 
 Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) 
 Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa 
(COMESA) 
 Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) 
 Southern African Development Community (SADC) 
 Community of Sahel-Saharan States (CEN-SAD) 
 East African Community (EAC) 
 Arab Maghreb Union/Union du Maghreb Arabe 
(AMU/UMA) 
 Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD). 
In consultation with the RECs, the AUC will introduce a new 
Minimum Integration Programme (MIP), designed to provide 
coherence in the movement towards regional integration. 
The evolution of other pan-African institutions has increased 
the continent's capacity to develop and implement 
investment programmes and projects. For example, a 
replenished and stronger African Development Bank (AfDB) 
will support a variety of regional integration measures and 
infrastructure investment in particular. Specialised agencies 
such as the regional power pools, water basin management 
organisations and the Investment Climate Facility (ICF) have 
assumed responsibilities for implementing key programmes 
and projects. 
It is within this framework and through these institutions and 
programmes, that regional and continental integration is 
being pursued in Africa. 
In 2001, NEPAD set out a Programme of Action or strategy 
for achieving sustainable development in the 21st century, 
focusing on regional and continental-scale programmes and 
projects. The five NEPAD initiating countries, tasked by 
African leaders, recognised the many economic 
interdependencies and common social issues faced by 
people across Africa, as they strive to achieve economic 
prosperity and social wellbeing. Thus, they saw that the 
need to create linkages, harmonise policies and adopt best 
practices, can in many instances best be done on a regional 
or continental basis. 
In a comprehensive analysis and statement of objectives 
and action plans, the NEPAD Programme of Action included 
initiatives to strengthen the pre-conditions for sustainable 
development, including peace, security, democracy, and 
political, economic and corporate governance. The 
ABRIDGED REPORT 2010–2012 www.nepad.org 11
document also identified sectoral priorities, including 
infrastructure, human resource development, environment, 
culture, and science and technology. It addressed issues of 
mobilising resources and improving market access, and 
called for a new partnership relationship with industrialised 
countries and multilateral organisations. The guiding 
principles of NEPAD include: 
 African ownership and leadership 
 Promotion and protection of human rights, good 
governance and democracy 
 Anchoring Africa's development on the resources and 
resourcefulness of Africans – people-centred 
development 
 Channelling resources to the highest-quality operation 
as measured by development impact and alignment with 
client objectives 
 Promotion of gender equality 
 Accelerating and deepening of regional and continental 
economic integration 
 Building a new relationship of partnership among 
Africans, and between Africans and the international 
community, especially the industrialised world 
 A comprehensive, holistic and integrated development 
programme for Africa. 
Since 2001, NEPAD's call to action has been heard and 
responded to in many ways. The NEPAD Programme has 
been endorsed by virtually all international and bilateral 
agencies – from the UN General Assembly to the member 
states of the European Union (EU), the Group of Eight (G8) 
and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and 
Development (OECD) – as the general framework around 
which the international community should structure its 
development efforts in Africa. 
Largely in response to NEPAD and the recognition of great 
need, the early years of this century were marked by 
pledges and expectations of growing official development 
assistance (ODA) to Africa at high-level fora, including the 
G8 Summits in Kananaskis (2002) and Gleneagles (2005). 
The Paris Declaration of 2005 and the subsequent Accra 
Agenda for Action of 2008, made broad and specific 
commitments to improve aid effectiveness, based on five 
principles: ownership, alignment, harmonisation, managing 
for results, and mutual accountability – principles which 
echo the spirit of NEPAD. However, in the final years of the 
decade, overall levels of development assistance have 
lagged, and would now need to rise very rapidly to meet 
2012 targets. Progress in implementing the Paris 
Declaration has been slow, giving rise to continuing 
problems of less predictable, fragmented and non-aligned 
aid flows. 
Great challenges remain to be overcome. While some 
indicators of progress towards the Millennium Development 
Goals (MDGs) have risen, for example, primary enrolment, 
levels of many key social indicators remain far below other 
regions of the world. Africa's primary enrolment rate remains 
the lowest in the world, and secondary and tertiary 
education intake rates are low. Improvements in under-five 
mortality and maternal mortality have been small, malaria 
claims more than one million people per year, access to 
improved sanitation and drinking water falls well below 
MDG targets, and women continue to face broad 
inequalities in many areas of life. The effects of climate 
change and environmental degradation pose immense 
issues for the continent. 
Major macro-economic events in the global economy 
threaten to put progress at risk, and at best will slow the 
pace. Having experienced an upward shock in energy and 
food prices in the mid-2000s, African countries are now 
facing the effects of the current global financial crisis and 
recession, which began to be felt in 2008. Currency 
depreciation, lower export revenues, reduced remittances 
and constraints in the commercial financing system, as well 
as the prospect of slower growth in ODA flows, mean that 
Africa will have fewer external resources available for 
investment. 
The same global conditions will slow the pace of foreign 
direct investment (FDI). Domestically, higher governmental 
deficits will raise current borrowing requirements and thus 
reduce funds available for development expenditures. Like 
the rest of the world, African economies will take an 
undetermined amount of time to recover from the crisis. 
It was against this background that the AU/NEPAD African 
Action Plan (AAP) was originally conceived and developed 
in 2005/2006, in the drive to fast track the implementation 
of Africa's development initiatives, including the MDGs. It 
comprises, primarily, the current priority programmes and 
projects with high potential impact of accelerating regional 
integration in Africa and requiring co-ordination at the 
continental level. These programmes and projects fall within 
the sectoral priorities that the AU and NEPAD have jointly 
identified and agreed to as strategic to the overall 
development objective of realising the socio-economic 
transformation of the continent. Broadly, the latest revision 
of the AU/NEPAD African Action Plan (i.e., the Abridged 
Report 2010-2012) seeks to highlight the critical 
investments and resource gaps that must be addressed if 
Africa and its development partners (including traditional 
development partners, African civil society and private 
sector, and emerging economies) are to succeed in raising 
living standards to meet the MDGs, and to forge a more 
integrated, efficient and sustainable economic base in Africa. 
12 REVISION OF THE AU/NEPAD AFRICAN ACTION PLAN 2010–2015
1.3 Context and 
rationale of the review 
Previous versions of the AAP were intended as a platform 
for dialogue with international African partners, to raise 
resources for much needed public and private investment 
and to monitor and evaluate progress. The 10th meeting of 
the Africa Partnership Forum (APF) in Tokyo recommended 
the revision of the Plan. As a result, the AfDB, together with 
the AUC, the NEPAD Agency and the UN Economic 
Commission for Africa, were mandated by the AU and 
NEPAD to revise the AAP, with the overarching objective of 
producing a Plan with buy-in from all stakeholders. The 
revised Plan identifies Africa's development priorities and 
seeks to strengthen existing partnerships and forge new 
ones, in order to promote and realise Africa's key regional 
priority programmes and projects. 
2. Approach 
to Revising 
the AAP 
2.1 Consultations with 
stakeholders 
Data collection remained a time-consuming challenge, due 
to the number of agencies to be contacted, the age of much 
of the available data and the protocols necessary to release 
some data. This was the case for even basic descriptive 
information. Data on current issues were not available in 
many instances. 
If the Plan is to provide useful, time-sensitive information to 
facilitate the development and realisation of key projects 
and programmes, accurate and current information must be 
readily available to all users. Therefore, the intention is for 
the Plan to be backed up by a central database and 
arrangements made to obtain timely data from partner 
organisations. A significant exception to these data 
constraints was the availability of sectoral policy and 
directional frameworks. There is an impressive array of well-developed 
strategies and overview material for most key 
sectors. Looking back to 2001, this is an area of 
considerable evolution and maturation of the priority 
planning process. 
2.2 Selection of 
programmes and 
projects 
The first guiding principle of NEPAD is African ownership 
and leadership. Accordingly, the process of selecting 
programmes and projects for the revised AAP must 
ultimately be done by African institutions. The process for 
selecting activities and initiatives for the AAP incorporated 
six steps: 
 The March 2008 version of the draft AAP provided a 
base of 56 projects and programmes. 
 The descriptions of some sectors in the Plan were 
adjusted, and Social Affairs, Tourism and Capacity 
Development were added. 
 A number of Emerging Priorities were flagged as 
candidates for review. 
 Priority projects and programmes identified by the 
RECs were collected and reviewed. 
 Sectoral priorities were reviewed with the lead 
institutions, to refine the priority list and to update 
information. Decisions by the AU Summit in February 
2009 set priorities in energy and transport. 
 A prioritisation analysis of alignment, development 
impact and readiness provided a validation input to 
the process. 
This process resulted in extensive changes to the list of 
priorities included in the 2008 AAP and an increase in the 
number of priority programmes and projects from 56 to 80 – 
28 were dropped or combined and 52 were added. As the 
The review process took place over a five-month period 
between January and June 2009. 
 Consultations were held with the four lead institutions 
(AfDB, AUC, NEPAD Agency and ECA) between January 
and June. 
 Visits were made to each of the eight RECs, to 
determine views on the AAP as a whole, to identify 
priorities and collect information. A final validation 
seminar was held with the RECs in June. 
 Data on programmes and projects were obtained from a 
variety of sources through the review period. 
 Discussions were held with international stakeholders 
(OECD/APF, European Union, World Bank, German 
Agency for Technical Cooperation (GTZ), etc.), to gain 
further perspective on their interests and concerns. 
 Progress was reviewed by the NEPAD Steering 
Committee in May and September 2009 and the draft 
Plan (i.e., Revised Plan) was endorsed by the 13th AU 
Summit and 21st NEPAD HSGIC in June/July 2009. 
ABRIDGED REPORT 2010–2012 www.nepad.org 13
Plan focuses attention on initiatives that require new or 
additional funding, some important on-going regional 
integration activities may not be listed in the Plan. 
Emerging priorities. An important reality recognised by all 
participants in the review process was that the AAP is a 
snapshot in time of priorities, within a dynamic process of 
development of initiatives and implementation of projects. 
The revised Plan also contains 'emerging priorities', 
additional programmes and projects that will create a 
pipeline for the future, including some regional priorities that 
are not listed as current pan-African priorities. 
Timeframe for the plan. The NEPAD Steering Committee 
determined that a five-year timeframe, 2010–2015, would be 
appropriate for the revised Plan. Thus, the shelf life of the 
Plan's priorities is relatively short term. At the same time, 
the Plan is intended to develop a sustained flow of regional 
and continental-scale investments over time. The Plan 
contains priority initiatives at all stages of programme and 
project development, from initial concept development 
through feasibility assessment, project packaging and 
implementation. Within the five-year life of the Plan, it is 
expected that significant progress will be made at each of 
these stages. 
2.3 Prioritisation of 
programmes and 
projects 
The rationale and fundamental economic reason for 
prioritisation of projects is to assist in delivering bankable 
and quick-win projects and programmes that have strong 
regional integration impact. Progress in implementation of 
the Plan between 2005 and 2008 was negligible, and only a 
small number of infrastructure projects have reached 
implementation since 2008. Because at least half of the 
initiatives under consideration were at an early stage of 
development (pre-feasibility or feasibility stages), it was 
important to focus attention on steps to be taken during the 
Plan's timeframe to develop a sustained flow of viable 
programmes and projects into the future, and to accelerate 
that process. 
In the case of the AAP, an explicit prioritisation process 
provides additional transparency as to whether priority 
programmes and projects are in some sense, rationally 
based on appropriate criteria. One of the key outputs of 
this Review was a prioritised list of costed projects and 
programmes, including their current status and the level 
of readiness of each. 
There was broad agreement and guidance from the 
Infrastructure Consortium for Africa (ICA) annual meeting in 
Tokyo in March 2008 on the criteria for prioritisation, namely: 
 Development Impact: a project's worth measured in 
terms of economic net present value, contribution to 
economic growth, regional integration, and regional 
public goods 
 Strategic Alignment: projects aligned to 
regional/continental objectives (NEPAD programmes, 
RECs specific regional master plans and strategic 
orientations based on partnership with donors). 
Of these two broad criteria, the second is less subjective 
than the first, since alignment can be judged on the initial 
design of a programme, whereas development impact 
requires assumptions, if not actual data, on expected 
programme or project impacts. 
Initially, it was intended that sectoral programmes be 
prioritised using the following criteria. Two of them fall into 
the category of objectives: 
1. Minimum number of countries impacted as beneficiaries 
2. Regional needs and gaps based on regional 
development strategies. 
Three others have to do with readiness: 
3. Project readiness for implementation with all studies 
completed and cost estimates firmed up 
4. Sector reforms of legal, regulatory and institutional 
framework completed/Investment climate to attract 
private partnership 
5. Institutional capacity for implementation. 
Application of criteria. At least two problems were 
encountered in applying these criteria: how to deal with 
programmes, for which project information may not be 
available, and how to deal with a lack of reliable data, given 
the absence of comparable information covering the wide 
range of sectors, regions and institutions included in the 
AAP? Open-ended, multi-faceted programmes, often at an 
early stage of definition and development, made up over 
half of the priority initiatives in the Plan. The scope of the 
14 REVISION OF THE AU/NEPAD AFRICAN ACTION PLAN 2010–2015
 Medium: Programmes and projects with good 
alignment, a low or moderate number of beneficiaries, 
and moderate impact on integration or development 
 Low: Programmes that show weaker alignment with key 
sectoral objectives or less development impact, or raise 
questions regarding sustainability. 
With more complete data, it would be possible to assess 
priorities more accurately and more precisely, and to use 
factors such as economic return and Development Impact 
criteria more effectively in that process. In the forthcoming 
study on the Programme for Infrastructure Development in 
Africa (PIDA), there will be an opportunity to apply a set of 
criteria more rigorously to infrastructure programmes and 
projects. 
2.4 Sequencing, 
monitoring and 
managing programmes 
and projects 
review did not allow the time or resources to study or 
develop individual project and programme economics. 
Accordingly, programmes and projects were assessed in 
terms of four criteria, as follows: 
6. Alignment with objectives. Programmes and projects 
were assessed in terms of their alignment with 
authorised sectoral policy statements and their expected 
positive impact on these strategies. 
7. Beneficiaries. The number of beneficiary countries was 
identified for each programme or project. 
8. Development impact. The expected impact of 
programmes and projects on broad objectives 
(economic growth and other MDGs) and on regional and 
continental integration, and their economic and financial 
sustainability, were assessed with available data. 
9. Readiness. The current status of each programme or 
project and thus its readiness for investment was 
described and analysed, using the following framework 
(described further below): 
Stage 1: 
Programme/ 
Project 
Implementation 
Stage 2: 
Feasibility/ 
Need Analysis 
Stage 3: 
Programme/ 
Project 
Structuring 
and 
Promotion 
Stage 4: 
Implement-ation 
and 
Operations 
Given the variability of available data, programme and 
projects were evaluated against the first three criteria as 
high, medium or low. Tests were made using numerical 
weightings to ensure consistency of ratings. 
Composite priority rating. The results of the four 
assessments were combined in a composite rating, with the 
impacts on the first three criteria (which collectively reflect 
the 'worth' of the programme or project) being given the 
primary consideration. When two programmes or projects 
were equal in other respects, greater readiness raised the 
rating (although not always enough to affect the overall, 
composite rating). 
The composite priority ratings were stated as follows: 
 Top: Programmes and projects with a very compelling 
case for investment, based on contribution to regional 
integration and continental development or to sector 
objectives 
 High: Programmes and projects that show strong 
alignment with sectoral objectives, impact on a large 
number of countries and/or on regional and continental 
development 
Knowing the current status of a proposed project or 
programme is key to understanding the steps needed to 
bring it to implementation (i.e., readiness), and to judging 
the reliability of related data, including costing. In order to 
increase the quantity and quality of implementable 
programmes and projects, it is important to monitor and 
manage them systematically, so that at the end of the 
process investment decisions can be based on solid 
information and analysis. 
A project/programme development model. An effective 
tool for these purposes is the use of a sequencing 
framework, based on the normal steps and activities of 
programme and project development. The diagram below 
identifies a series of development stages from initiation 
through implementation, including: 
 Programme/Project Identification 
 Feasibility/Needs Assessment 
 Programme/Project Structuring and Promotion 
 Implementation and Operations. 
The diagram describes the functions or tasks that are 
normally required at each stage, to move programmes and 
projects from concepts to reality. 
Monitoring and managing progress. This development 
stage framework was used to provide a rapid and 
comparable indication of the status and readiness of all 
programmes and projects in the revised AAP. The 
framework can be used to monitor progress, and to 
ABRIDGED REPORT 2010–2012 www.nepad.org 15
Stages in programme and project development 
proactively manage the process of developing and refining 
programmes and projects, by assessing whether the 
appropriate tasks have been accomplished at each stage, 
and if not, what barriers to implementation may have arisen 
and what actions, and by whom, are required to overcome 
them. Projected timing to completion may be estimated as 
well. A similar framework is in use by COMESA. 
2.5 Content reliability 
and costing 
Within the scope of this review, it was problematic to 
undertake a full scientific, methodical and verifiable analysis 
of programmes and projects that would ensure consistently 
reliable content across the Plan. Programme managers and 
public sources often provided only a forward-looking 
account of plans and announcements, rather than hard 
information on completed activities. In many cases, the 
information was very dated, from 2006 or earlier, and thus 
told little about their current status or issues. Measures to 
ensure that more up-to-date information is available in 
future are described in the discussion of Implementation of 
the AAP and the Way Forward (p. 49). 
The costing of programmes and projects presented in the 
2008 AAP appeared to be almost entirely order-of- 
magnitude estimates of large, partially-defined programmes 
and projects at Stage 1 in their development, and had not 
changed from a previous 2005 draft. Of the US$115 billion 
total for 56 projects, US$50 billion was a single estimate for 
the Grand Inga/Inga III power project, with the costs of 
another ten programmes and projects rounded to the 
nearest US$1 billion. There was little if any indication as to 
the source or basis of these estimates. 
New programmes and projects proposed as priorities varied 
from conceptual plans without any previous costing, 
through well-defined Stage 3 projects, with costing based 
on technical and economic studies. The purpose of costing 
work is to provide progressively more precise estimates of 
resource needs as a programme or project moves through 
the project cycle, being refined and shaped, subject to 
approvals along the way. At the front end of the process, it 
is reasonable to use descriptive, order-of-magnitude 
estimates, followed by subsequent improvements in 
accuracy and precision as preliminary designs (Stage 2) and 
detailed designs (Stage 3) are completed. Clearly, such 
improvements require application of real resources – 
expertise and significant amounts of time – to develop 
concepts and undertake technical and economic 
investigations. 
The development stage model has been used to 
substantially redress the unmethodical use of costing 
figures encountered in previous versions of the Plan. This 
16 REVISION OF THE AU/NEPAD AFRICAN ACTION PLAN 2010–2015
has been achieved by clarifying the status or stage of 
development of programmes and projects, and thus the 
basis for the estimated cost of programme or project 
implementation. 
Where implementation cost estimates were based on Stage 
2 or Stage 3 studies, the estimates have been accepted as 
having a scientific and verifiable basis, and are included in 
the total cost of the Plan. Where cost estimates were simply 
order-of-magnitude estimates or were Stage 1 (pre-feasibility) 
estimates, the numbers have been noted 
separately and are not included in the estimated total cost 
of the Plan. Where Stage 2 or Stage 3 cost estimates were 
not available, the cost of undertaking studies to refine an 
initiative and move it to the next stage (at which further 
financing decisions would normally be required) was 
identified as the relevant cost. Where Stage 1, Stage 2 or 
Stage 3 preparatory work is required, costs have been 
estimated from proponents' data or on a notional basis, to 
calculate an aggregate requirement for this work. 
Using this methodology, costs have been identified for all 
priority programmes and projects. They are presented in the 
sector descriptions and in the AAP-PAP matrix presentation. 
The estimated aggregate costs of implementing the priority 
initiatives in the Plan are provided in the following chapter. 
Monitoring and improving cost estimates Notional 
costing standards were identified for each programme or 
project development stage, as noted in the diagram above – 
pre-feasibility, preliminary design and detailed design. In 
future, these (or similar) standards should be used for 
reporting on the status of programmes and projects in the 
AAP. Judgements should be made by a central monitoring 
organisation as to whether the appropriate level of costing 
has been done, when deciding whether to advance a 
project from one stage to the next. A central group could 
also provide a useful service to project proponents by 
making simplified costing methodologies available to them. 
2.6 Sectoral objectives 
These statements of sectoral objectives have been included 
in the revised AU/NEPAD African Action Plan, to provide a 
policy context for the specific programmes and projects in 
the Plan. In an important sense, these policy frameworks 
elaborate on Africa's specific priorities at a broad level, in 
furtherance of the overarching objectives in the original 
NEPAD framework document of October 2001. 
2.7 Priority programmes 
and projects 
AU/NEPAD sectoral policy frameworks 
AU/NEPAD Sector 
Infrastructure: 
Energy, Transport, 
ICT,Transboundary 
Water Sectors 
Development 
Corridors 
Gender 
Development 
Sectoral Policy 
Framework 
Programme for 
Infrastructure 
Development in 
Africa (PIDA) 
Spatial 
Development 
Programme (SDP) 
AU Gender Policy 
and Action Plan 
Key Promoter(s) 
AU, NEPAD 
and AfDB 
NEPAD 
AU 
Source: NEPAD Agency 
For each of the Sectors, the Plan provides a matrix-style 
presentation of projects and programmes, summarising key 
information as follows: 
 Title of Programme/Project 
 Region 
 Estimated Cost and Commitments 
 Development Stage 
 Description of Programme/Project 
 Contact Point(s) for further information. 
This approach provides users of the revised Plan with a 
convenient overview of the priority initiatives, their key 
dimensions and status, and where to find more information 
on them. In sectors where emerging priorities have been 
identified, they are described in a separate table. 
Of 25 priority programmes and projects in the abridged 
AU/NEPAD African Action Plan, 2010–2012: 
 8 are at Stage 2: Feasibility/Needs Assessment 
 15 are at Stage 3: Programme/Project Structuring and 
Promotion 
 2 are at Stage 4: Implementation and Operations 
The prioritisation analysis found that virtually all priority 
programmes and projects are aligned with sectoral 
objectives and would contribute to regional or continental 
integration. The priority rankings are not comparable 
between sectors because of different scales of activity, 
development impacts and average stage of programme and 
project development, and a lack of comparable data. 
Since the draft AAP was published in 2008, progress of 
programmes and projects towards implementation has 
resulted mainly from undertaking feasibility studies in 
Infrastructure. These identified investment opportunities in 
Energy, missing links in Transport infrastructure, ICT 
backbone needs, and opportunities in Transboundary Water 
management. Transport and ICT continue to have a 
significant number of projects at Stage 3 in the short-term 
AAP 2010-2012. 
ABRIDGED REPORT 2010–2012 www.nepad.org 17
Summary of AAP priority programmes and projects by sector, 2010–2012 
Sectors 
Energy 
Transport 
ICT 
Transboundary Water 
Gender Mainstreaming Programme AU/NEPAD 
African Women Empowerment/NEPAD Spanish Fund 
Sub-total 
Less commitments 
Net resources required 
No. of Projects 
5 
9 
6 
3 
1 
1 
25 
Amount 
(million US$) 
3,124.00 
6,899.00 
696.30 
120.00 
1.00 
– 
10,840.30 
1,550.93 
9,289.37 
Commitment 
(million US$) 
851.50 
666.78 
2.45 
20.00 
0.20 
10.00 
1,550.93 
Total 
(million US$) 
2,272.50 
6,232.22 
693.85 
100.00 
0.80 
(10.00) 
9,289.37 
9,289.37 
Current capital investment opportunities, including quick 
win projects, occur at Stage 3: Programme/Project 
Structuring and Promotion. In addition to specific projects 
and programmes, this stage includes a number of sector 
and sub-sector funds, which are designed to pool diverse 
financing sources to invest in a range of sectoral needs. 
Programmes and projects at Stage 3 are found in: 
 Infrastructure: Energy (3), Water (1), Transport (7), ICT (3) 
 Gender Development (1). 
Programmes and projects listed in Stage 4: Implementation 
and Operations in the 2010–2012 priority list, are either 
being implemented or are fully operational, but may require 
additional funding to complete or because their success has 
led to demands for more, as yet unfunded activity. They 
include programmes and projects in: 
 Energy (2): Kariba North Bank Power Generation (Project 
has reached financial closure); Itezhi-Teszhi Hydropower 
Generation Expansion (Project is at an advanced stage 
of financial closure). 
2.8 Cost of 
implementing the Plan 
Following the costing methodology outlined earlier, the 
estimated costs to implement the Plan are as follows: 
 The total cost of implementing 23 priority programmes 
and projects, based on Stage 2 and Stage 3 costing, is 
estimated at US$10.8 billion. After commitments of 
US$1.55 billion are subtracted, net financing 
requirements are estimated at US$9.3 billion. 
 Based on recent experience (described in ICA Annual 
Reports, for example), a significant part of the 
US$9.3 billion in implementation expenditures, and most 
if not all of the preparation costs, could be firmly 
committed within the two-year timeframe of the Plan. 
3. Infrastructure: 
Energy, Transport, 
ICT and 
Transboundary 
Water Sectors 
Infrastructure plays a critical role in economic development 
and poverty reduction. Well developed and maintained 
Infrastructure services – energy, transport, ICT and 
transboundary water sectors – reduce the barriers to 
economic growth and the transaction costs involved, and 
contribute significantly to enhancing the lives of the poor 
through increased access to public and social services. 
Inadequate infrastructure imposes major costs on business 
18 REVISION OF THE AU/NEPAD AFRICAN ACTION PLAN 2010–2015
in terms of lost output and additional costs incurred. 
Some estimates suggest that with an improved 
infrastructure stock, economic growth rates could be 
at least 1% higher than they are today.1 Developing and 
completing infrastructure networks is recognised as a 
critical component of advancing regional and continental 
integration in Africa. 
Africa suffers from a severe lack of infrastructure It is 
widely acknowledged that the infrastructure deficit is one of 
the key factors preventing Africa from realising its full 
potential for economic growth, competitiveness in global 
markets and achievement of the Millennium Development 
Goals (MDGs), including poverty reduction. Modern 
infrastructure services are largely inaccessible to the 
poorest 60% of the population in African countries, 
including the vast majority of the rural population, further 
isolating impoverished communities and preventing their 
access to healthcare, education and jobs. 
Only 26% of households in Africa have access to electricity, 
58% to water and 31% to basic sanitation2. Road lengths 
per capita have been declining steadily due to increased 
population growth in recent years and a lack of necessary 
investment in transport infrastructure. Although mobile 
telecommunications have experienced enormous growth in 
the past ten years, access to broadband services remains 
very limited. Current levels of water withdrawal are low, with 
only 3.8% of potential water resources developed for water 
supply and hydropower use, and about 18% of irrigation 
potential being exploited3. 
The lack of infrastructure is particularly stark when Africa is 
compared with other areas of the developing world. For 
example, while access to electricity in Africa is about 30%, 
in other major geographical zones in the emerging world 
this access ranges from 70% to 90%. For the same zones, 
access to water and sanitation services are 80% and 90%, 
respectively, compared to the 58% and 31% in Africa. 
AU/NEPAD's strategic focus in Infrastructure The AUC 
is responsible for coordinating, harmonising and providing 
leadership in the continent's economic and social 
development and physical and political integration. The 
AU vision for infrastructure is for efficient, reliable, cost-effective, 
environmentally-friendly infrastructure and services 
for physical integration and realisation of the MDGs. This 
vision is based on the elaboration of sectoral policies, 
strategies and medium- to long-term programmes and 
master plans developed to address the identified needs for 
progress. These needs include strong political commitment, 
strong human and institutional capacity of countries and 
RECs to plan and implement integrated regional and 
continental projects, and effective resource mobilisation. 
Within the AU/NEPAD framework, several initiatives have 
been established to address these needs and promote 
greater regional and continental integration. 
The Short-Term Action Plan (STAP) was adopted by the 
NEPAD Heads of State and Government Implementation 
Committee (HSGIC) in 2002. The STAP proposed a series of 
hard and soft programmes and projects to develop 
infrastructure at the regional level. STAP's progress was 
reviewed in considerable detail in 2004, and more recently 
for the AU Summit in Addis in January 2009. At the level of 
both programmes and projects, the STAP has been 
implemented to a considerable extent. According to the 
AfDB, most of the projects that entered the project pipeline 
in 2002 are now at an advanced stage of implementation 
and some have been completed. Between 2002 and 2008, 
financing of regional infrastructure projects by the Bank and 
other development partners stood at approximately US$5.6 
billion, representing about 69% of the original total 
estimated cost. 
The Infrastructure Consortium for Africa (ICA) was 
established in 2005 as a major new platform to accelerate 
progress of infrastructure development in Africa, with an 
emphasis on overcoming regional constraints. Based out of 
the AfDB, membership is a tripartite relationship between 
African institutions, bilateral donors and multilateral 
agencies. The Consortium is intended to make its members 
more effective at supporting infrastructure in Africa by 
pooling efforts in selected areas such as information 
sharing, project development and good practice. The ICA 
publishes an annual report that presents a concise but 
comprehensive overview of Africa's infrastructure 
investment needs, resources and activity. It focuses on the 
MDGs and emerging social and economic trends, and thus 
provides a useful framework for analysis of future needs. It 
analyses and prioritises institutional reform and capacity 
building, as well as physical infrastructure investment 
needs. 
The Africa Infrastructure Country Diagnostic (AICD) 
study, spearheaded by the World Bank, is a multi-year, 
multi-country project to assess the needs and costs of 
infrastructure in Africa, particularly the sub-Saharan Africa 
region. The programme will combine studies on major 
topics of strategic importance to the infrastructure sector, 
with a major data collection exercise to set the baseline 
against which the renewed efforts to address the 
infrastructure challenge can eventually be assessed. 
The NEPAD Infrastructure Project Preparation Facility 
(IPPF) is an untied fund set up to assist proponents to 
prepare high quality infrastructure proposals, and related 
project development activities. Managed by the AfDB, the 
1 Africa Infrastructure Country Diagnostic Study (Preliminary Findings), World Bank. 
2 The Mutual Review of Development Effectiveness in Africa 2009, OECD and ECA (figures exclude North Africa). 
3 Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA) Concept Note, 2009, prepared by AU, African Development Bank and NEPAD. 
ABRIDGED REPORT 2010–2012 www.nepad.org 19
2007/08 IPPF pipeline had some thirty projects valued at 
US$50 million, of which the energy and transport sectors 
account for 80%. Funding for project preparation continues 
to be relatively scarce, as the fund now has about US$18 
million to finance new commitments. 
In 2009, a new study was planned and launched jointly by 
the AU, NEPAD and AfDB, to complement and extend 
efforts undertaken to date. The Programme for 
Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA) will develop 
regional and continental infrastructure policies, establish 
prioritised development programmes and propose 
implementation strategies. The study process is expected to 
take eighteen months and will therefore be completed 
towards the end of 2010. When in place, it will provide a 
structured framework and thoroughly planned roadmap that 
will facilitate investment flows to the infrastructure sector. 
The objectives of the PIDA programme are set out in the 
box on the left. 
While the PIDA process reviews and articulates a 
comprehensive set of infrastructure priorities for the 
AU/NEPAD STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES OF THE PIDA 
PROGRAMME ON INFRASTRUCTURE 
Objective 1: Establish a STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK 
for the development of regional and continental 
infrastructure (energy, transport, information and 
communication technology (ICT) and transboundary 
water resources) based on a development vision, 
strategic objectives and sector policies. 
Objective 2: Establish an INFRASTRUCTURE 
INVESTMENT PROGRAMME (short, medium and 
long term) around priorities established and time 
horizons established by the RECs. 
Objective 3: Prepare an IMPLEMENTATION 
STRATEGY and processes including, in particular, a 
priority action plan. 
Source: PIDA Concept Note 
AAP priority projects and programmes in Infrastructure, 2010–2015 
Project/Programme 
Kariba–North and Itezhi–Teszhi Hydropower Expansion Projects 
Kenya–Ethiopia Interconnection 
Sambangalou–Kaleta Hydropower and OMVG Interconnection 
Zambia–Tanzania–Kenya Interconnection Project 
Upgrading of Dobi–Galafi–Yakobi Road Section of the Djibouti to Addis Ababa (North) Highway 
Mombasa–Nairobi–Addis Ababa Corridor Development Project 
Missing Links of Djibouti–Libreville Transport Corridor 
Isaka–Kigali–Bujumbura Railway 
Maghreb Highway Project 
Missing Links of the Dakar–N'djamena–Djibouti Highway Corridor 
Gambia River Bridge 
Africa Rail 
Beira Port Development 
Kazungala Bridge Project 
Regional Infrastructure Development in Support of Trade Facilitation Programme 
Brazzaville–Kinshasa Rail/Road Bridge and Railway Extension Kinshasa to Ilebo 
Regional Transport Network Improvements 
Improvement of Maritime Ports for African Island Countries 
Implementation of the Yamoussoukro Decision 
NEPAD ICT Broadband Infrastructure (UMOJA Terrestrial Network), including the following regional network projects: 
i. East African Community Broadband Network 
ii. Central Africa Broadband Infrastructure Programme (CA-BI) 
iii. West Africa Wide Area Network 
iv. Southern Africa Regional Backhaul Network 
v. Northern-Western Africa Backbone Project 
NEPAD ICT Broadband Infrastructure Network (UHURUNET Submarine Cable) 
Maritime Communication for Safety on Lake Victoria 
Senegal River Basin Water and Environmental Management Project 
Water Resources Planning and Management in the Nile River Basin 
Niger River Basin Shared Vision Investment Programme 
Sub-Sector 
Energy 
Transport 
ICT 
Transboundary 
Water 
20 REVISION OF THE AU/NEPAD AFRICAN ACTION PLAN 2010–2015
continent, the projects in the following table are considered 
priority programmes and projects in the infrastructure sector 
for development between 2010 and 2015. 
AAP programmes in Infrastructure are divided into four sub-sectors: 
Energy, Transport, Information and Communication 
Technology (ICT) and Transboundary Water. In addition, 
Development Corridors are included in Infrastructure as a 
potential future sub-sector. The priority programmes are 
summarised in the table below. Additional information, 
including emerging priorities, is provided in the individual 
sector descriptions that follow. 
3.1 Energy: towards a 
sustainable energy 
future for Africa 
A reservoir of energy resources Africa holds an immense 
reservoir of potential energy resources. It is estimated that 
Africa has more than 7% of the world's oil reserve and 
Africa's share in world oil production is increasing. In 2005, 
it contributed 12.2% of world oil production. Africa holds 
about 8% of the world's natural gas resources and 
accounts for about 6.2% of the natural gas produced.4 
An untapped potential of renewable energy Africa's 
potential for renewable energy is also immense. There is 
enormous exploitable hydropower capacity in African 
countries, estimated to be 13% of the world total. But less 
than 7% of Africa's potential has been harnessed to date. 
Solar energy is also widespread in Africa. The average daily 
solar radiation available in many African countries ranges 
4 African Development Bank, 2009. 
between 5 and 6 kWh/m². About 15 African coastal 
countries have excellent wind energy potential. Using the 
prevailing technology, the region has the potential to 
generate 9,000 MW of electrical energy from geothermal 
sources. Moreover, the potential for improvement in energy 
efficiency is appreciable. 
A growing and underserved demand In spite of these 
assets, Africa's energy consumption is the lowest in the 
world. Its consumption of energy per capita represents only 
one third of the world average. The average rate of 
electrification in Africa is around 26%, compared to 60% 
worldwide. 
A challenge and an opportunity The constraints to the 
development of Africa's potential are many, including a lack 
of infrastructure to facilitate energy exchange between 
countries, political instability and inadequate institutional 
and legal frameworks unfavourable to investment. Other 
constraints include a shortage of specialised human 
resources, poor maintenance of existing energy facilities, 
vulnerability to the volatile world oil market, limited regional 
cooperation in energy development, obstacles to efficient 
energy pricing, inadequate demand-side management, and 
inadequate information and data on the African energy 
situation. 
3.1.1 Energy and regional integration in Africa 
To realise Africa's great potential in energy, AU/NEPAD are 
working in partnership with national, regional, continental 
and global organisations to promote a comprehensive 
programme of regional integration in the energy sector. 
These initiatives include the development and operational-isation 
of regional power pools and the development of 
opportunities to export Africa's excess energy production 
capacity to the rest of the world. The benefit of a regional 
integration approach to energy in Africa is expected to be a 
win-win situation for all stakeholders involved. 
3.1.2 Partners in energy 
AU/NEPAD is working in cooperation with a number of 
specialised continental and regional organisations to 
promote regional integration in Energy in Africa, including: 
Continental partners 
 African Energy Commission (AFREC) 
 Forum of Energy Ministers of Africa (FEMA) 
 The Union of the Producers, Transporters and 
Distributors of Electric Power in Africa (UPDEA) 
 UN Energy 
Regional partners 
 Central African Power Pool (CAPP) 
 West African Power Pool (WAPP) 
ABRIDGED REPORT 2010–2012 www.nepad.org 21
 Southern African Power Pool (SAPP) 
 East African Power Pool (EAPP) 
 The North Africa Power Pool or Comité Maghrébin de 
l'Electricité (COMELEC) 
3.1.3AU/NEPAD's strategic focus in energy 
The guiding light for AU/NEPAD's activities in the energy 
sector will be the Programme on Infrastructure Development 
in Africa (PIDA), a multi-sectoral set of infrastructure 
development plans now under development by leading 
AU/NEPAD STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES IN THE ENERGY SECTOR 
Objective 1: PROMOTE INTRA-AFRICAN TRADE IN 
ENERGY at the regional and continental levels, with 
special attention to using regional power pools to 
leverage the economic and social development of the 
regions and the African continent, and their economic 
integration. 
Objective 2: PROMOTE USE OF CLEAN ENERGY by 
developing access to the different forms of modern 
energy, in particular, by promoting the use of clean, 
modern energy in lieu of biomass to improve living 
conditions in households and protect the environment. 
Objective 3: PROMOTE REGIONAL COOPERATION IN 
ENERGY by seeking to ensure security of regional and 
continental energy through trade and regional 
African institutions. PIDA is intended to provide a 
comprehensive and scientific review of Africa's energy 
needs and energy assets and will become the master plan 
for regional integration in energy infrastructure for Africa. 
The objectives of the PIDA programme in the energy sector 
are outlined in the accompanying box. 
The AU Summit in February 2009 endorsed PIDA and 
identified priority projects for development and 
implementation in the energy sector, between 2010 and 
2012 (see below). 
integration, pooling of energy resources and developing 
them jointly. 
Objective 4: PROMOTE GLOBAL EXPORTS IN 
ENERGY by developing energy resources (water, oil and 
gas, in particular) and their exports for intra-African trade 
and to the rest of the world (electricity and gas inter-connections 
with Europe and the Middle East, exports 
of methane gas, oil and coal). 
Objective 5: PROMOTE EFFICIENCY IN ENERGY 
INFRASTRUCTURE by increasing the effectiveness and 
competitiveness of national economies, by making use 
of comparative advantages through trade, and in 
particular, by promoting efficient use of physical energy 
infrastructure and related services. 
AAP priority programmes in Energy, 2010–2012 
No. 
1 
Project 
Energy Sector 
Kariba-North Bank 
Extension 
(Show case: Lesson 
learned/PPP) 
'Emerging Funder: 
China Experience' 
Region 
SADC 
Estimated 
Implement-ation 
Cost 
(Based on 
Stage 2 
& 3) (in 
million US$) 
3,124.00 
405.00 
mobilised 
Commit-ment 
(in million 
US$) 
851.50 
N/A 
Develop-ment 
Stage 
4 
Description (Project Status) 
This project in Zambia will expand the 
existing Kariba North Bank power 
generation capacity by an additional 360 
MW. The project started in 2008 with 
US$325 million provided by China Exim 
Bank. The outstanding amount of 
US$105 million has recently been 
sourced through a loan from the 
Development Bank of Southern African 
(DBSA), effectively bringing the project 
to financial closure, on 26 October 
2010. 
The hydro plant is owned by Zesco, 
Zambia's state-owned power utility. 
Funding from China is based on an 
Engineering, Procurement and 
Construction (EPC) agreement. 
Project 
Sponsors 
AfDB, DBSA, 
Government 
of China 
22 REVISION OF THE AU/NEPAD AFRICAN ACTION PLAN 2010–2015
No. 
2 
3 
4 
Project 
Energy Sector 
Itezhi-Teszhi HP 
Generation 
Expansion 
(Show case: Lesson 
learned/PPP) 
'Emerging Funder: 
India Experience' 
Kenya-Ethiopia 
Interconnection 
Sambangalou and 
Kaleta HP and OMVG 
interconnection 
Region 
SADC 
EAC-IGAD 
ECOWAS 
Estimated 
Implement-ation 
Cost 
(Based on 
Stage 2 
& 3) (in 
million US$) 
3,124.00 
270.00 
at an 
advanced 
staged of 
being 
mobilised 
and closed 
1124.00 
1140.00 
Commit-ment 
(in million 
US$) 
851.50 
N/A 
0.50 
851.00 
Develop-ment 
Stage 
4 
3 
3 
Description (Project Status) 
China-owned Sino Hydro Corporation is 
the sole project contractor, and the EPC 
contract means they have taken full 
responsibility for construction – 
including the supply of materials and 
labour. The project is due to be 
completed by December 2012, and will 
be commissioned by early 2013. 
This hydropower generation project 
complements the Kariba North Bank 
project by adding an additional capacity 
of 120 MW to the national grid, and by 
extension, to the Southern African 
Power Pool (SAPP). Zambia, secured a 
US$50 million loan from India Eximbank 
for the construction of the 150 MW 
Itezhi-Teszhi hydro power station in 
Southern Zambia, a joint venture 
between Zesco and Tata Holdings. The 
project is expected to be operational by 
2012. 
The two companies need to generate a 
total of US$270 million towards 
constructing Itezhi-Teszhi hydro power 
project, whose costs would be shared 
on an equity basis as part of the 
additional energy to the country's grid. 
The project is at an advanced stage 
of reaching financial closure. 
The project involves interconnecting the 
power systems of Ethiopia and Kenya 
with a 400 kV transmission network over 
a distance of 1,200 km. It will supply 
power to the Eastern Region (Kenya, 
Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi), and 
eventually will support the integration of 
the Eastern, Northern and Southern 
Regions. DBSA-based PPF facility was 
used to prepare the project for 
bankability. The project is on course; 
environmental soundness remains the 
only outstanding issue for the project to 
reach financial closure. 
The project involves development of 
hydropower at Sambangalou (Senegal) 
with generation capacity of 128 MW, 
and 240 MW at Kaleta. It also involves 
construction of 225 kV interconnection 
networks over a distance of 1,677 km in 
the OMVG countries. The project will 
initially improve the reliable supply of 
energy in the OMVG countries (Gambia, 
Guinea-Bissau, Guinea-Conakry, and 
Senegal), and subsequently will help 
interconnect OMVG networks with other 
countries in West Africa. Feasibility 
studies, detailed design and tender 
documents preparation, which have 
been financed by the African 
Development Bank, have been 
completed. 
Project 
Sponsors 
SADC, DBSA, 
AfDB, 
Governments 
of Zambia 
and India 
IGAD, 
COMESA, 
EIB, KfW, 
World Bank 
OMVG, EIB, 
KfW, AfDB, 
AFD, WAPP 
ABRIDGED REPORT 2010–2012 www.nepad.org 23
No. 
Energy sub-sector 
Electrical 
Interconnections 
Power Generation 
Various 
Renewable Energy 
Project/Programme 
Ethiopia–Sudan–Egypt Interconnection, to link Eastern Africa to the North African grid. Ethiopia–Djibouti and Ethiopia–Sudan 
230 kV connections are underway or planned, as are Sudan–Eritrea and Sudan–Uganda projects. Additional higher kV 
interconnection projects based on hydro development in Ethiopia (e.g., Ethiopia–Sudan 500kV) have been identified in the 
Horn of Africa countries. 
Kenya–Uganda, Uganda–Rwanda, Burundi–Rwanda, Burundi–DRC–Rwanda and Nairobi–Arusha interconnections are also 
planned in the East Africa Power Pool region. 
Engineering and planning studies to interconnect countries in the ECCAS region (PEAC power pool) are underway, as is an 
IPPF study of cross-border electrification in the region. 
Gilgel Gibe III Power Plant is a catalytic project located in Ethiopia, the source of power to be traded via the Kenya–Ethiopia 
Interconnection Project (a priority project). 
Kafue Gorge Lower Hydropower Project in Zambia. This catalytic project will add storage to an existing generating scheme, 
enabling reduction of Zambian power deficits and power exports to ESKOM and SAPP. It is now being structured as an IPP or 
PPP, at an expected cost of US$1–1.25 billion. 
Refurbishment of Inga 1 and 2 in the short term, development of an effective regional energy network and ultimately 
exploitation of Grand Inga to export power across the continent, are strategic objectives and plans of the Central African 
Power Pool, a specialised body of ECCAS. 
Energy Projects in the West Africa Power Pool, West Africa Gas Pipeline extension to Côte d'Ivoire, Regional Energy Access 
Programme and Renewable Energy Efficiency Programme have been identified as ECOWAS energy priorities. The Southern 
Africa Power Pool (SAPP) has numerous rehabilitation, generation and transmission projects underway and planned, with 
early cost estimates. 
UMA has identified the Maghreb Renewable Energy Programme among its priorities, and six renewable energy projects are 
priorities in the Horn of Africa countries, including geothermal, wind, solar and biogas projects. These projects would harness 
Africa's large, untapped renewable energy potential, especially in areas where other alternatives are costly. 
24 REVISION OF THE AU/NEPAD AFRICAN ACTION PLAN 2010–2015 
5 
Project 
Energy Sector 
Zambia-Tanzania- 
Kenya (ZTK) 
Interconnection 
Region 
Tripartite 
Estimated 
Implement-ation 
Cost 
(Based on 
Stage 2 
& 3) (in 
million US$) 
3,124.00 
860.00 
Commit-ment 
(in million 
US$) 
851.50 
N/A 
Develop-ment 
Stage 
3 
Description (Project Status) 
The financing intentions of the public 
financing partners and the member 
States announced at the two round 
tables of April 2007 and January 2008 
amount to the equivalent of US$851 
million (as of August 2009), i.e. 63.4% 
of the total updated cost of the project. 
The AfDB has actively sought to 
promote private sector participation in 
the project, through equity or debt 
participation. A joint mission between 
the AfDB, West African Power Pool 
(WAPP) and the World Bank visited 
China in May 2008, to explore co-financing 
possibilities with the Chinese 
in the OMVG energy project, to which 
the response was positive, pending 
further discussions on the project. 
This project will interconnect Zambia 
with Kenya via Tanzania. The 330 kV 
(double circuit) line will be constructed 
over a distance of 1,600 km. The 
outstanding issue for this project is the 
need to update the funding model which 
DBSA is leading. This project, when 
implemented, will be able to link 
Tanzania with the SAPP grid, and 
through Tanzania, with Kenya and 
Ethiopia and beyond. Further extension 
of the ZTK network to interconnect with 
the Djibouti-Ethiopia regional network 
will be studied. 
Project 
Sponsors 
Tripartite, 
AfDB, DBSA 
Other regional integration projects currently under development in energy include the following emerging priorities:
3.2 Transport: enhancing 
mobility for Africans 
For African countries to benefit from the increasingly global 
economy, an adequate transport network must be in place 
to provide essential and efficient physical access. The lack 
or poor state of transport networks in Africa is among the 
most serious impediments to the economic and social 
development, preventing many countries from becoming 
competitive in the global markets and slowing or preventing 
the process of regional integration. 
Transport infrastructure impeding Africa's potential 
competitiveness Together with energy supply, 
transportation infrastructure is among the main bottlenecks 
to productivity growth and competitiveness in Africa5. The 
impact of poor transport infrastructure and associated 
logistics is particularly severe for landlocked countries. 
While the estimated cost of transport varies, it is reported 
that landlocked developing countries pay almost four times 
more for transport services than developed countries, and 
the transport costs in Africa are among the highest in the 
world – the transport costs for landlocked African countries 
can be as high as 77% of the value of exports6,7. 
Roads – the most important mode of transport in 
Africa Nearly 90% of Africa's passengers and freight travel 
by road, and for rural communities, roads are the only 
means of connecting people with centres of economic 
activity and with basic social infrastructure. Most African 
countries have a good rural road network, but improvement 
and maintenance are problems. In urban areas, where one 
in two Africans is expected to live by 20308, meeting the 
demand for urban transport – including public transport 
services – has been, and will be, a challenge. Missing 
regional links are also a critical issue for intra-African and 
international trade and regional integration, with total 
funding requirements estimated at US$4.3 billion9. 
Ports – linking Africa with global markets Sea ports are 
the gateway for Africa's trade with the rest of the world in the 
global market place. The international shipping business is 
increasing, but Africa's ports, with some exceptions, are 
largely inefficient. The inefficiencies contribute to the delays 
and high transportation costs of goods. Some countries have 
effectively improved their ports' efficiency through 
restructuring of the sector – such as Nigeria, where the 
internationally favoured landlord port model has been 
adopted – and others are undertaking master planning, but 
not all address critical institutional reforms. It is essential that 
ports themselves are capable of and efficient in providing the 
services required by shippers and that they are well 
connected with the rest of the transport network (as ports 
can only add value as nodes within a transport network) to 
increase Africa's competitiveness in the international trading 
place. Inland waterway transport, for which Africa has natural 
waterways and lakes, can contribute significantly to providing 
a solution for Africa's transport network at relatively low cost, 
however relatively little effort has been put into that transport 
sub-sector to date. 
Railways – important part of the transport logistics 
chain in the African continent The rail sector in Africa has 
AU/NEPAD STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES IN THE 
TRANSPORT SECTOR 
Objective 1: STRENGTHEN THE ECONOMIC AND 
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT OF AFRICAN REGIONS 
AND CONTINENT AND THEIR ECONOMIC 
INTEGRATION through trade and movement of 
people within the continent. 
Objective 2: ENHANCE AFRICA'S 
COMPETITIVENESS at the global level. 
Objective 3: PURSUE EFFORTS TO OPEN UP 
REGIONS AND THE CONTINENT and 
implementation of the Almaty Action Plan. 
Objective 4: ENHANCE THE EFFICIENCY OF 
PHYSICAL TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURES and 
associated services. 
Objective 5: PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT. 
Objective 6: PROVIDE EFFICIENT MULTIMODAL 
TRANSPORT LOGISTICS SERVICE with 
interoperability of transport networks and modal 
interchanges. 
Objective 7: HARMONISE TECHNICAL AND 
SAFETY STANDARDS. 
Objective 8: LIBERALISE TRANSPORT MARKET 
AND PROVIDE SEAMLESS TRANSPORT along key 
transport corridors. 
Objective 9: PROVIDE MISSING LINKS for regional 
integration. 
5 The Africa Competitiveness Report 2007, African Development Bank, World Bank, World Economic Forum. 
6 Statement on Transport for Africa, made by United Nations Special Adviser on Africa and High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked 
Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States, Cheick Sidi Diarra, at the World Bank's Annual Sustainable Development Network Week in 
Washington on 21 February 2008. 
7 Infrastructure Consortium for Africa (ICA): Annual Report 2007, Infrastructure Consortium for Africa (ICA). 
8 State of World Population 2007: Unleashing the Potential of Urban Growth, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). 
9 Infrastructure Consortium for Africa (ICA): Annual Report 2007, Infrastructure Consortium for Africa (ICA). 
ABRIDGED REPORT 2010–2012 www.nepad.org 25
seen its traffic decline over the years due to poor management, 
inability to provide reliable services to users, and severe competition 
from the trucking sector. The railway coverage of Africa is among the 
lowest in the world with a mean density of about 2.9 kilometres per 
1,000 square kilometres10,11. However, as part of the overall logistics 
chain of Africa, the railway sector has the potential to play an 
important role in the future development of the continent. This 
applies particularly to long-distance freight and bulk transport, given 
the size of the continent and the advantages that railways provide 
over road transport in terms of cost and fuel needs. Railways can 
also have a potential role for urban mass passenger transport in 
major cities and medium-distance intercity passenger transport. 
Africa's air transport - serious safety concerns and 
inadequate connections The situation with air transport in 
African countries varies considerably, but one common 
concern across the board is its safety record. While Africa's 
share of air traffic in the world is only 4.5%, its share of 
accidents is 25% (2005)12,13. Many African airlines are banned 
from European airports for safety reasons. Another important 
issue to note is the 'protectionism' of countries that prevents 
Africa's major cities from being adequately connected with 
each other. The African Union's Yamoussoukro Declaration, 
which pursues liberalisation of intra-African air transport, is far 
from adequately implemented. This impedes regional 
integration and economic and social exchanges by creating a 
situation where major African cities are not directly connected 
by air transport. 
3.2.1Transport and regional integration 
Given Africa's geography and the nature of transport 
infrastructure (i.e., it is there to 'connect'), transport sector 
development for Africa must be approached from a regional 
perspective. According to the ICA: 'Africa's geography and 
its fragmented markets make regional integration a 
development imperative; and a key prerequisite for trade 
and increased competitiveness.'14 
Landlocked countries are particularly disadvantaged when 
they are not connected by effective transport links. The 
2003 Almaty Programme of Action outlined specific 
measures to help landlocked countries and their transit 
country neighbours bolster development and cooperation. 
At a High-Level Midterm Review in October 2008, the UN 
General Assembly urged development partners and 
international organisations to support efforts by countries 
in a spirit of shared responsibility. 
Better transport networks and regional integration in Africa 
would be mutually enhancing forces. Better physical links 
among African countries will facilitate trade and social and 
cultural exchanges among them, moving further towards 
regional integration. At the same time, on-going regional 
integration efforts that involve efforts for institutional, 
regulatory and legal framework harmonisation will 
significantly contribute to enabling countries to take full 
advantage of physical transport links by removing non-physical 
barriers to trade and transport. 
3.2.2 Partners in transport 
AU/NEPAD is working in cooperation with a number of 
partners to promote regional integration in transport, 
particularly the RECs: 
Regional partners 
 Community of Sahel-Saharan States (CEN-SAD) 
 Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa 
(COMESA) 
 East African Community (EAC) 
 Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) 
 Economic Community Of West African States (ECOWAS) 
 Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) 
 Southern African Development Community (SADC) 
 Arab Maghreb Union/Union du Maghreb Arabe (UMA) 
3.2.3AU/NEPAD strategic focus in transport 
AU/NEPAD's activities in the transport sector will be guided 
by the Programme on Infrastructure Development in 
Africa (PIDA), a multi-sectoral set of infrastructure 
development plans now being assembled by leading African 
institutions. PIDA is intended to provide a comprehensive 
and scientific review of Africa's transport needs and 
transport assets and it will become the master plan for 
regional integration in transport infrastructure for Africa. 
The objectives of the PIDA programme in the transport 
sector are in the box on page 23. Good examples are 
the Dakar-Ndjamena-Djibouti transport corridor and the 
Djibouti-Libreville transport corridor pre-feasibility studies, 
which are currently under the supervision of the African 
Union Commission. 
The AU Summit in February 2009 endorsed PIDA and 
identified priority projects for development and 
implementation in the transport sector, between 2010 
and 2012. 
10 Ibid. 
11 African Development Bank. 
12 "Infrastructure Consortium for Africa (ICA): Annual Report 2007", Infrastructure Consortium for Africa (ICA). 
13 African Development Bank. 
14 "Infrastructure Consortium for Africa (ICA): Annual Report 2007", Infrastructure Consortium for Africa (ICA). 
26 REVISION OF THE AU/NEPAD AFRICAN ACTION PLAN 2010–2015
AAP priority programmes in Transport, 2010–2012 
No. 
1 
2 
3 
Project 
Transport Sector 
North-South Corridor: 
Regional 
Infrastructure 
Development and 
Regional Trade 
Facilitation Project 
Kazungula Bridge 
Mombasa–Nairobi– 
Addis Ababa Corridor 
Development Project 
Region 
Tripartite 
SADC 
EAC– 
IGAD– 
COMESA 
Estimated 
Implementation 
Cost (Based on 
Stage 2 & 3) (in 
million US$) 
6,899.00 
N/A 
(US$20million 
feasibility study 
funded by 
AfDB). The NSC 
has strong 
financial and 
technical 
support and 
commitment 
from partners, 
as well as the 
political will of 
the Tripartite 
countries of 
EAC-COMESA-SADC. 
About US$1.2 
billion of 
funding has 
been committed 
by the 
development 
partners for 
upgrading road, 
rail, ports and 
energy 
infrastructure 
and to support 
implementation 
of trade 
facilitation 
instruments. 
158.00 
530.00 
Commit-ment 
(in million 
US$) 
666.78 
20.00 
3.28 
338.00 
Develop-ment 
Stage 
3 
3 
3 
Project 
Sponsors 
Tripartite, 
DFID, AfDB, 
DBSA 
SADC 
EAC–IGAD– 
COMESA 
Description (Project Status) 
The programme involves a range of 
sub-projects to upgrade infrastructure 
and remove bottlenecks to trade 
flows, including regulatory and 
administrative constraints to 
transport and transit systems as a 
whole. The project covers East and 
Southern Africa, involving COMESA, 
EAC and SADC countries. The project 
is related to the regional North-South 
corridor linking the countries of 
Botswana, the Democratic Republic of 
Congo (DRC), Malawi, Mozambique, 
Zambia and Zimbabwe with interlinks 
to other corridors including the Trans 
Kalahari, Beira, Lobito, Dar es Salaam 
and Nacala Corridors. The 
Development Bank of Southern Africa 
(DBSA) is the Secretariat of the 
Tripartite Task Force Investment 
Committee, currently composed of 
DBSA, DFID, the 3 RECs and a private 
sector member. 
Preparation of feasibility and detailed 
design studies and tender documents 
for the bridge over the Zambezi River. 
The bridge is an important link in the 
North-South corridor linking the 
countries of Botswana, DRC, Malawi, 
Mozambique, South Africa, Zambia 
and Zimbabwe, with interlinks to 
other corridors including the Trans 
Kalahari, Beira, Lobito, Dar es Salaam 
and Nacala Corridors. In particular, 
the bridge will facilitate transport 
services along the north-south 
corridor within Botswana and Zambia. 
The Corridor is an important section 
of the Trans-African Highway from 
Cairo to Cape Town. Phase I of the 
project, to be completed in 2010, is 
aimed at providing enhanced mobility 
and accessibility to Kenya's north-eastern 
arid and semi-arid lands. It is 
also planned to economically 
integrate the area with the rest of the 
country. Phase II of the project 
involves the construction and tarring 
of 438 km of the Mombasa–Nairobi– 
Addis Ababa road corridor. These 
sections include the 245 km Merille 
River–Marsabit–Turbi 
ABRIDGED REPORT 2010–2012 www.nepad.org 27
No. 
4 
5 
6 
7 
Project 
Transport Sector 
Upgrading of the 
Djibouti-Addis 
Highway Corridor: 
Dobi-Galafi-Yakobi 
Road Section 
Gambia Bridge 
Africa Rail (Phase 1) 
Nacala Corridor 
Region 
IGAD 
ECOWAS 
ECOWAS 
SADC 
Estimated 
Implementation 
Cost (Based on 
Stage 2 & 3) (in 
million US$) 
6,899.00 
30.00 
75.00 
1,500.00 
606.00 
Commit-ment 
(in million 
US$) 
666.78 
N/A 
0.30 
4.00 
292.00 
Develop-ment 
Stage 
2 
3 
3 
3 
Project 
Sponsors 
IGAD 
OMVG 
ECOWAS 
SADC 
Description (Project Status) 
road section in Kenya and the 193 km 
Ageremariam–Yabelo–Mega road 
section in Ethiopia. 
Phase I of the project is jointly co-financed 
by the African Development 
Fund (ADF), the concessionary 
window of the AfDB, and the 
governments of Kenya and Ethiopia. 
The AfDB is the lead financing 
agency, providing 64% of 
requirements in the form of two ADF 
loans to Ethiopia and Kenya. One loan 
is for UA85 m and the other for 
UA125 m. 
Project is to upgrade to bitumen 
standard a 72 km section of road 
between Dobi (Ethiopia) and Yakobi 
(Djibouti). This section of road is part 
of the Dakar–Ndjamena–Djibouti 
highway (Trans-African Highway 6). 
The road link has high national as 
well as regional priority for trade and 
development, and will strengthen 
inter-state trade and integration. It 
will permit reduced vehicle operating, 
maintenance/rehabilitation costs, and 
faster turn-around for transport 
vehicles, permitting important time 
savings for trade activities. 
The project is to construct a bridge 
across the Gambia River. The bridge 
is part of the Dakar–N'djamena– 
Djibouti Highway Corridor, which will 
increase regional trade and economic 
integration. The feasibility studies and 
engineering detailed design studies 
are complete. The project is yet to 
reach financial closure. 
Africa Rail is a project to rehabilitate 
and construct 2,000 km of new 
railway to link the railway systems of 
Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Niger, 
Benin and Togo (all 1,000 mm narrow 
gauge), including a train service 
linking the ports of Lomé and 
Cotonou. 
Specifically, the project involves the 
following sections: Benin to Niger 
from Parakou–Malanville–Gaya– 
Dosso–Niamey (625 km); Burkina to 
Niger from Kaya–Dori–Terra–Niamey 
(398 km); Dori–Tambao (99 km); Togo 
to Benin from Lomé–Anecho– 
Segbohue (90 km); and Burkina to 
Togo from Ouagadougou–Blittaw (783 
km). A future stage of the project 
would link Mali (1,000 mm), Nigeria 
(1,067 mm gauge, changing to 1,435 
mm) and Ghana (1,067 mm gauge). 
The Nacala road corridor project 
comprises rail and road components. 
The road project consists of over 
28 REVISION OF THE AU/NEPAD AFRICAN ACTION PLAN 2010–2015
No. 
8 
9 
Project 
Transport Sector 
Isaka-Kigali- 
Bujumbura Railway 
Brazzaville-Kinshasa 
Rail/Road Bridge 
Region 
EAC 
ECCAS/ 
SADC 
Estimated 
Implementation 
Cost (Based on 
Stage 2 & 3) (in 
million US$) 
6,899.00 
4,000.00 
N/A 
Commit-ment 
(in million 
US$) 
666.78 
1.50 
7.70 
Develop-ment 
Stage 
3 
2 
Project 
Sponsors 
EAC 
ECCAS/ 
SADC 
Description (Project Status) 
1,000 km of civil works and two 
one-stop border posts (OSBPs), one 
between Mozambique and Malawi and 
the other between Malawi and 
Zambia. The road works are being 
financed by JICA, Government of 
Zambia and the ADB that financed the 
upgrading of the Nacala section of 
road in Zambia costing US$95 million. 
Phase I, which was approved in June 
2009, covers 348 km in Mozambique 
(ADF loan of UA102.72 million) and a 
13 km bypass in Malawi (ADF loan of 
UA14.32 million). Phase II, which was 
approved in September 2010, covers 
114.7 km in Zambia (ADF loan of 
UA69 million). Phase III is under 
preparation. 
A feasibility study was funded by 
AfDB to extend the railway line from 
Isaka (Tanzania) to Kigali (Rwanda) 
and Bujumbura (Burundi). The project 
is part of the Dar es Salaam–Kigali– 
Bujumbura Central Transport 
Corridor. The new railway line would 
provide an alternative route to the 
port of Dar es Salaam for landlocked 
countries such as Rwanda and 
Burundi. A PPP funding model is 
under consideration by the project 
sponsors; Rwanda is the Secretariat 
of this project. 
This rail and road bridge project will 
link the two capital cities of 
Brazzaville (Republic of Congo) and 
Kinshasa (DRC), across the Congo 
river. The road/rail bridge will 
complete a missing road link of the 
Trans-African Highway: 
Tripoli–Windhoek–Cape Town, and a 
rail link for the Pointe Noire–South- 
Eastern Africa railway network. The 
bridge will promote regional 
integration and economic 
development in both countries, and 
will also serve as an inter-state and 
sub-regional trans-African link. A 
feasibility study is underway, financed 
by the African Development Bank 
(AfDB). 
ABRIDGED REPORT 2010–2012 www.nepad.org 29
3.3 Information and 
communication 
technology (ICT): 
bridging Africa's digital 
divide 
Access to advanced ICT is critical to the long-term 
economic and social development of Africa. It has 
increasingly become essential that appropriate ICT 
infrastructure, applications and skills are in place and 
accessible to the population to close the development 
gap between Africa and the rest of the world. 
Improvement in access to basic voice communications 
Africa has succeeded in rapidly increasing access to basic 
voice communications. It is estimated that the Global 
System for Mobile Communications (GSM) mobile phone 
population coverage increased from virtually zero for the 
vast majority of countries in the region (with the major 
exception of South Africa and Senegal) to over 50% (to as 
high as almost 100%) for many between 1999 and 200615, 
and this expansion is expected to continue. 
Bridging the digital divide In spite of this significant 
achievement in the area of voice communications, the 
provision of broadband connectivity has been slow. It is 
estimated that only five countries have a broadband 
penetration rate higher than 1% as of 200816, and the gap 
between Africa and the rest of the world is becoming wider. 
Two factors are key to the low penetration rate of 
broadband in Africa: high prices and limited availability. 
According to local estimates, a basic E1 circuit is US$5,000 
per month, as compared to, for example, US$10–20 
(developed countries) and US$200–350 (India). Much of the 
infrastructure, where it exists, is of poor quality17. 
Significant opportunity and underserved demand Efforts 
to close the digital divide between Africa and the rest of the 
world will greatly contribute to the continent's poverty 
reduction and social and economic development by 
enhancing efficiency and productivity, improving public 
services, creating jobs, generating knowledge, facilitating 
trade and regional integration. It is assumed that a 
significant demand for broadband exists in Africa as the 
rapid increase in the use of mobile voice communication 
services to date (despite its relatively high price and limited 
availability in many parts of the region) indicates the value 
that people place on communications technology. 
Bottlenecks and challenges The major constraints to 
affordable and reliable ICT (particularly, broadband) services 
are the lack of a backbone infrastructure and of an 
appropriate policy and regulatory environment. Where a 
backbone infrastructure is available, the network has been 
GSM mobile phone expansion in Africa, 
1999–2006 
Source: World Bank 
15 Determinants of a Digital Divide in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Spatial Econometric Analysis of Cell Phone Coverage, World Bank (Policy Research Working Paper 
4516), February 2008. 
16 Bank Group's Information & Communication Technologies (ICT) Operations Strategy, African Development Bank Group, October 2008. 
17 Williams, Mark, Broadband for Africa: Policy for Promoting the Development of Backbone Networks, World Bank. 
30 REVISION OF THE AU/NEPAD AFRICAN ACTION PLAN 2010–2015
Optical fibre network (existing, under 
construction, planned) 
Source: African Development Bank 
concentrated in urban areas, leaving the rest out of reach, 
and the un-liberalised (or only partially liberalised) market 
with limited competition prevents further network 
development, limiting service availability and keeping prices 
high. An inadequate skill base further limits the capacity to 
utilise and support the infrastructure and develop 
applications, content and related economic benefits. 
3.3.1 ICT and regional integration in Africa 
Africa is currently undertaking a number of major ICT 
initiatives, many of which are regional in nature. The regional 
nature of these initiatives requires significant efforts for 
countries to cooperate with each other and synchronise/ 
coordinate policies and regulatory frameworks. As such, 
further regional integration will help advance various 
regional initiatives in this sector. An advanced ICT sector in 
Africa, in turn, will likely lead to faster integration of the 
region by facilitating trade and social exchanges between 
African countries as evidenced elsewhere in the world. 
This challenge is being addressed through the policy and 
regulatory framework in the Kigali Protocol. The Kigali 
Protocol has been signed by twelve countries in Eastern 
and Southern Africa, and ratified by eight of them. Legal 
experts from the African Union Commission have confirmed 
that any country in Africa can accede to the protocol, which 
is being amended to incorporate all African countries. 
The Connect Africa Summit held in Kigali, Rwanda in 2007 
established the following continental goals in ICT: 
Goal 1: Interconnect all African capitals and major cities 
and strengthen connectivity to the rest of the 
world by 2012 
Goal 2: Connect African villages to broadband ICT 
services by 2015 and implement shared access 
initiatives such as community telecentres and 
village phones 
Goal 3: Adopt key regulatory measures that promote 
affordable, widespread access to a full range of 
broadband ICT services 
Goal 4: Capacity building to support the development of 
a critical mass of ICT skills required by the 
knowledge economy 
Goal 5: Adopt a national e-strategy including a cyber-security 
framework; deploy at least one flagship 
e-government service, e-education, e-commerce 
and e-health service using accessible 
technologies in each country in Africa by 2015 
Programmes are being developed by various partners to 
meet these goals. 
3.3.2 Partners in ICT 
AU/NEPAD is working in cooperation with a number of 
specialised continental and regional organisations 
promoting regional integration in the ICT sector in Africa, 
including: 
Continental partners 
 African Telecommunication Union (ATU) 
 Réseau Francophone de la Régulation des 
Télécommunications (FRATEL) 
 African Telecommunications Regulators Network (ATRN) 
 ECA 
Regional partners 
 West African Telecommunications Regulators Association 
(WATRA) 
 Communications Regulators Association of Southern 
Africa (CRASA) 
 Association of Regulators for Information and 
Communication Services of Eastern and Southern Africa 
(ARICEA) 
 East African Regulatory Post and Telecommunications 
Organisation (EARPTO) 
ABRIDGED REPORT 2010–2012 www.nepad.org 31
3.3.3AU/NEPAD's strategic focus in ICT 
The former eAfrica Commission (now NEPAD ICT 
Programme) was mandated by the AU/NEPAD to develop a 
broad NEPAD ICT strategy and comprehensive action plan 
with the objective of: 
 Accelerating the development of African inter-country, 
intra-country and global connectivity, and 
 Promoting conditions for Africa to be an equal and 
active participant in the global information society. 
Two flagship programmes of the NEPAD ICT Programme are 
the UHURUNET submarine cable project and the 
UMOJANET terrestrial cable project. In June 2010, the 
Uhurunet project reached a major milestone with the signing 
of the Construction and Management Agreement in Paris, 
France, between the France Telecom-led ACE consortium 
and 19 members from 23 countries, and a Supply Contract 
with Alcatel-Lucent. The total cost apportioned to the 
NEPAD/Baharicom ACE partner is US$225 million, which is 
to be raised through a combination of debt and equity 
capital. 
The Programme on Infrastructure Development in Africa 
(PIDA) will develop a comprehensive, scientific study on 
infrastructure in the ICT sector and will guide such activities 
in the future. The objectives of the PIDA study in ICT are 
listed in the box on the left. While the PIDA process reviews 
and articulates a comprehensive set of infrastructure 
priorities for the continent, the projects in the following table 
are considered priority projects for development in the ICT 
sector between 2010 and 2012. 
AU/NEPAD STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES IN THE ICT 
SECTOR 
Objective 1: ESTABLISH HARMONISED POLICY, 
LEGAL AND REGULATORY FRAMEWORKS at the 
regional and continental levels to create an enabling 
environment that will attract investment and foster the 
sustainable development of competitive African 
telecommunications/ICT regional markets, 
infrastructure, and to increase affordable access to 
telecoms/ICTs. 
Objective 2: ACCELERATE DEVELOPMENT OF 
INTEGRATED INFRASTRUCTURE that will help 
bridge the digital divide, i.e., foster access to reliable 
and quality telecommunications/ICT services that will 
be affordable for the greatest number of people in 
Africa. 
Objective 3: PROMOTE E-APPLICATIONS AND 
SERVICES aimed at improving government services 
(e-government), education (e-education), trade and 
business (e-commerce) and other social services. 
Objective 4: INCREASE GLOBAL 
COMPETITIVENESS OF AFRICA by reducing the 
costs of services and enabling Africa to integrate into 
the global economy. 
Objective 5: REDUCE OR ELIMINATE TRANSIT OF 
INTRA AND INTERREGIONAL TRAFFIC out of the 
continent. 
Source: Programme on Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA) 
No. 
32 REVISION OF THE AU/NEPAD AFRICAN ACTION PLAN 2010–2015 
1 
Project 
ICT Sector 
NEPAD ICT 
Broadband 
(UHURUNET 
Submarine Cable 
Project) 
Region 
Contin-ental 
Estimated 
Implementation 
Cost (Based on 
Stage 2 & 3) (in 
million US$) 
696.30 
225.00 
Commit-ment 
(in million 
US$) 
2.45 
N/A 
Develop-ment 
Stage 
3 
Project 
Sponsors 
NEPAD/NPCA 
Description (Project Status) 
The programme ultimately aims to 
encircle the entire continent with an 
undersea cable, UHURUNET. The 
network, together with UMOJANET, 
will link 54 African countries. The 
programme is expected to decrease 
communication costs, provide 
integrated communication systems, 
and help to integrate the continent by 
facilitating trade, social and cultural 
exchanges. For the ACE (Africa Coast 
to Europe) submarine cable system, a 
landmark Construction and 
Maintenance Agreement (C&MA) was 
AAP priority programmes in ICT, 2010–2012
No. 
2 
3 
4 
5 
6 
Project 
ICT Sector 
East African 
Community Network 
Central Africa 
Broadband Network 
(CAB) Backbone 
Project 
West Africa Wide 
Area Network 
(ECOWAN) 
Southern Africa 
Regional Backhaul 
Network 
Maritime 
Communication for 
Safety on Lake 
Victoria 
Region 
EAC 
ECCAS 
ECOWAS 
SADC 
Tripartite 
Estimated 
Implementation 
Cost (Based on 
Stage 2 & 3) (in 
million US$) 
696.30 
30.00 
100.00 
252.00 
81.00 
8.30 
Commit-ment 
(in million 
US$) 
2.45 
0.40 
0.60 
0.50 
0.50 
0.45 
Develop-ment 
Stage 
3 
3 
2 
2 
2 
Project 
Sponsors 
EAC 
ECCAS 
ECOWAS 
SADC 
Tripartite 
Description (Project Status) 
signed in Paris on 5th June 2010 with 
19 members from 23 countries; an 
additional culmination was the 
signing of the Supply Contract with 
Alcatel-Lucent. The contract came 
into force on 3rd August, 2010. 
The Africa Coast to Europe (ACE) 
submarine cable is co-sponsored by 
France Telecom, Baharicom (a NEPAD 
company), and private sector interest 
groups. 
The project will establish a backbone 
for Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania 
and Uganda covering 4,493 km, and 
links with Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia 
and Sudan. It includes the Eastern 
Africa Submarine System (EASSy) 
cable. 
The project will establish links among 
Libreville–Franceville–Lekoni–Oyo–Bra 
zzaville, Cameroon–Chad–Central 
African Republic and to a SAT-3 
station in Douala, over 4,406 km. 
The ECOWAS Wide Area Network 
(ECOWAN) is an e-governance 
platform that will provide intra-community 
broadband 
interconnectivity that will help 
accelerate regional integration 
(particularly in the areas of trade, 
customs administration, tourism, 
monetary cooperation and agriculture) 
and will contribute to the 
implementation of the regional 
sectoral database as well as an 
improved internet network for West 
African citizens. The network will link 
the countries of ECOWAS together 
over 14,285 km. 
Ministers responsible for 
telecommunications, information and 
communication technology in 
ECOWAS Member States on Saturday, 
31st July 2010 approved a US$100 
million regional e-governance project 
that will enhance the seamless 
exchange of information among 
officials of the ECOWAS Commission, 
institutions of the Community and 
national focal points for ECOWAS. 
The network will connect countries of 
the SADC region (14,757 km). 
The project will include the following 
components: (a) wireless 
communication system based on GSM 
technology allowing two-way contact 
between boats in distress and rescue 
centres; (b) a Regional Maritime 
Communications Centre (RMCC), with 
ABRIDGED REPORT 2010–2012 www.nepad.org 33
No. Project 
ICT Sector 
Region 
Estimated 
Implementation 
Cost (Based on 
Stage 2 & 3) (in 
million US$) 
696.30 
Commit-ment 
(in million 
US$) 
2.45 
Develop-ment 
Stage 
Project 
Description (Project Status) Sponsors 
the capacity to process distress radio 
traffic from the public in the region; 
and (c) a maritime communications 
system that will facilitate Search and 
Rescue operations. A grant for a 
detailed pre-investment feasibility 
study is underway. 
3.4 Transboundary 
water: advancing 
regional cooperation in 
water resource 
management 
Water is central to life sustenance, poverty alleviation 
and sustainable growth and development in Africa18 
Water is the almost universal input into all areas of human 
activity, from individual needs to massive energy projects. 
Its availability is affected by climate change, and through 
droughts and floods it causes major environmental impacts 
and migrations of people. A growing population is 
increasing the demand on already limited water supplies. It 
is estimated that over 300 million people in Africa face 
conditions of water scarcity. 
Water presents a complex, long-term set of issues that 
challenge leadership and require vision, action and resources. 
18 NEPAD Short-Term Action Plan for Transboundary Water Resources, 2005. 
19 Africa Atlas of our Changing Environment, UNEP. 
Transboundary water basins in Africa 
Source: Africa Atlas of our Changing Environment, UNEP 
Africans are dependent on transboundary water sources 
Africa has 59 international transboundary river basins, 15 
principal lakes, 38 transboundary aquifer systems, and 24 
main watersheds that cross the manmade political 
boundaries of two or more countries. These resources cover 
about 64% of the continent's land area and contain 93% of 
its total surface water resources19. These water basins are 
also home to 77% of the African population. 
3.4.1Water and regional integration in Africa 
The combination of environmental factors and the political 
issues of managing a resource owned by multiple nations 
34 REVISION OF THE AU/NEPAD AFRICAN ACTION PLAN 2010–2015
AU/NEPAD STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES IN THE 
TRANSBOUNDARY WATER SECTOR 
Objective 1: ENSURE WATER SECURITY to meet 
future increases in demand for water and enable the 
socio-economic development of the regions of the 
African continent 
Objective 2: ENABLE EQUITABLE ALLOCATION of 
water resources among competing water uses for 
sustainable development 
Objective 3: PROMOTE EQUITABLE SHARING of 
benefits arising from the shared basin resources 
Objective 4: MITIGATE CLIMATE CHANGE 
IMPACTS by adapting to and mitigating climate 
change impacts and variability in weather patterns 
Objective 5: ENHANCE REGIONAL COOPERATION 
by deploying the principles of integrated water 
resource management (IWRM) particularly for shared 
water resources through the lake/river basin 
organisations (L/RBOs) and regional water protocols 
Objective 6: ENSURE GOVERNMENTAL SUPPORT 
by ensuring African Ministers' Council on Water 
(AMCOW) fully supports the outputs 
Objective 7: PROMOTE ENVIRONMENTAL 
PROTECTION by ensuring environmental protection 
and management 
Objective 8: ACHIEVE AFRICA WATER VISION by 
achieving the Africa Water Vision 2025 in the long 
term 
provides a considerable challenge to providing adequate 
quantities and quality of water on the continent. Trans-boundary 
water resource management is critical to 
succeeding in these challenges, and requires partnerships 
that encourage sustained cooperation on a continental and 
regional scale. (Sanitation projects are almost all national in 
scope.) 
The Africa Water Vision 2025, written in 2000, provides the 
long-term framework for water development in Africa. Under 
the leadership of AMCOW (African Ministers' Council on 
Water), ministerial declarations have addressed key water 
issues, leading to the AU Summit declaration at Sharm el- 
Sheikh (2008). Major multilateral and bilateral commitments 
have been made to support integrated water management 
in the seven basins. The African Water Facility (AWF) has 
been set up and housed in the African Development Bank, 
and infrastructure investments have increased to US$2.9 
billion in 2007 (ICA). Huge requirements remain, however, 
to meet the targets of the Africa Water Vision 2025. 
NEPAD has chosen seven transboundary water basins, 
holding 80% of the continent's water resources, as the 
focus of its STAP. The ultimate objective is to create fully 
functioning, integrated basin management systems. 
Progress in the basins across the range of measures is 
needed to achieve this goal. 
3.4.2 Partners in transboundary water 
AU/NEPAD is working in cooperation with a number of 
specialised continental and regional organisations to 
promote regional integration in the transboundary water 
sector in Africa, including: 
Continental partners 
 African Ministers' Council on Water (AMCOW) 
 UN Water 
 African Network of Basin Organizations 
 African Civil Society Network on Water and Sanitation 
Regional partners 
 The Lake Victoria Basin Commission (LVBC) 
 The Nile Basin Initiative (NBI) 
 The Economic Community of the Great Lakes (CEPGL) 
 Organisation pour la mise en valeur du Fleuve Sénégal 
(OMVS) 
3.4.3AU/NEPAD's strategic focus in 
transboundary water 
The guiding document for AU/NEPAD's activities in the 
transboundary water sector will be the Programme on 
Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA) that will provide 
a comprehensive, scientific and verifiable study on Africa's 
transboundary water needs and will become the master 
plan for management of transboundary water for Africa. The 
objectives of the PIDA programme in the transboundary 
water sector are set out in the box to the left. 
While the PIDA process reviews and articulates a 
comprehensive set of infrastructure priorities for the 
continent, the projects in the following table are considered 
priority programmes for development and investment in the 
transboundary water sector, between 2010 and 2012. 
ABRIDGED REPORT 2010–2012 www.nepad.org 35
AAP priority programmes in Transboundary Water, 2010–2012 
Project 
Transboundary Water Sector 
Water Resources Planning & 
Management in the Nile 
River Basin 
Senegal River Basin Water & 
Environment Management 
Project 
Niger River Basin Shared 
Vision Investment 
Programme 
Region 
COMESA 
OMVG/ 
ECOWAS 
ECOWAS 
Estimated 
Implementation 
Cost (Based on 
Stage 2 & 3) (in 
million US$) 
120.00 
33.00 
21.00 
66.00 
Commit-ment 
(in million 
US$) 
20.00 
N/A 
20.00 
N/A 
Develop-ment 
Stage 
2 
3 
2 
Project 
Sponsors 
COMESA 
OMVS/ 
ECOWAS 
ECOWAS 
Description (Project Status) 
Programme to build a common 
technical foundation to facilitate 
integrated water resources planning 
and management in the Nile River 
Basin. 
The project involves the development 
of a framework for an environmentally 
sustainable Senegal River Basin and 
the launching of a basin-wide 
cooperative programme for an 
effective transboundary land and 
water management system. 
Programme of investment to realise 
the shared vision for the sustainable 
development of the Niger River Basin, 
through capacity building and 
stakeholder investment, conservation 
of the ecosystem and protection of 
specific resources, and development 
of infrastructure for socio-economic 
purposes, including three 
transboundary dams. 
Other regional integration programmes currently under development in transboundary water include the following: 
Emerging priorities in Transboundary Water 
Transboundary Water Programmes/Projects 
Lake Chad Water Basin, Congo River Water Basin, Okavango River Water Basin and Zambezi River Water Basin. NEPAD has chosen seven 
transboundary water basins, holding 80% of the continent's water resources, as the focus of its STAP. Major multilateral and bilateral 
commitments have been made to support integrated water management in the seven basins. Investment projects have been initiated in 
the three basins listed as AAP priorities. The four basins considered emerging priorities are primarily the focus of capacity-building 
efforts. For example, facing a severely declining resource, PRODEBALT, the Lake Chad Basin Sustainable Development Programme, is 
initiating shared management of water resources, establishing sustainable data collection networks, carrying out sector actions to 
control water demand, fighting desertification and biodiversity loss, ensuring prevention and control of contaminants, improving water 
ecosystems exploitation methods, and launching technical studies on inter-basin water transfer. Financing requirements of US$90 million 
over five years will be supported by a group of major development partners led by the AfDB. 
Regional water management in the Horn of Africa. Experts in the EC-Horn of Africa Initiative have identified six key projects to strengthen 
water management and increase water supply in this arid and semi-arid region. These include water harvesting, regional dialogue forums, 
groundwater assessment, capacity building for water planning institutions, a regional water trust fund, and rural water supply in 
Karamoja pastoral areas. 
Shared aquifer management. The Nubian Sandstone Aquifer System (NSAS) is the world's largest underground fossil water reservoir. It is 
shared by four states: Chad, Egypt, Libya and Sudan, and occupies over 2 million square kilometres. With an estimated total volume of 
over 542,000 cubic kilometres, it has the potential, if tapped on a large scale, to turn an ostensibly water-scarce region into an oasis. 
Rational and equitable management of the NSAS for sustainable socioeconomic development and the protection of biodiversity and land 
resources is the objective of management of this key resource. 
36 REVISION OF THE AU/NEPAD AFRICAN ACTION PLAN 2010–2015
4. Gender 
Development: 
Advancing 
Gender Equality 
in Africa 
Women constitute over 52% of the African population and 
contribute significantly to the development of the continent. 
They remain the backbone of the agricultural sector, key 
players in the service industry, undisputed drivers of the 
informal sector and home economy. However, they rarely 
enjoy access to basic services or equal opportunities, and 
are often excluded from major decision-making processes. 
In recognition of their role and the constraints facing 
women, African leaders have, through Article 4(1) of the 
Constitutive Act of the African Union (2000), adopted a 
gender parity principle. Further, through the adoption of the 
Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples' 
Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa and the signing 
of the Solemn Declaration on Gender Equality, the Heads 
of State have demonstrated political commitment to gender 
equality at the highest level. The Statute of the AUC and 
NEPAD's foundation document make a clear call for 
centrally anchoring gender within the AU/NEPAD policy 
framework. Indeed, one of the two goals of NEPAD is 
specifically devoted to the empowerment of women. In this 
regard, all of the organs of the AU, including the AUC and 
NEPAD, are committed to ensuring that gender equality is 
mainstreamed institutionally. 
In order for AU/NEPAD to close the existing gender gaps 
and address widespread gender disparities, it needs 
additional financial resources to use towards institutional 
capacity building, technical expertise and funding of special 
interventions addressing existing barriers to gender equality. 
Additional resources will support gender mainstreaming and 
the implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action (BPFA) 
at the national level as well as build capacities linked to 
project implementation and interventions that address 
gender-based marginalisation through social exclusion, 
vulnerability and for orphaned children. 
Inequalities in social institutions worldwide 
Source: OECD, GID 
4.1 Gender development 
and regional integration 
in Africa 
The Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples' 
Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa expanded its 
definition in the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence 
against Women by including within its ambit economic 
violence or harm20. Certainly, one of the issues for the AU's 
Gender Policy is not only to ensure that the Convention on 
the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against 
Women (CEDAW) is ratified by each country, but also 
implemented by each member state. The RECs and AU 
structure will be important in achieving MDG3 and the 
implementation of CEDAW over the next five years. 
Prior to the finalisation of the AU's Gender Policy, the 
Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples' 
Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa was adopted and 
the Solemn Declaration on Gender Equality was signed21. 
20 United Nations General Assembly, In-depth study on all forms of violence against women Report of the Secretary-General. 6 July 2006. 
21 AAP, Gender and Development Preamble. March 2008. 
ABRIDGED REPORT 2010–2012 www.nepad.org 37
4.2 AU/NEPAD's 
strategic focus in gender 
development 
The guiding document for AU/NEPAD's activities in gender 
is the African Union Gender Policy adopted in 2009. The 
objectives outlined in the gender and development area 
from the AU Policy are set out in the adjacent box. 
Policy commitments The policy commitments of the AU 
Gender Policy are based on AU and international gender 
equality instruments, including the Constitutive Act of the 
African Union, MDGs, the Solemn Declaration on Gender 
Equality in Africa (SDGEA), Protocol to the African Charter 
on Human and Peoples' Rights related to the Rights of 
Women in Africa, BPFA, and UN Resolution 1325 (2000) on 
Peace and Security emphasising gender mainstreaming as 
core to the promotion of the culture of peace, promotion of 
democracy, economic and social development and human 
rights. The policy commitments are overarching and 
anchored on the pillars of AU Organs, RECs and member 
states' institutional policy statements, strategic plans, 
roadmaps and action plans for achieving gender equality 
and women's empowerment targets in eight areas as 
follows: 
1. Creating an enabling and a stable political environment 
2. Legal protection actions against discrimination for 
ensuring gender equality 
3. Mobilisation of different players for gender equality 
in Africa 
4. Rationalisation and harmonisation of RECs' gender 
policies and programmes 
5. Resource mobilisation 
6. Capacity building for gender mainstreaming 
7. Gender mainstreaming in all sectors 
8. Maintaining peace, security, the settlement of conflicts 
and reconstruction. 
The African Union Gender Policy Plan of Action will 
outline a series of steps towards achieving gender 
mainstreaming across all of the sectors where the AU 
works. The expected outcomes of this gender 
mainstreaming plan will target most of the AAP sectors, 
as set out in first the table on page 37. 
AU/NEPAD STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES IN THE 
GENDER DEVELOPMENT SECTOR 
Objective 1: To advocate the promotion of a gender 
responsive environment and practices and the 
enforcement of human rights, gender equality and 
women's empowerment commitments made at 
international, continental, regional and member states 
level; 
Objective 2: To initiate and accelerate gender 
mainstreaming in institutions, legal frame-works, 
policies, programmes, strategic frameworks and 
plans, human resources and performance 
management systems, resource allocation and 
decision-making processes at all levels; 
Objective 3: To promote the development of 
guidelines and enforcement of standards against 
sexual and gender-based violence, gender-insensitive 
language and actions in the workplace (including the 
AU Commission and other organs, the RECs and 
member states); 
Objective 4: To develop a Gender Management 
System (GMS) within the AU and promote its adoption 
within other AU organs, the RECs and member states; 
Objective 5: To address gender-based barriers to the 
free movement of persons and goods across borders 
throughout the continent; 
Objective 6: To promote equitable access for both 
women and men to/control over resources, 
knowledge, information, land and business ownership, 
and services such as education and training, 
healthcare, credit and legal rights; and 
Objective 7: To facilitate implementation of remedial 
measures to address existing in-qualities in access to 
and control over factors of production, including land. 
Source: African Union Gender Policy 
While the AU Gender Policy Plan of Action will present a 
comprehensive set of gender priorities for the continent, the 
projects in the second table on page 37 are considered 
priority programmes for development and investment in the 
gender sector, between 2010 and 2012. 
38 REVISION OF THE AU/NEPAD AFRICAN ACTION PLAN 2010–2015
Sector Expected Outcomes 
Cross-cutting priorities  Implement the AU Gender Policy, existing member states' and RECs' gender policies across 
sectors and programmes 
 Adopt affirmative action policies in recruitment, training, career progression and promotion 
 Develop a sexual harassment policy 
 Eliminate violence at the work place such as sexual harassment and intimidation 
 Gender mainstreaming tools and guidelines for all sectors 
 Guarantee equal access to opportunities, services and factors of production 
 Develop indicators to identify and measure progress towards gender equality in all programmes 
and sectors 
Infrastructure  Develop gender sensitivity in operations of infrastructure 
 Improve gender balance in hiring in infrastructure 
 Build awareness of different infrastructure needs of both men and women 
 Increase women's participation in infrastructure decision-making institutions at all levels 
Trade, market access and  Women should form part of the decision-making process in trade and industry issues 
private-sector development  Development of gender-sensitive trade agreements 
 Establish an African learning context for women’s entrepreneurship 
 Increase women's enterprises in Africa including micro-credit facilities 
 Education for women to promote economic literacy, generate awareness and enable them to 
organise themselves into cooperatives to attract investment 
 Development of a framework for engendering trade-related capacity for trade programmes 
 Gender-sensitive measures introduced to deal with negative outcomes of trade reforms 
 Gender-equality interventions to overcome constraints on market entry in small- and medium-sized 
enterprises and other businesses owned by women 
Governance  Training and advocacy programmes for women in governance 
 Specific gender-responsive political and governance policies where necessary 
 Adoption of affirmative action and quota share and representation to increase women's 
participation in decision making 
 Build equitable, gender-sensitive democratic and accountable governance 
 Put in place accountable mechanisms to ensure governance institutions honour and promote 
gender-equality commitments 
 Build capacity for women to become effective political actors to transform political space for 
gender equality 
 Advocacy, awareness raising and education to change mindsets about women's involvement in 
decision making, politics and public life. 
AAP priority programmes in Gender Development, 2010–2012 
Project 
Gender Development 
Gender Mainstreaming 
Programme AU/NEPAD 
Region 
Contin-ental 
Estimated 
Implementation 
Cost (Based on 
Stage 2 & 3) (in 
million US$) 
1.00 
1.00 
Commit-ment 
(in million 
US$) 
10.20 
0.20 
Develop-ment 
Stage 
2 
Project 
Sponsors 
AECID/ 
Spanish 
Government 
Description (Project Status) 
The gender programme of the NEPAD 
Agency will articulate and advocate 
gender mainstreaming in policy 
making, management and 
implementation, using time-tested 
tools and best practices. NPCA will 
facilitate the capacity development of 
professional and programme staff at 
the Agency on gender issues and 
mainstreaming in line with the AU 
Gender Policy and AU/NEPAD 
Capacity Development Strategic 
Framework. Gender mainstreaming 
tools and materials, including a 
pocket handbook, fact sheets and 
background documents on gender, 
will be developed for NPCA staff, the 
RECs and governments implementing 
NEPAD priority programmes. The 
framework for gender mainstreaming 
will design strategy to monitor and 
ABRIDGED REPORT 2010–2012 www.nepad.org 39
Project 
Gender Development 
African Women 
Empowerment Programme 
(AECID/Spanish government 
committed to provide 10 m 
(US$7.5 m) over 3 years, in 
support of women's 
empowerment in Africa.) 
Region 
Contin-ental 
Estimated 
Implement-ation 
Cost1 (Based on 
Stage 2 & 3) (in 
million US$) 
1.00 
Commit-ment2 
(in million 
US$) 
10.20 
10.00 
Develop-ment 
Stage 
3 
Project 
Sponsors 
AECID/ 
Spanish 
Government 
Description (Project Status) 
evaluate progress achieved in this 
area. At the end of the NEPAD Gender 
mainstreaming process, sector-specific 
policy briefs will be 
presented to address any gaps 
identified. 
The NEPAD/Spain Fund for the 
Empowerment of Women in Africa 
resonates perfectly with the mandate 
of the NPCA and the Spanish Agency 
for International Development and 
Cooperation (AECID). Both institutions 
work towards the achievement of the 
MDGs in Africa by 2015 and the 
alleviation of poverty by considering 
gender equity, equality and women's 
empowerment as a pre-condition to 
sustainable growth and development. 
This commitment is enshrined in the 
Memorandum of Understanding 
signed by NEPAD and the Government 
of Spain on 12 June 2007, to 
formalise the establishment of the 
Spain-NEPAD Fund for the 
Empowerment of Women in Africa. 
Both parties strengthened this 
commitment in the IV Steering 
Committee of the Fund, on 17 June 
2009, by extending the duration of 
the Fund for a five-year period, 
starting on that date. 
The goal of the NEPAD/Spanish Fund 
is to promote gender equality and 
increase the capacities and autonomy 
of African women, in order to 
contribute to the acceleration of the 
achievement of the Millennium 
Development Goals, in particular 
MDG3. 
In the first call for proposals in 2008, 
46 projects from 23 countries in sub- 
Saharan Africa were approved. In 
addition, 2 m has been assigned to 
carry out a Business Incubator for 
Women project implemented by 
COMESA and ECOWAS. Its aim is to 
support women entrepreneurs in 
Africa. The business incubators will 
lead to increased capacities of SMEs 
run by women in African countries. 
During the last Steering Committee 
meeting, 10 m was approved for 
release to the Fund by AECID at the 
end of 2010, with the aim of 
launching a second call for proposals 
at the beginning of 2011. This second 
phase of the Fund will focus on 
finance projects to African 
organisations/institutions working in 
the areas of economic women's 
empowerment, civil society and 
women, community-based 
organisations, and institutional 
strengthening. 
40 REVISION OF THE AU/NEPAD AFRICAN ACTION PLAN 2010–2015
5. Cross-Cutting 
Sectors 
5.1 Trade, industry, 
market access and 
private-sector 
development: advancing 
Africa's competitiveness 
in the global marketplace 
Trade, industrialisation and investment Exports in 2007 
totalled almost US$425 billion and accounted for 3% of 
world exports. Exports are concentrated in fuel and mining 
(70%) and agriculture. Exports to Asia have grown 
significantly. Within Africa, intra-regional trade accounts for 
about 7% of total exports, compared with about 50% in 
Asia. Manufacturing contributes less than 15% of gross 
domestic product in many African countries, and is 
concentrated in food, textiles, clothing and footwear. 
Foreign direct investment inflows to Africa rose from about 
US$13 billion in 2002 to US$45 billion in 2007, largely in the 
extractive industries and in various service industries. Total 
net private capital flows to Africa rose to US$81 billion in 
2007. 
Challenges With almost half of the population under 25 
years old, creating jobs and career prospects is critical to 
Africa's prosperity and stability. Africa is abundantly 
endowed with natural resources, including many industrial 
minerals and agricultural resources, but the continent 
remains relatively poor, with little or no local value added 
and processing and minimum local inputs. Dependence on 
primary products has exposed resource-rich African 
countries to the vagaries of global markets and commodity 
cycles. Supply-side constraints act as limiting factors in 
many countries, both in manufacturing and in agriculture. 
Responses NEPAD recognises the critical role of the private 
sector as the continent's engine of economic growth. It has 
encouraged governments to establish an environment 
conducive to business and investment activities, and 
partners to facilitate greater world market access. Measures 
included legal and regulatory reforms, harmonisation of 
standards and trade facilitation, reduction of internal tariffs, 
deepening of financial markets, technology acquisition and 
knowledge sharing, industrial diversification and strategic 
participation in international trade negotiations. In addition, 
fundamental economic policies such as investment in 
infrastructure (energy, communications, transport, water, 
etc.) are critical to the promotion and sustenance of 
industrial development in Africa. Similarly, building human 
capacity through health, education and training and 
technology development is also necessary to enable the 
continent to compete in the increasingly knowledge-driven 
global economy. Aid for Trade is a mechanism that can 
address these imperatives (see box below). 
5.1.1Trade, industry, market access and 
private-sector development and regional 
integration in Africa 
Opening up African markets through infrastructure 
development and trade facilitation are important elements of 
regional integration in Africa. The eight RECs across the 
continent are key actors in expanding Free Trade Areas and 
Customs Unions, as well as other forms of trade facilitation. 
Aid for Trade refers to assistance by the international 
community to help countries address supply-side 
constraints to their participation in international 
markets, and to cope with transitional adjustment 
costs from liberalisation of trade. It covers assistance 
with trade policy and regulations and trade 
development, but also trade related infrastructure, 
capacity development, and trade-related government 
budget adjustments. The WTO Hong Kong ministerial 
meeting launched the initiative in 2005. 
The European Union is a major supporter of the 
approach and committed 2.73 billion to Africa in 
2007. Support to regional integration is a priority. The 
European Development Fund allocated 645 million 
for eastern and southern Africa (EAC-COMESA-SADC), 
notably to a jointly-planned North-South 
Corridor programme. Another regional review of Aid 
for Trade takes place in the ECOWAS region in June 
2009, and a global review is scheduled for July 2009. 
In this context, Aid for Trade may be seen as an 
important funding modality, providing technical 
support to trade liberalisation and also support for the 
infrastructure base that is critical to expanding trade. 
'Eradication of extreme hunger and poverty 
can only be achieved through faster 
economic growth and enhanced 
competitiveness' 
U.N. Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro 
ABRIDGED REPORT 2010–2012 www.nepad.org 41
5.1.2 Partners in trade, industry, market 
access and private-sector development 
AU/NEPAD is working with a number of specialised 
continental and regional organisations to promote regional 
integration in trade, industry, market access and private 
sector development in Africa, including: 
International partners 
 United Nations Industrial Development Organization 
(UNIDO) 
Continental partners 
 Conference of African Ministers of Industry (CAMI) 
 Investment Climate Facility (ICF) 
Regional partners 
 Regional Economic Communities 
5.1.3 AU/NEPAD's strategic focus in trade, 
industry, market access and private-sector 
development 
In 2004, the AU Summit in Addis Ababa adopted the African 
Productive Capacity Initiative (APCI) as the policy 
framework for Africa's industrialisation effort through 
NEPAD. The APCI was designed to facilitate a shift towards 
a hands-on approach for tackling industrial performance 
and productivity, sustainable employment creation, and the 
contribution of industry to poverty reduction. 
In January 2008, the African Union Assembly endorsed the 
Action Plan for Accelerated Industrial Development of Africa 
(AIDA). The Conference of African Ministers of Industry 
(CAMI) subsequently adopted an implementation strategy to: 
 Promote economic diversification through industrial 
value-added activities 
 Create an enabling environment and institutional 
framework that promotes private sector-sensitive 
industrial development, regional economic co-operation 
and international competitiveness 
 Enhance supply-side and demand-side capacity for 
industrial production and trade. 
Programme-specific objectives of this strategy are based on 
the measures described in the box below. 
5.2 Environment and 
climate change: 
promoting sustainability 
and stewardship for 
Africa's ecosystems 
Africa contains some of the richest environmental resources 
in the world. Africans depend on a healthy and vibrant 
ecosystem and for their livelihoods on everything from 
forest products, water, food and agricultural products to 
tourism. Yet unless Africa is able to foster sustainable use 
and stewardship of its resources, the continent will face 
many threats to these treasures in the future. 
A rich biodiversity Africa contains over 3,000 protected 
areas including 198 Marine Protected Areas, 50 Biosphere 
Reserves, and 80 Wetlands of International Importance. 
Eight of the world's 34 international biodiversity hotspots 
are in Africa22. Despite their recognised status, these areas 
remain under threat from poaching, encroachment and the 
introduction of alien species. 
AU/NEPAD STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES IN TRADE, INDUSTRY, MARKET ACCESS AND PRIVATE–SECTOR DEVELOPMENT 
Objective 1: Building productive capacity and capabilities 
for converting comparative advantage into industrial 
competitiveness. 
Objective 2: Promoting actions that facilitate export of 
value-added products through the conversion of 
commodities into products. 
Objective 3: Enhancing trade linkages and market 
penetration for expanding the extent of the market for 
products. 
Objective 4: Promoting value chains by thinking globally 
and acting locally for job creation and poverty reduction. 
22 Africa Atlas of our Changing Environment, UNEP. 
Objective 5: Developing small and medium-sized 
enterprises (SMEs) and their linkages to large-scale 
enterprises for seizing opportunities for industrial 
expansion. 
Objective 6: Promulgating standardisation, accreditation, 
quality and metrology for effective global market 
integration. 
Objective 7: Fostering public-private partnerships (PPPs) 
for industrial development. 
Objective 8: Removing bureaucratic and administrative 
impediments to trade and investment. 
42 REVISION OF THE AU/NEPAD AFRICAN ACTION PLAN 2010–2015
The threat of land degradation Due to the lack of strong 
environmental management, land in Africa is becoming 
increasingly degraded. The most prevalent forms of 
degradation include desertification, deforestation, dust 
storms, rising pollution and loss of ecosystems from rapid 
urbanisation. Thirty-one per cent of the region's pasture 
lands and 19% of its forests are classified as degraded. 
Forests account for over 20% of Africa's land area, but are 
being destroyed by logging and conversion of forests to 
agriculture and urban settlements. Africa is currently losing 
more than four million hectares of forest every year – twice 
the world's average deforestation rate. 
The threat of climate change Although Africa produces 
only 4% of total global carbon dioxide emissions, its 
inhabitants suffer greatly from the consequences of global 
climate change. In many parts of Africa, even small changes 
in precipitation and water availability are having a 
devastating effect on agricultural output and consequently 
on food security. As climate change intensifies and its 
impacts deepen, adaptation amongst the communities in 
Africa will become increasingly challenging. 
5.2.1 Regional integration in environment and 
climate change in Africa 
Many environmental issues transcend national boundaries. 
The sustainable use of natural resources such as those 
derived from forest ecosystems and monitoring, 
management, and climate change control, are problems of 
major concern to all African nation. Since these resources 
and issues span more than one nation, they are often 
treated with different levels of political priority using different 
Transboundary protected areas 
Protected areas 
Source: Africa Atlas of our Changing Environment, UNEP 
management approaches, laws and regulations. Some 
efforts have been made to introduce management 
mechanisms that involve a degree of international 
cooperation, but there are still many challenges to be 
overcome before a unified framework can be achieved. To 
this end, AU/NEPAD has focused on six programme areas 
and three cross-cutting issues in the NEPAD Action Plan for 
the Environment Initiative that concentrate on fostering 
regional cooperation on transboundary environmental 
issues: 
 Programme Area 1 Combating Land Degradation, 
Drought and Desertification 
 Programme Area 2 Conserving Africa's Wetlands 
 Programme Area 3 Prevention, Control and 
Management of Invasive Alien 
Species 
 Programme Area 4 Conservation and Sustainable 
Use of Marine, Coastal and 
Freshwater Resources 
 Programme Area 5 Combating Climate Change in 
Africa 
 Programme Area 6 Transboundary Conservation or 
Management of Natural 
Resources 
 Cross Cutting Issue 1 Health and the Environment 
 Cross Cutting Issue 2 Trade and the Environment 
 Cross Cutting Issue 3 Technology and the Environment 
5.2.2 Partners in environment and climate 
change 
AU/NEPAD is working with number of specialised 
continental and regional organisations to promote regional 
integration in Environment and Climate Change in Africa 
including: 
Global partners 
 The Global Climate Observing System (GCOS) 
 United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) 
 World Meteorological Organization (WMO) 
 The Global Environment Facility (GEF) 
 The European Commission's African Monitoring of the 
Environment for Sustainable Development (AMESD) 
 The Netherlands Climate Assistance Programme (NCAP) 
 The International Research Institute for Climate and 
Society (IRI) 
 The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) 
 The Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) 
Continental partners 
 Africa Ministerial Conference of Environment (AMCE) 
 The African Centre of Meteorological Application for 
Development (ACMAD) 
 Centre for Environmental Economics and Policy in Africa 
(CEEPA) 
Regional partners 
 The Climate Prediction and Application Centre (IGAD-ICPAC) 
ABRIDGED REPORT 2010–2012 www.nepad.org 43
 The Regional Centre for Agriculture, Hydrology and 
Meteorology (AGRHYMET) 
 SADC Drought Monitoring Centre (SADC-DMC) 
 Observatoire du Sahara et Sahel (OSS) 
 The Lake Victoria Basin Commission (LVBC) 
 The Nile Basin Initiative (NBI) 
 The Economic Community of the Great Lakes (CEPGL) 
 The Central African Forest Commission (COMIFAC) 
 SouthSouthNorth (SSN) 
5.2.3AU/NEPAD's strategic focus in 
environment and climate change 
The NEPAD Action Plan for the Environment Initiative is 
the guiding document for AU/NEPAD's activities in the 
environment and climate change sector. Sub-Regional 
Environmental Action Plans (SREAPs) have also been 
developed and adopted by many of the sub-regions (e.g., 
IGAD's SREAP, which covers each of the programme areas 
of the Action Plan, including monitoring). The overall 
objectives of AU/NEPAD's activities in environment and 
climate change are listed in the box on the left. 
Carbon finance has not played a large role in African 
development finance to date, for specific reasons. The 
Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) focuses primarily 
on the emission reduction components of projects, and 
provides post-investment cash flow only. Since Africa's 
emissions are relatively low, and since African financial 
markets are less developed than in some parts of the 
world, such financing has not generated large amounts 
of investment capital. With further development of the 
mechanism and domestic capital markets, carbon finance 
could play a larger role in African project investment. 
5.3 Governance: 
towards a democratic 
future for Africa 
Governance underlines the basis for sustainable 
development Governance is interlinked with 
institutionalised values such as democracy, observance of 
human rights, accountability, transparency and greater 
efficiency and effectiveness of the public sector. Good 
governance ensures that political, social and economic 
priorities are based on a broad consensus in society and 
that the voices of the poorest and the most vulnerable are 
heard in decision-making over the allocation of development 
resources23. Improving good governance in Africa is of 
central importance. Governance is seen as an effective 
means of enabling and guaranteeing development, building 
AU/NEPAD STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES IN 
ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE CHANGE 
Objective 1: CONTRIBUTE TO THE 
IMPLEMENTATION OF NEPAD through the effective 
implementation of its Environment Initiative 
Objective 2: PROMOTE SUSTAINABLE USE of 
Africa's natural resources and strengthen public and 
political support to regional and sub-regional 
environmental initiatives 
Objective 3: SUPPORT IMPLEMENTATION BY 
AFRICAN COUNTRIES of their commitments under 
the global and regional environmental conventions 
and other legal instruments to which they are party 
Objective 4: ENHANCE THE HUMAN AND 
INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITIES of African countries to 
effectively address the environmental challenges 
facing the continent 
Objective 5: PROMOTE INTEGRATION of 
environmental issues in poverty reduction strategies 
Objective 6: FOSTER REGIONAL AND 
SUBREGIONAL COOPERATION to address 
environmental challenges 
Objective 7: BUILD A NETWORK OF REGIONAL 
CENTRES OF EXCELLENCE in environmental 
science and management 
Objective 8: MOTIVATE AND DIRECT AFRICAN 
AND INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC AND 
TECHNICAL COMMUNITIES to solve Africa's 
pressing environmental problems 
Objective 9: ENHANCE EFFECTIVE PARTICIPATION 
of major African groups and their important 
contribution to informing intergovernmental decision-making 
Objective 10: IMPROVE THE INSTITUTIONAL 
FRAMEWORK for regional environmental governance 
Objective 11: MOBILISE INTERNATIONAL 
RESOURCES for the implementation of the 
Environment Initiative of NEPAD 
Objective 12: PROVIDE A FRAMEWORK FOR 
PARTNERSHIP between African countries themselves 
and with their bilateral and multilateral partners, 
including multilateral financial institutions such as GEF, 
in accordance with the spirit and the letter of the 
United Nations Millennium Declaration 
23 Governance for Sustainable Human Development, A UNDP Policy Paper, UNDP 1997, pp. 2-3. 
44 REVISION OF THE AU/NEPAD AFRICAN ACTION PLAN 2010–2015
partnership with national, regional, continental and global 
organisations to promote a comprehensive programme in 
support of accountability, transparency, participation, 
combating corruption and the promotion of an enabling legal 
and judicial framework. The main regional focus is the 
continuous operation of the APRM and its increased 
membership. Other substantial and important initiatives 
encompass the development and implementation of 
programmes for the efficient administration of public 
resources, including the Extractive Industries Transparency 
Initiative, the Construction Transparency Initiative, the 
African Agenda for Good Financial Governance and the 
Collaborative Africa Budget Reform Initiative (CABRI). 
5.4 Capacity development: 
building a capable and 
responsive leadership for 
Africa's future 
and/or restoring stability as opposed to conflict in countries, 
regions and sub-regions. 
Africa has made good progress in improving govern-ance 
but it also faces serious challenges Calls for good 
governance in Africa have led to some progress, particularly 
in improving the regulatory environment for businesses. 
Improvements in governance are correlated with 
advancements in other areas. More than half of the 
continent follows the democratic process and the level of 
resources committed by African governments to tackling 
poverty and other problems is rising, along with the revenue 
base. However, as Africa moves to address problems of 
governance in development, it faces some fundamental 
challenges, including a) the need to build the capacity of 
states to incorporate mechanisms for political oversight and 
the management of state-society relations; b) the need to 
institute appropriate structures and mechanisms to foster 
active participation by citizens, gender equality, women's 
empowerment, human rights and more active and 
meaningful participation of civil society in the development 
process; and c) the need to reduce the costs of doing 
business by improving the quality of regulatory frameworks, 
reducing administrative barriers, improving physical 
infrastructure and stamping out corruption. 
The African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM): Africa's 
innovative thinking on governance The various bodies of 
the AU play an important role in the evolution of governance 
mechanisms in Africa. In March 2003, NEPAD adopted the 
APRM process. APRM is a mutually-agreed instrument 
voluntarily acceded to by member states of the AU as a self-monitoring 
mechanism. The overarching goal of APRM is for 
all participating countries to accelerate their progress towards 
adopting and implementing NEPAD's priorities and 
programmes by achieving mutually-agreed objectives and 
compliance with best practices in each APRM area of 
governance and development, namely: the main pillars of the 
Declaration on Democracy, Political, Economic and Corporate 
Governance. The implementation of APRM has not proceeded 
without issues. It has encountered a number of challenges, 
ranging from financial, capacity, procedural and operational to 
political, both at the national and continental levels. Twenty-nine 
countries have now voluntarily acceded to the 
Mechanism. Of these, 14 have established their national 
structures and are at various stages of implementing the 
APRM process. The process has three phases, starting with a 
self-assessment, followed by peer country review missions, 
and finally implementation of a National Programme of Action. 
5.3.1Governance and regional integration in 
Africa 
Africa's integration should be based on a set of core values 
held in common, including good governance, anti-corruption 
and the rule of law. Improved governance will further 
strengthen regional integration and harmonisation. In order to 
address the governance challenges, AU/NEPAD are working in 
Capacity development is a fundamental issue to enable 
Africa to attain the MDG goals Africa is pursuing its 
development agenda in a challenging, complex and ever 
changing environment. Capacity on the 'soft' side, namely 
the capacity to carry out consistent design, implementation, 
monitoring and evaluation activities, is critical to leverage 
outcomes from existing investments and to attract more 
financing from both public and private sectors. Low 
capacity has an adverse effect on the conceptualisation, 
management, execution and impact of development 
initiatives. Capacity development is a prerequisite for the 
implementation of African development strategies, and must 
be undertaken at national, regional and continental levels. 
NEPAD represents an expression of the will and 
determination of the AU leadership to steer Africa to higher 
levels of sustainable development through adoption of 
policies and strategies to create an enabling institutional, 
technical, administrative and political environment. 
ABRIDGED REPORT 2010–2012 www.nepad.org 45
consortium of partners, in order to enhance and accelerate 
the regional development process. 
5.4.2 Partners in capacity development 
AU/NEPAD is working with a number of continental and 
regional organisations promoting regional integration in 
capacity building in Africa including: 
Continental and international partners 
 Africa Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF) 
 ECA 
 Southern Africa Trust (SAT) 
 Germany (GTZ) 
 Flanders International Cooperation Agency 
5.4.3AU/NEPAD's strategic focus in capacity 
development 
The guiding document for AU/NEPAD's activities in capacity 
development sector is the Capacity Development 
Strategic Framework (CDSF). Its strategic objects are 
listed listed in the box below. 
As a fundamental instrument, CDSF offers a common 
structure, a holistic and integrated approach based on 
performance and competencies. The CDSF consists of six 
cornerstones identified as the most critical success factors 
for capacity building in Africa. They are Leadership 
Transformation; Citizenship Transformation; Evidence-based 
Knowledge and Innovation; Utilizing African Potential, Skills 
and Resources; Developing the Capacity of Capacity 
Developers; and Integrated Planning and Implementation for 
Results. 
AU/NEPAD STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES IN THE 
CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT SECTOR 
Objective 1: Address Africa's real capacity challenges 
in a sustainable manner through a strategic 
perspective focusing on organisational systems 
capacities. 
Objective 2: Work towards the fulfilment of the vision 
of African renewal espoused in the NEPAD framework 
through fundamental transformation, re-orientation, 
realignment and strengthening of the African 
institutional framework. 
Objective 3: Promote the adoption and application of 
the CDSF by countries and institutions to enable them 
to comprehensively identify and apply solutions to 
capacity challenges in order to achieve transform 
action and change of mindsets. By engaging with 
NEPAD, countries and RECs lay the foundation for 
meeting this transformative objective. 
Limited capacity in African countries has been a 
bottleneck for Africa's development General issues of 
capacity building in Africa include the impacts of HIV/AIDS, 
the need for a highly effective leadership and well-trained 
civil servants, and the lack of efficient administrative and 
delivery systems. These deficiencies arise from a 
combination of factors related to individual, institutional and 
systemic constraints, ranging from weak harmonisation and 
integration to skill and knowledge gaps. Traditional capacity 
building is very much determined by a somewhat limited 
approach of building up capacity through training measures 
for individuals, provision of material and financial support as 
well as organisational restructuring, which fail to address the 
systemic capacity constraints. Africa needs a capacity 
development strategy that takes into account Africa's 
unique needs, priorities, challenges and context. 
Capacity building is a long-term process requiring a 
systemic approach The NEPAD Agency has launched a 
Capacity Development Initiative (CDI) to take on the 
challenge of conceptualising, developing, adopting and 
implementing a Capacity Development Strategic Framework 
(CDSF). Based on continent-wide consultation, CDSF 
creates a common understanding of capacity gaps and 
challenges, identifies key elements of a strategy for capacity 
and skill development at all levels. It advocates 
transformation, a mind-set change as well as dealing with 
the structural and systemic challenges hampering effective 
and efficient service delivery. The CDI is not framed as a 
stand-alone agenda and needs to be built on a solid 
national foundation to facilitate integration or mainstreaming 
into national planning and budgetary frameworks including 
sector plans. Moreover, CDSF needs to be championed at 
all levels by a range of stakeholders, not only governments. 
NEPAD is playing an important role in capacity development 
initiatives in the continent as it has a strategic advantage to 
be a change agent through facilitation by RECs. 
5.4.1 Capacity development and regional 
integration in Africa 
Capacity development is a central strategy to transform the 
performance of African systems of service delivery and 
economic and social development. The need for regional 
integration in capacity development has been accelerated 
by the fact that more and more high-quality and viable 
African projects and programmes have adopted a 
regional/continental outlook, and aim to ensure sustainable 
regional economic development integration through 
cooperation among African countries. Low capacity levels in 
some countries, inability by others to finance projects on 
their own, and political differences hinder the integration 
process. As regional public institutions, RECs and their 
subsidiaries could effectively create unified political space 
for national policies to be aligned and harmonised. 
Capacity development in the RECs is the focus of enhanced 
capacity development being planned in 2009 by a 
46 REVISION OF THE AU/NEPAD AFRICAN ACTION PLAN 2010–2015
6. Implementation 
of the Revised 
AAP 
6.1 Success factors 
 Direct investment in planning and implementing regional 
projects 
 Provision of on-going budgetary support as needed. 
Among African institutions: A coordinated focus on 
making programmes and projects ready for investment and 
providing effective institutional support for that effort: 
 Use of the AAP as an effective monitoring and 
management tool by developing and maintaining a 
current, accurate and accessible database, reporting on 
progress at least yearly 
 Dedicated NPCA infrastructure staff will assist RECs and 
other proponents to prepare projects and package for 
financing 
 Revision of future AAP priorities through a more inclusive 
process, to strengthen awareness and consensus on the 
Plan. 
Among international partners: Scale up levels of support 
to meet commitments and align efforts with the Paris 
Declaration: 
 Recognition of Africa's underlying needs and the added 
effects of the global recession in multilateral and bilateral 
funding 
 Acceleration of liberalisation of trade access 
 Longer-term commitments to broad sectoral and 
regional development programmes 
 Increased support for programme planning and project 
development 
 Increased use of multinational pooling and consortia to 
reduce multiplicity of funding sources 
 Harmonisation of terms and conditionalities among 
partners. 
6.2 Financing 
The NEPAD Programme of Action has attracted widespread 
acceptance of the guiding principles, leading to pledges 
and commitments by the international community; clear 
articulation of objectives and strategies in the sectors and 
regions it covers; greatly expanded capacity of African 
institutions to direct and plan activities in these areas; and 
modest progress in implementing programmes and projects. 
The AAP 2010–2012 serves as another partnership tool to 
build on the modest achievements since the adoption of 
NEPAD as an AU programme in 2001. Key success factors, 
therefore, for accelerating the progress of the AAP priority 
action plan (PAP) in the period 2010–2012, will include the 
following: 
At the continental/political level: Continuing commitment 
to the political and economic reforms set out by African 
countries with AU and NEPAD as forming the continental 
framework is essential. Likewise, focusing on promoting 
sustainable conditions for growth and integration will be 
advantageous for Africa. In this regard, the following factors 
are of utmost importance: 
 Leadership emphasis on high-level priorities: regional 
integration and sectoral policy frameworks in place, with 
emphasis on time-related outcomes, and regular 
progress reviews 
 Governance improvements, positive peace and security 
conditions, and policies and practices to encourage 
private-sector investment 
 Recognition of the importance of joint participation by 
investors and development partners in planning and 
implementation of projects and programmes 
 Rationalisation of overlapping areas of responsibility 
among RECs and in AU/NEPAD, to simplify processes 
and free up resources. 
At the national government level: Integration of regional 
strategies with national strategies and mobilisation of 
African resources, including: 
 Prompt and cooperative decisions on integration matters 
 Harmonisation of laws, regulations and procedures to 
promote interconnections and economic integration 
The international financial crisis and resulting global 
economic downturn that began in 2008 are now negatively 
affecting the African continent and threatening the 
achievements of the last decade of sustained economic 
growth. African leaders are speaking out to underscore the 
seriousness of the economic and financial situation Africa 
faces. 
Development partners also recognise the needs, which are 
to some extent in competition with demands from other 
regions and from within developed countries themselves. 
For example, the World Bank is mobilising its instruments in 
the following ways, which will affect the supply of funds in 
Africa and other world regions: 
 increasing International Bank for Reconstruction and 
Development lending to US$100 billion over the next 
three years 
 making available US$42 billion in International 
ABRIDGED REPORT 2010–2012 www.nepad.org 47
Development Association grants and interest-free loans 
to the poorest countries 
 helping the private sector through support for trade, 
banks and infrastructure projects. 
The AfDB has a recognised comparative advantage as a 
channel for investment in all areas of infrastructure and 
economic integration, and in convening coordinated 
financial actions within Africa. To address the rapidly 
diminishing access to capital faced by its clients, the AfDB 
recently adopted a set of initiatives and is also reassessing 
the needs for additional/strengthening existing instruments 
under the ADF Replenishment cycles: 
 establishment of flexible and fast disbursing facilities 
(Emergency Liquidity Facility (ELF) and Trade Finance 
Lines of Credit)24 
 the African Development Fund replenishment cycle (ADF 
XII): substantial resources over and above ADF XI for 
deeper and more effective support to fragile states and 
deeper regional integration within Africa 
 the adoption of a Sixth General Capital Increase (GCI-VI) 
in 2010, representing a major capital increase that would 
maintain prudential ratios within their limits until 2018. 
6.3 Financing to 
accelerate programme 
and project 
implementation 
means that sectoral priorities tend to become distorted, 
when funding is not available to develop programme and 
project concepts to the point at which they can attract 
funding. 
Professional resources for project packaging. For 
projects with clear indications of economic return but 
significant challenges, it may accelerate progress to employ 
capable investment advisors at an early stage, to structure 
workable transactions that address difficult issues. For 
example, giving a mandate to an experienced firm to build a 
commercially and financially acceptable risk management 
framework and institutional structure, around a major, 
multistate energy project that poses significant sovereign 
risk issues, may unearth solutions that may catalyse the 
project. This process can involve African banks as well as 
international firms, and so develop a knowledge base that 
will yield future dividends in the form of enhanced capability 
for project development. 
Public–private partnerships (PPPs). In Africa, PPPs have 
been successfully structured and implemented in power 
generation, ports, railways, ICT and some other applications, 
where commercial demand and pricing can be identified and 
used. PPPs are more difficult to achieve where multiple 
jurisdictions are involved or when the environment is less like 
the free market. In a public-private partnership structure, the 
responsibilities for ownership, financing, construction and 
commercial operations are shared between the public and 
private sectors, usually on a long-term basis. The sharing 
may be successfully done in many ways, as long as it is 
consistent with the capabilities and risk absorption capacities 
of the parties; some costs are lower in the private sector, but 
some risks cannot be born effectively by it. Determining the 
appropriate sharing of responsibilities and putting together a 
stable, long-term transaction is normally a complex set of 
tasks. Most countries (e.g., the UK) started slowly with a 
small number of projects, in order to develop models suited 
to their circumstances. As government and banking 
institutions gain experience, the process can become more 
efficient and repeatable. 
6.4 Accessing sources 
of programme and 
project financing 
Immediate steps The current circumstances provide an 
opportunity to increase the supply of sound projects on a 
sustainable basis. In 2007, regional projects accounted for 
20 to 25% of ICA member commitments to infrastructure. If 
this proportion is applied to total external investment in 
infrastructure (US$40 billion in 2007), regional projects 
across the range of the AAP's sectors could require 
investment of perhaps US$10–15 billion per year. It is clear 
that at present there are not enough good projects that 
are investment-ready or bankable to absorb such 
quantities of capital, even if it were available. Additional 
attention is needed to accelerate the supply of investment-ready 
programmes and projects. 
The existence of the IPPF has clearly contributed to the 
implementation of infrastructure projects under STAP. 
Funding for project preparation continues to be scarce: in 
December 2008, the Facility had less than US$15 million 
unallocated and a pipeline in the order of two to three times 
that amount. It appears that many of the other sectors in 
the Plan lack similar access to preparation funds. This 
A relationship-based, primarily sectoral approach 
Sources of finance to implement the African Action Plan are 
varied and are to a considerable extent oriented to or 
concentrated in specific sectors. The European Union, for 
example, has committed to support at least six of the 
sectors represented in the AAP in its Africa-EU strategic 
24 See ADB/BD/WP/2009/27 document, "Bank Response to the Economic Impact of the Financial Crisis". 
48 REVISION OF THE AU/NEPAD AFRICAN ACTION PLAN 2010–2015
partnership, as well as some important regional 
concentrations. Infrastructure (power, transport corridors 
and communications) made up two thirds of the World 
Bank's portfolio of International Development Association 
(IDA)/GEF activity in regional integration in 2008. The 
remainder was divided among water resources management 
and environment (20%), financial sector integration (about 
10%), and HIV/AIDS and regional agriculture. Additionally 
the World Bank managed or financed projects in HIV/AIDS, 
agricultural research, energy and water basin management 
through the Nile Basin umbrella programme, and has 
announced a new agriculture water facility initiative. 
Other major multilateral and bilateral partners have 
equivalent areas of concentration in specific sectors and 
regions, and more scattered investment. Increasing 
investment has come from non-OECD partners, including 
China, India and Brazil, as well as the Arab Funds, which 
have been active on the continent for many years. Much of 
the private sector investment in infrastructure has gone to 
ICT and energy projects, with lesser amounts to transport. 
The most promising approach to establishing sustained 
financing for regional development would seem to be to 
establish long-term relationships with major investors and 
development partners, based on their sectoral orientation or 
regional interests. Beyond reviewing the state of multilateral 
and bilateral commitments against public pledges, 
important general issues such as harmonisation of terms 
and consistency with the principles of the Paris Declaration, 
and broad statements of African needs and priorities, 
multisectoral forums such as the APF are unlikely to 
generate direct opportunities to finance programmes and 
projects. 
Pooling of funds A sectoral approach also lends itself to 
pooling of funds from a variety of willing donors or 
investors, to provide flexibility, lower costs and assure 
sustained multi-year funding. Financing of Health and 
Education, which relies primarily on domestic resources, 
is especially impacted by global recession, because the 
negative impact on African governments' revenues 
particularly hits allocations to these two sectors, in which 
the poor countries spend significantly less per capita than 
richer countries. 
Aid fluctuations add to the financing problem. A study of 
72 countries found that volatility in aid flows far exceeds 
that in tax revenues, averaging about 40 times that in 
revenue. The many private sources of health funding active 
on the continent, while highly important in aggregate, 
impose administrative burdens and affect priorities in 
recipient countries and regions. 
Some sectors have dedicated sector funds, such as the 
African Water Facility (AWF), or targeted funds such as the 
IPPF, the Investment Climate Facility and the Spanish fund 
directed at African women's empowerment and gender 
development. A number of funds or similar mechanisms are 
included among priority programmes in the AAP, including 
Agriculture, Environment, Social Affairs and Science and 
Technology. Similar mechanisms may be useful in Health 
and Education, to stimulate preparation and financing of key 
programmes and projects. 
Given the variety of multilateral, bilateral and private 
partners, resource mobilisation missions and other 
strategies that target partners with identified sectoral or 
regional interests, or work with consortia of partners over a 
period of time, based on long-term relationships, should be 
productive. They are likely to attract financing that will help 
develop programmes that are at an earlier, less well-defined 
stage as well as investment-ready projects. These 
approaches should also facilitate harmonisation of terms 
and funding integration, consistent with the principles of the 
Paris Declaration. 
While the traditional institutional grouping of partners may 
not include newer, non-OECD partners, it is in Africa's 
interest to encourage their participation in pooling and other 
forms of harmonisation, to gain the full benefits of these 
approaches. 
Integration of cross-cutting themes Promotion and 
mainstreaming of cross-cutting objectives such as gender 
equality, respect for the environment and other MDGs, and 
allocation of funds for common needs such as capacity 
development, can be effectively achieved if they are built in 
to sector, programme and project plans. Such an approach 
is normal practice for international financial institutions. 
Measurement of progress toward these objectives in 
programme and project reports is necessary to create a 
base for appropriate monitoring and evaluation. 
Strengthening these practices will facilitate funding by 
international partners, who are expected to report on cross-cutting 
themes in their worldwide activities. Cross-cutting 
themes that may require or would benefit from general 
promotion, such as gender equality and development, will 
continue to require their own core funding. Other more 
instrumental but important themes, such as capacity 
development, may also require seed funding to ensure they 
are not forgotten in other sectoral planning. 
Aid for Trade refers to the provision of assistance by the 
international community to help countries address supply-side 
constraints to their participation in international 
markets, and to cope with transitional adjustment costs 
from liberalisation of trade. It covers assistance with trade 
policy and regulations and trade development, but also 
more broadly, trade-related infrastructure, capacity 
development, and trade-related government budget 
adjustments. The World Trade Organization (WTO) Hong 
Kong ministerial meeting launched the initiative in 2005. 
The European Union is a major supporter of the approach 
and committed 2.73 billion to Africa in 2007. Support to 
regional integration is a priority. The European Development 
Fund allocated 645 million for eastern and southern Africa 
ABRIDGED REPORT 2010–2012 www.nepad.org 49
(EAC-COMESA-SADC), notably to a jointly-planned North- 
South Corridor programme (reviewed in Lusaka in April 
2009). Another regional review of Aid for Trade was to take 
place in the ECOWAS region in June 2009, with a global 
review in July 2009. In this context, Aid for Trade should be 
seen as an important funding modality, providing technical 
support to trade liberalisation and also support for the 
infrastructure base that is critical to expanding trade. 
Carbon Finance has not played a large role in African 
development finance to date, for specific reasons. The 
Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) is focused primarily 
on the emission reduction components of projects, and 
provides post-investment cash flow only. Since Africa's 
emissions are relatively low, and since African financial 
markets are less developed than in some parts of the 
world, such financing does not generate large amounts of 
investment capital. Use of the CDM by African countries 
has been minimal. With further development of the 
mechanism and domestic capital markets, carbon finance 
could play a larger role in African project investment. 
6.5 Monitoring, managing 
and evaluating the AAP 
should assist RECs and other implementing agencies to 
develop projects in order to accelerate financial closure of 
the priority projects. 
Evaluating results Addition of baseline data and time-related 
targets to sector strategies and objectives would 
enable better monitoring and evaluation of progress toward 
Africa's sectoral and integration goals. Similarly, employing 
baseline measures and time-bound targets in programme 
and project plans provides a basis for managing and for 
learning from such activity. There is great interest in such 
data on the part of international partners, who have to 
justify allocations to taxpayers and investors. 
A current, accessible database It is not possible to 
perform either monitoring or management functions 
effectively without a readily accessible, current database on 
programmes and projects. The costs in terms of time and 
effort to gather and update relevant information from many 
sources, in real time, are too great to keep track of a large 
portfolio and to respond effectively to project opportunities 
or investor interest. 
6.6 Institutional support 
to AAP 
Continuous monitoring and management A fundamental 
conclusion of this review is that continuous monitoring and 
management of the AAP's portfolio of programmes and 
projects is necessary, if significant progress is to be made in 
accelerating the implementation of sound proposals across 
all sectors in the Plan. Monitoring and management implies 
that the state of readiness of each programme or project is 
known and reported regularly, and proponents are assisted 
to refine and present proposals for financing, based on 
sound analysis and quality information. 
The Programme/Project Development Stages approach built 
into the Revised AAP provides an effective framework for 
monitoring and managing the AAP. Evidence of the benefits 
of this approach and of the need for institutional support to 
achieve it, is quite clear in the infrastructure sector, 
particularly in the STAP portfolio. 
Regular reporting Annually, there should be reports of 
activity levels and financial commitments in all sectors and 
regions, to keep tabs on the level of effort and progress 
being made to implement programmes and projects. Annual 
HSGOC or African Summit meetings would review progress 
in selected sectors as at present, and a more complete 
review of the progress of the AAP portfolio could take place 
bi-annually (January and June). 
Project development and financing support For a viable 
arrangement among parties involved in the AAP, the NPCA 
Such a data system must be managed with adequate staff 
support, resourced to produce information on a timely and 
accurate basis, with access to computers and a simplified 
protocol to obtain data from partner organisations for the 
purpose of the AAP. 
The NPCA as executing agency for the AAP implementation 
agenda (2010–2012), will develop a database to monitor the 
implementation progress by RECs and other implementing 
agencies, to report to the NEPAD Steering Committee and 
HSGOC in January and June of each year. 
For every programme or project accorded priority status in 
the AAP, a basic information template should be filled out 
and kept current by the proponents so that users can gain 
access to relevant data on a timely basis (the Final 
Technical Report provides such a template). 
The Agency's current responsibilities (see the box opposite, 
drawn from a NEPAD sectoral document) are consistent 
with this role. A re-orientation of staff from policy and 
programme development toward project management 
and finance would be required. 
A coordination mechanism underpinned by the AU Assembly 
Decision of January 2010 [Decision: Assembly/ AU/14 (XIV)] 
and the Institutional Architecture for Infrastructure 
Development in Africa (IAIDA) will define, and guide the 
50 REVISION OF THE AU/NEPAD AFRICAN ACTION PLAN 2010–2015
implementation and monitoring processes of the African 
Action Plan (AAP) for the period 2010-2012, and beyond. 
NEPAD Agency 
 Provides technical backstopping of RECs 
 Monitors and evaluates continental Africa Peer 
Review Mechanism 
 Provides continental-level information 
 Facilitates partnership and resource mobilisation at 
the continental level 
 Facilitates mutual learning 
6.7 Revisions and 
stakeholder engagement 
Schedule Consistent with the continuous monitoring 
approach proposed above, revisions to the AAP would take 
place annually, as programmes and projects reach financial 
closure, and are being implemented. The revised AAP has 
been given a lifespan of five years by the NEPAD Steering 
Committee. Within two to three years, the PIDA study of 
infrastructure priorities should be completed. At that point, 
an interim review of progress, similar to the Short-Term 
Action Plan (STAP) reviews, will be done, and all projects 
and programmes in 'work in progress', rolled into the PIDA. 
6.8 Stakeholder 
engagement and wider 
dissemination of the AAP 
International stakeholders were generally aware of the AAP, 
but many REC representatives were not. Some stakeholders 
saw a potential in the AAP to be useful as a framework for 
defining, analysing and monitoring the progress of 
continental and regional integration in Africa, or for aiding 
them in securing financing for their programmes. However, 
few saw it as a process that transferred any of these 
benefits to them at the current time. 
To date the AAP has not been promoted or disseminated to 
other stakeholder groups, including governments, civil 
society (civil society organisations or CSOs) and the general 
population and diaspora groups. Raising awareness among 
these groups of Africa's key investment priorities for 
regional and continental integration will strengthen political 
and popular support for these efforts, if they are well 
managed. The revised AAP format, which includes extensive 
description of sectors and policies, as well as programmes 
and projects, should be more interesting and useful for 
engaging such groups. 
To achieve these purposes, the AAP should be made 
available online and regular forums held to allow stakeholders 
to engage in dialogue on the AAP's process and progress. 
7. The Road 
Map: the Way 
Forward 
The following specific implementation steps will be taken to 
strengthen and use the AAP (as a precursor to the PIDA, at 
least for Infrastructure) as the cornerstone of Africa's 
engagement with development partners, and to accelerate 
the progress of its priority programmes and projects to 
successful implementation on a sustained basis. 
ABRIDGED REPORT 2010–2012 www.nepad.org 51
Step 1: AAP Launch at the 2011 African Union Summit 
As a first step, is the need to formally launch (i.e., 
showcase) the AAP's priority action plan (PAP) at the Heads 
of State and Government Orientation Committee (HSGOC) 
meeting during the next AU Summit in Addis Ababa, 
Ethiopia, in January 2011. The launch will be the most 
significant event around the AAP since its endorsement by 
the African Partnership Forum (APF) in January 2010, which 
will demonstrate once again, the high-level commitment of 
the NEPAD HSGOC and African leadership, in the short-term 
AAP priority action plan: 2010–2012. 
Step 2: AAP PAP Advocacy Workshop/Conference 
The second step in the Road Map is to engender an 
advocacy process through a series of road shows with key 
stakeholders such as the Regional Economic Communities 
(RECs) and their member countries (RMCs), civil society 
organisations (CSOs) – both in Africa and outside the 
continent – and development partners, to seek the 
requisite buy-in and ownership of the African Action 
Plan priority action plan (PAP). Such road shows will begin 
in earnest in mid-2011, after the launch of the AAP. 
Step 3: Investment Round Table 
The third, and vital phase of the Road Map, is the 
Investment Round Table for resource mobilisation for the 
AAP priority action plan, with partners and donors. The 
AUC, NPCA and AfDB will develop a common strategy to 
engage partners at the level of the Infrastructure Consortium 
for Africa (ICA) and the G8, sometime in the third quarter of 
2011. 
Step 4: Institutionalise the AAP 
Step 4.1 Create a central AAP unit 
The NPCA will act as the executing agency for the 
implementation of the AAP priority action plan (PAP): 
2010–2012 
Step 4.2 Create a management information system (MIS) 
The NEPAD MIS for tracking all AAP programmes and 
projects will be re-vitalised. The templates contained in this 
report could function as a data input template for 
programmes and projects in the database. The database 
should be continually updated through the year by the staff 
of the AAP Unit, based on regular inputs from proponents. 
Step 5: Improve the methodology of the AAP 
Step 5.1 Establish sector and programme, project targets 
and outcomes for monitoring and evaluation 
Sectoral strategies exist for all sectors of the AAP. However, 
most sectors do not include quantifiable targets, baseline 
measurements and projected outcomes. In order to improve 
the objectivity and reliability of the AAP screening and 
prioritisation process, and for effective monitoring of global 
progress, results-based targets and indicators will be 
prepared for all sectors. A possible method of 
implementation could be: 
 Preparation by AU/NEPAD – Preparation of the targets 
and outcomes could be undertaken by a small task 
force of sectoral experts of the tripartite African 
institutions led by AU/NEPAD. 
 Adoption by sectoral forums – The targets and 
outcomes would then be reviewed and adopted at the 
various continental ministers' forums for each of the 
sectors. 
Similarly, a logical framework of results and outcomes will 
be established for programmes and projects, to enable 
monitoring and evaluation at this level. Evaluation of 
operational programmes and projects is a necessary 
element of attracting continuing support by international 
and African partners. 
Step 5.2 Introduce cross-cutting themes into sector and 
programme/project plans 
Promotion of cross-cutting objectives such as gender 
equality, respect for the environment and other MDGs, and 
allocation of funds for common needs such as capacity 
development, will be effectively achieved; as they will be 
built into sector, programme and project plans. Such an 
approach is normal practice for international financial 
institutions. Measurement of progress toward these 
objectives in programme and project reports is necessary to 
create a base for appropriate monitoring and evaluation. 
Strengthening these practices will facilitate funding by 
international partners, who are expected to report on cross-cutting 
themes in their worldwide activities. 
Step 6: Review activities and outputs 
Step 6.1 Publish and distribute regular AAP updates 
AAP will be published according to a regular annual 
schedule and distributed to a list of key influencers in the 
major international organisations, African continental and 
regional institutions and national governments and CSOs. 
Most of this distribution will be made electronically. 
Step 6.2 Conduct a mid-point review of sectoral progress 
At the beginning and mid-point of each year (2011–2012), 
progress toward the specific goals of each sector in the 
revised AAP will be evaluated. At this time a comprehensive 
review will be made of all activities that contribute to 
sectoral objectives, not just priority programmes and 
projects, so that Africa's leaders and the population at large 
can see 'the big picture' on an occasional basis, and make 
informed judgements on reallocation of resources. A mid-term 
progress review report will be provided to the NEPAD 
Steering Committee, and the HSGOC for information and 
guidance. 
Results and impact measures will be an important part of 
such reviews. Examination of the AAP in the context of the 
Minimum Integration Programme (MIP), a programme being 
developed by the AUC and the RECs, will provide further 
information on the links between sectoral investments and 
regional integration. 
52 REVISION OF THE AU/NEPAD AFRICAN ACTION PLAN 2010–2015
Step 7: Improve stakeholder communications through 
better information and support for African civil society 
Step 7.1 Establish a continental statistical portal on the new 
NEPAD website 
The AAP will be presented in an online, interactive 
continental statistical portal, to allow partners and donors to 
access up-to-date information on all AAP sectors and 
programmes. AAP-related content to be made available on 
the portal includes: 
Sector pages 
Online library of relevant sector strategies, summits, 
declarations etc. 
 Background to the regional integration agenda in the 
sector 
 Goals, objectives, expected outcomes, and progress of 
regional integration work in the sector 
 Overview of all international, continental and regional 
organisations working in regional integration in the 
sector and links to their web pages. 
Programme pages 
Each AAP programme and project will have its own page 
featuring: 
 Information in the programme/project template 
 Online library of publicly available documents explaining 
the programme in full detail 
 Link to the programme's website (when available). 
AAP database 
A database on AAP programmes and projects will be 
accessible to task managers via login, to update their 
programme status and place links to key project reports and 
data. A public version of the portal will allow users to query 
data fields according to their interests (e.g., a search that 
identifies programmes with capacity building or gender 
components), or to review and validate project assumptions 
and analysis. 
Step 7.2 Establish regular forums for dialogue with 
stakeholders and strengthen civil society participation 
Regular forums will be established each year to allow 
stakeholders an opportunity to engage in dialogue on the 
AAP process. 
 International stakeholders – The primary forum for these 
discussions will be the Africa Partnership Forum (APF), 
for a general review of the AAP and major issues such 
as commitments and harmonisation. 
 Ministerial/sector conferences – Sessions will also be 
established at ministerial conferences for sector-specific 
dialogue and reviews, relating to the progress of 
programmes and projects, financing issues, and areas 
where ministerial intervention can overcome obstacles. 
Expert panels could be used for validation and advice 
where available and appropriate. 
 Regional and national stakeholders – A focus on the 
AAP will be regularly added to regional and country 
meetings between AU/NEPAD, AfDB and ECA, so that 
RECs and national representatives maintain a 
continuous awareness and can provide feedback on the 
purpose and usefulness of the AAP. 
 Additional stakeholders – In the longer term, additional 
participatory mechanisms will be considered, such as 
online dialogues, discussion boards, and moderated 
discussion forums, to allow a broader range of 
participants to review and comment than those who 
normally attend conferences. This would be a cost-effective 
means of reaching individuals as well as CSOs. 
 Create a Centre of Excellence for the Promotion of 
African Civil Society – To further encourage the 
participation of civil society organisations in the 
economic and social life of the continent, and in the 
activities highlighted in the AAP in particular, it is 
proposed to create a Centre of Excellence for the 
Promotion of African Civil Society. Civil society groups 
often supply the resourcefulness, dedication and 
tenacity that initiate economic and social change, 
strengthen democracies and generate positive results in 
areas such as gender development, good governance, 
environmental awareness, health promotion, education, 
and adoption of new technologies, to name only a few. 
 Efforts by African institutions, such as the RECs and the 
African Union, to engender regional and continental 
integration and to maintain a focus on the Millennium 
Development Goals, depend on collaborative work with 
and support by African civil society. At the same time, 
many civil society groups are traditionally based and 
locally oriented. They may therefore need support to link 
with other organisations with similar interests in different 
regions, through capacity building, training and 
networking to share information, learn from each other 
and cooperate on a broader scale. Creation of a Centre 
of Excellence will expand the skills that enable civil 
society organisations and individuals to participate 
effectively in the continent's development and in the 
implementation of NEPAD values through the AU/NEPAD 
African Action Plan. 
ABRIDGED REPORT 2010–2012 www.nepad.org 53
AU-NEPAD African Action Plan 2010-2015
AU-NEPAD African Action Plan 2010-2015
For more information on infrastructure work 
being done at the NEPAD Agency contact: 
Adama Deen 
Head of Infrastructure Programmes and Projects 
NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency 
International Business Gateway 
New Road & 6th Road 
Midridge Office Park 
Corner of Challenger & Columbia Avenue 
Block B 
Midrand 
Johannesburg 1685 
South Africa 
Tel: +27 (0) 11 256 3600 
Fax: +27 (0) 11 206 3762 
Email: adamad@nepad.org 
Website: www.nepad.org

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AU-NEPAD African Action Plan 2010-2015

  • 1. REVISION OF THE AU/NEPAD AFRICAN ACTION PLAN 2010 _2015 Abridged Report 2010_2012 Advancing Regional and Continental Integration in Africa Together through Shared Values THE NEW PARTNERSHIP FOR AFRICA'S DEVELOPMENT NEPAD A PROGRAMME OF THE AFRICAN UNION
  • 2. Citation Revision of the AU/NEPAD AFRICAN ACTION PLAN 2010–2015: Advancing Regional and Continental Integration Together through Shared Values Abridged Report 2010–2012 Acknowledgement The management of the NEPAD Agency would like to thank the African Development Bank management for providing the technical and financial resources for the preparation of the revised AU/NEPAD African Action Plan and the Abridged Report. Credits This report is published by the NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency (NEPAD Agency). Content from this report may be freely reprinted, with attribution to the NEPAD Agency, and a copy of the reproduced content would be appreciated. Copyrighted photos may not be reproduced. Correspondence may be addressed to: Physical Address NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency International Business Gateway New Road & 6th Road Midridge Office Park Corner of Challenger & Columbia Avenue Block B Midrand Johannesburg 1685 South Africa Postal Address PO Box 1234 Halfway House Midrand Johannesburg 1685 South Africa Tel: +27 (0) 11 256 3600 Fax: +27 (0) 11 206 3762 Emails: info@nepad.org media@nepad.org Website: www.nepad.org (c) NEPAD 2011
  • 3. Contents Acronyms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Executive Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Background, rationale and objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Inputs to the AAP revision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Revised AU/NEPAD African Action Plan 2010–2015 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 The Road Map: way forward . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 1. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 1.1 Background . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 1.2 AU/NEPAD guiding principles and current conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 1.3 Context and rationale of the review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 2. Approach to Revising the AAP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 2.1 Consultations with stakeholders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 2.2 Selection of programmes and projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 2.3 Prioritisation of programmes and projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 2.4 Sequencing, monitoring and managing programmes and projects . . . . . . . .13 2.5 Content reliability and costing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 2.6 Sectoral objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 2.7 Priority programmes and projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 2.8 Cost of implementing the Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 3. Infrastructure: Energy, Transport, ICT and Transboundary Water Sectors . . . . . . . . . . .16 3.1 Energy: towards a sustainable energy future for Africa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 3.1.1 Energy and regional integration in Africa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 3.1.2 Partners in energy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 3.1.3 AU/NEPAD's strategic focus in energy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 3.2 Transport: enhancing mobility for Africans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23 3.2.1 Transport and regional integration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24 3.2.2 Partners in transport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24 3.2.3 AU/NEPAD strategic focus in transport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24 3.3 Information and communication technology (ICT): bridging Africa's digital divide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28 3.3.1 ICT and regional integration in Africa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29 3.3.2 Partners in ICT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29 3.3.3 AU/NEPAD's strategic focus in ICT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30 3.4 Transboundary water: advancing regional cooperation in water resource management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32 3.4.1 Water and regional integration in Africa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32 ABRIDGED REPORT 2010–2012 www.nepad.org 3
  • 4. Contents continued... 3.4.2 Partners in transboundary water . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33 3.4.3 AU/NEPAD's strategic focus in transboundary water . . . . . . . . . . . .33 4. Gender Development: Advancing Gender Equality in Africa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35 4.1 Gender development and regional integration in Africa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35 4.2 AU/NEPAD's strategic focus in gender development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36 5. Cross-Cutting Sectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39 5.1 Trade, industry, market access and private-sector development: advancing Africa's competitiveness in the global marketplace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39 5.1.1 Trade, industry, market access and private-sector development and regional integration in Africa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39 5.1.2 Partners in trade, industry, market access and private-sector development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40 5.1.3 AU/NEPAD's strategic focus in trade, industry, market access and private-sector development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40 5.2 Environment and climate change: promoting sustainability and stewardship for Africa's ecosystems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40 5.2.1 Regional integration in environment and climate change in Africa . . .41 5.2.2 Partners in environment and climate change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41 5.2.3 AU/NEPAD's strategic focus in environment and climate change . . .42 5.3 Governance: towards a democratic future for Africa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42 5.3.1 Governance and regional integration in Africa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43 5.4 Capacity development: building a capable and responsive leadership for Africa's future . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43 5.4.1 Capacity development and regional integration in Africa . . . . . . . . .44 5.4.2 Partners in capacity development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44 5.4.3 AU/NEPAD's strategic focus in capacity development . . . . . . . . . . .44 6. Implementation of the Revised AAP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45 6.1 Success factors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45 6.2 Financing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45 6.3 Financing to accelerate programme and project implementation . . . . . . . . .46 6.4 Accessing sources of programme and project financing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46 6.5 Monitoring, managing and evaluating the AAP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48 6.6 Institutional support to AAP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48 6.7 Revisions and stakeholder engagement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49 6.8 Stakeholder engagement and wider dissemination of the AAP . . . . . . . . . . .49 7. The Road Map: the Way Forward . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49 4 REVISION OF THE AU/NEPAD AFRICAN ACTION PLAN 2010–2015
  • 5. Acronyms AAP . . . . . . . . .AU/NEPAD African Action Plan AfDB . . . . . . . .African Development Bank AFFM . . . . . . . .African Fertiliser Financing Mechanism AGRA . . . . . . . .Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa AIDS . . . . . . . . .Acquired immune deficiency syndrome AMCOW . . . . . .African Ministers' Council on Water APCI . . . . . . . . .African Productive Capacity Initiative APF . . . . . . . . .Africa Partnership Forum APRM . . . . . . . .Africa Peer Review Mechanism AU . . . . . . . . . .African Union AUC . . . . . . . . .African Union Commission AWF . . . . . . . . .African Water Facility BPFA . . . . . . . .Beijing Platform for Action CAADP . . . . . . .Comprehensive Africa Agriculture . . . . . . . . . . . .Development Programme CAB . . . . . . . . .Central Africa Broadband Network CA-BI . . . . . . . .Central Africa Broadband Infrastructure . . . . . . . . . . . .Programme CAMI . . . . . . . .Conference of African Ministers of Industry CASSy . . . . . . .Central Africa Submarine System CDI . . . . . . . . . .Capacity Development Initiative (NEPAD) CDM . . . . . . . . .Clean Development Mechanism CDSF . . . . . . . .Capacity Development Strategic . . . . . . . . . . . .Framework CEDAW . . . . . .Convention on the Elimination of all Forms . . . . . . . . . . . .of Discrimination Against Women CEN-SAD . . . . .Community of Sahel-Saharan States CEPGL . . . . . . .Economic Community of the Great Lakes COMESA . . . . .Common Market for Eastern and . . . . . . . . . . . .Southern Africa CSO . . . . . . . . .Civil society organisation DFID . . . . . . . . .Department for International Development . . . . . . . . . . . .(UK) DRC . . . . . . . . .Democratic Republic of the Congo EAC . . . . . . . . .East African Community ECA . . . . . . . . .United Nations Economic Commission . . . . . . . . . . . .for Africa ECCAS . . . . . . .Economic Community of Central . . . . . . . . . . . .African States ECOWAS . . . . .Economic Community of West . . . . . . . . . . . .African States EIB . . . . . . . . . .European Investment Bank EU . . . . . . . . . .European Union FARA . . . . . . . .Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa G8 . . . . . . . . . .Group of Eight GDP . . . . . . . . .Gross domestic product GEF . . . . . . . . .Global Environment Facility GID . . . . . . . . . .Gender, Institutions and Development . . . . . . . . . . . .Database GSM . . . . . . . . .Global System for Mobile Communications GTZ . . . . . . . . .German Agency for Technical Cooperation HIV . . . . . . . . . .Human immunodeficiency virus HSGIC . . . . . . .Heads of State and Government . . . . . . . . . . . .Implementation Committee (NEPAD) HSGOC . . . . . .Heads of State and Government . . . . . . . . . . . .Orientation Committee (NEPAD) ICA . . . . . . . . . .Infrastructure Consortium for Africa ICF . . . . . . . . . .Investment Climate Facility ICT . . . . . . . . . .Information and communication technology IDA . . . . . . . . . .International Development Association IGAD . . . . . . . .Intergovernmental Authority on . . . . . . . . . . . .Development IPPF . . . . . . . . .Infrastructure Project Preparation Facility JICA . . . . . . . . .Japan International Cooperation Agency LVBC . . . . . . . .Lake Victoria Basin Commission MDGs . . . . . . . .Millennium Development Goals MIP . . . . . . . . .Minimum Integration Programme MW . . . . . . . . .Megawatt NBI . . . . . . . . . .Nile Basin Initiative NEPAD . . . . . . .New Partnership for Africa's Development NERICA . . . . . .New Rice for Africa NSAS . . . . . . . .Nubian Sandstone Aquifer System OAU . . . . . . . . .Organisation of African Unity ODA . . . . . . . . .Official development assistance OECD . . . . . . . .Organisation for Economic Co-operation . . . . . . . . . . . .and Development OMVS . . . . . . . .Organisation pour la mise en valeur du . . . . . . . . . . . .Fleuve Sénégal PIDA . . . . . . . . .Programme for Infrastructure Development . . . . . . . . . . . .in Africa PPP . . . . . . . . .Public–private partnership REC . . . . . . . . .Regional Economic Community SADC . . . . . . . .Southern African Development Community SAPP . . . . . . . .Southern African Power Pool SATA . . . . . . . .Southern Africa Telecommunications . . . . . . . . . . . .Association SREAP . . . . . . .Sub-regional Environmental Action Plan STAP . . . . . . . .Short-Term Action Plan (NEPAD) UHURUNET . . .Submarine cable of NEPAD ICT Broadband . . . . . . . . . . . .Infrastructure Network UMA . . . . . . . . .Arab Maghreb Union/ . . . . . . . . . . . .Union du Maghreb Arabe UMOJANET . . .Terrestrial network of NEPAD ICT . . . . . . . . . . . .Broadband Infrastructure Network UNDP . . . . . . . .United Nations Development Programme UNEP . . . . . . . .United Nations Environment Programme WTO . . . . . . . . .World Trade Organization ABRIDGED REPORT 2010–2012 www.nepad.org 5
  • 6. Executive Summary Introduction ‘Towards Greater Unity and Integration through Shared Values’, then to increase the rate of implementation of regional infrastructure projects and programmes, AU/NEPAD will prioritise projects whose sponsors have strong ‘Shared Value’ credentials and subscribe to the principles of good governance, anti-corruption, and rule of law, etc. Mainstreaming of gender in infrastructure, particularly for the attainment of the MDGs, will be a key objective of the short term AAP 2010–2012. Background, rationale and objectives The AU/NEPAD African Action Plan (AAP) is the defining statement of Africa's current priority programmes and projects related to the promotion of regional and continental integration, anchored in the Guiding Principles of the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD). The 10th meeting of the Africa Partnership Forum (APF) in Tokyo in 2008 recommended the revision of the AAP. The present report is an Abridged Version of the revised Plan. The African Development Bank, on behalf of the NEPAD Agency, was tasked to carry out a review and revision of the AU/NEPAD African Action Plan (AAP). The revised AU/NEPAD African Action Plan 2010–2015: Advancing Regional and Continental Integration was validated in June 2009 in Tunis, and was then endorsed by the Heads of State and Government Implementation Committee (HSGIC) and the African Partnership Forum (APF) in January 2010. In order to implement the revised AAP, it will be launched formally in January 2011 at the 24th HSGOC and 16th AU Summit. A critical next step for the AAP is the development of a Road Map for the implementation of a short-term priority action plan (PAP), focusing on Infrastructure as priority for the period: 2010–2012. The prioritisation of the AAP (the Abridged version) for implementation in the short term is necessary, for the following reasons:  To fast track the implementation of key projects through accelerated financial closure, of the African Action Plan priority action plan (PAP).  PIDA: The need to combine previous infrastructure flagship programmes, such as the NEPAD Short-Term Action Plan (STAP) and the infrastructure component of the African Action Plan (AAP), into a common AU/NEPAD priority infrastructure programme, i.e., the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA): 2010–2040. The Abridged AAP Report contains a snapshot of the African Action Plan Infrastructure priority action plan (PAP) for the period, 2010–2012. The report covers 23 Infrastructure projects in Energy (5), Transport (9), ICT (6) and Transboundary Water (3), as well as two Gender Development programmes, with an estimated net resource requirement of US$9.3 billion, for such projects to reach financial closure. As the theme of the 16th AU Summit is The AU/NEPAD African Action Plan (AAP) was originally conceived and developed in 2005/2006 in a drive to fast track the implementation of Africa's development and initiatives, including the MDGs. It consists, primarily, of the current priority programmes and projects with high potential impact on regional integration in Africa and requiring co-ordination at the continental level. The AAP is intended as a platform for dialogue with international African partners, to raise resources for much needed public and private investment and to monitor and evaluate progress. The 10th meeting of the Africa Partnership Forum (APF) in Tokyo found that the 2008 version of the Plan, estimated to cost US$115 billion, lacked context for its priorities, a clear indication of the status of projects, and a reliable basis for resource requirements. As a result, the African Development Bank (AfDB), together with the African Union Commission (AUC), NEPAD Secretariat and the UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), were mandated by the African Union (AU) and NEPAD to revise the AAP, with the overarching objective of producing a revised AAP with buy-in from all stakeholders. 6 REVISION OF THE AU/NEPAD AFRICAN ACTION PLAN 2010–2015
  • 7. Inputs to the AAP revision  Stage 1: Programme/Project Identification  Stage 2: Feasibility/Needs Assessment  Stage 3: Programme/Project Structuring and Promotion  Stage 4: Implementation and Operations. Each programme or project was set at one of these stages. Thus, users of the Plan can easily understand which development steps would normally have been accomplished, and may evaluate the reliability of the information presented accordingly. The Programme/Project Development Stage model was used to substantially redress the unmethodical use of costing figures encountered in previous versions of the Plan. Where Stage 2 or Stage 3 studies had been done (i.e., preliminary or detailed design), implementation cost estimates were accepted. Where such cost estimates were not available, the cost of studies needed to refine an initiative and move it to the next stage was identified as the relevant cost. Financing commitments were identified for each programme or project. Using this methodology, costing and net resource requirements were identified for all priority programmes and projects in the Plan. This framework also provides a useful structure for monitoring and managing the implementation of the Plan. It would enable the NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency (NPCA) to measure and report on the progress of each initiative from stage to stage towards implementation, to judge whether the normal steps and standards have been achieved and to identify gaps to be filled in and barriers to be overcome. It will also assist proponents to plan the sequence of steps to be taken to bring their initiatives to reality. Revised AU/NEPAD African Action Plan 2010–2015 The review and revision process took place over a five-month period, between January and June 2009.  Consultations were held with the four lead institutions (AfDB, AUC, NEPAD Secretariat and ECA).  Field visits were made to each of the eight Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and a final validation seminar was held with the RECs in June.  Discussions were held with international partners and stakeholders.  Progress was reviewed by the NEPAD Steering Committee in May and September 2009 and the draft Plan was endorsed by the 13th AU Summit and 21st NEPAD HSGIC in June/July 2009.  The NEPAD Steering Committee determined that a five-year timeframe, 2010–2015, would be appropriate for the revised Plan. The process for selecting activities and initiatives for the revised AAP incorporated the following steps:  Beginning with priorities from the 2008 AAP, priority projects and programmes identified by the RECs were collected and reviewed.  Sectoral priorities were reviewed with the lead institutions, to refine the priority list and to update information. In infrastructure, decisions by the AU Summit in February 2009 set priorities in energy and transport. Progress with implementation of the Plan between 2005 and 2008 had been negligible, and only a small number of infrastructure projects have reached implementation since 2008. A prioritisation analysis was conducted, aimed at delivering bankable, 'quick-win' projects and programmes with strong regional integration impacts. The criteria included:  Strategic alignment with AU/NEPAD objectives, RECs' master plans and partner orientations  Development impact in terms of contribution to regional integration, economic growth and the MDGs Readiness of projects and programmes for implementation. Because at least half of the initiatives under consideration were at an early stage of development (pre-feasibility or feasibility stages), it was important to focus attention on steps to be taken during the Plan's timeframe to develop a sustained flow of viable programmes and projects into the future, and to accelerate that process. To clarify the state of readiness, a four-stage sequencing model or framework, based on the normal steps and activities of programme and project development, was used to describe the current status of programmes and projects in the Plan, as follows: A 'new look', considerably expanded presentation has been developed for the revised Plan. To provide a context for the priority programmes and projects, the Plan features a high level overview of each sector: key components and resources, why the sector is important to the overall economic and social development of Africa, regional and continental aspects and the main challenges that must be overcome to realise its potential. The priority initiatives described in the revised Plan fall within nine sectors, which the AU and NEPAD have jointly agreed are strategic to the objective of realising the socio-economic transformation of the continent:  Infrastructure (Energy; Transport; Information and Communication Technology (ICT); and Transboundary Water)  Agriculture and Food Security  Human Resource Development (Health; Education, ABRIDGED REPORT 2010–2012 www.nepad.org 7
  • 8. Youth and Training; and Social Affairs)  Science and Technology  Trade, Industry, Market Access and Private-Sector Development  Environment and Climate Change, and Tourism  Governance and Public Administration, and Peace and Security  Capacity Development  Gender Development. This Abridged Version of the Plan includes chapters detailing two of the priority sectors – Infrastructure and Gender Development. There is also a chapter providing similar information for the major cross-cutting sectors – Trade, Industry, Market Access and Private-Sector Development, Environment and Climate Change, Governance and Capacity Development. Statements of AU/NEPAD's sectoral objectives have been included in the revised Plan, to provide a policy framework for the priority programmes and projects in the Plan. They have been developed through multi-stakeholder consultative processes and have been reviewed and authorised by ministerial and summit consideration. They indicate the comprehensive sectoral planning and policy coherence that have evolved since the NEPAD Programme of Action was launched in 2001. The prioritisation analysis found that virtually all priority programmes and projects align with sectoral objectives and contribute to regional or continental integration. Of the 25 priority programmes and projects listed in the abridged version of the AU/NEPAD African Action Plan, 2010–2012:  8 are at Stage 2: Feasibility/Needs Assessment  15 are at Stage 3: Programme/Project Structuring and Promotion  2 are at Stage 4: Implementation and Operations. The Abridged version of the AAP contains priority initiatives at Stages 2 and 3, with a limited number of Stage 4 projects, as lessons-to-learn from, in the application of PPP arrangements in regional infrastructure projects. The short-term- priority Plan is intended to develop a sustained flow of regional and continental scale investments over time. Within the two-year life of the Plan, it is expected that significant progress will be made at each of these stages, to eventual financial closure, a key milestone. The aggregate cost of implementing the AAP priority action plan (PAP) is as follows: The total cost of implementing eight Stage 2, fifteen Stage 3 and two Stage 4 priority programmes and projects is estimated at US$10.8 billion. After commitments of US$1.55 billion are subtracted, the net financing requirement is US$9.3 billion. Given recent experience (as described in the Infrastructure Consortium for Africa (ICA) Annual Reports, for example), a significant part of the US$9.3 billion capital expenditure requirements, and most if not all of the preparation costs, could be firmly committed within the two-year timeframe of the Plan. The Road Map: way forward The following specific implementation steps will be taken to strengthen and use the AAP (a precursor to PIDA) as the cornerstone of Africa's short-term engagement with development partners to accelerate progress in implementing its priority projects for the period, 2010–2012. The following steps will form the Road Map for the implementation of the AAP short-term priority infrastructure projects. Step 1: AAP Launch at the 2011 African Union Summit The first step is the need to formally launch (i.e., showcase) the AAP's priority action plan (PAP) at the 24th Heads of State and Government Orientation Committee (HSGOC) meeting during the 16th AU Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in January 2011. The launch will be the most significant event around the AAP since its endorsement by the 21st HSGIC and the African Partnership Forum (APF) in January 2010, and will demonstrate once again the high-level commitment of the NEPAD HSGOC and African leadership to the African Action Plan. Step 2: AAP PAP Advocacy Workshop/Conference The second step in the Road Map is to engender an advocacy process through a series of road shows with key stakeholders such as the Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and their member countries (RMCs), civil society organisations (CSOs) – both in Africa and outside the continent – and development partners, to seek the requisite buy-in and ownership of the African Action Plan priority action plan (PAP). Such road shows will begin in earnest in mid-2011, after the launch of the AAP. Step 3: Investment Round Table The third, and vital, phase of the Road Map is the Investment Round Table with partners and donors for resource mobilisation for the AAP priority action plan. In this regard, the AUC, NPCA and AfDB will develop a common strategy to engage partners at the level of the Infrastructure Consortium for Africa (ICA) and the G8 some time in the third quarter of 2011. Step 4: Institutionalise the AAP Step 4.1 Create a central AAP unit The NPCA will act as the executing agency for the implementation of the AAP priority action plan (PAP): 2010–2012 8 REVISION OF THE AU/NEPAD AFRICAN ACTION PLAN 2010–2015
  • 9. Step 4.2 Create a management information system (MIS) The NEPAD MIS for tracking all AAP programmes and projects will be re-vitalised. The templates contained in this report could function as a data input template for programmes and projects in the database. The database should be continually updated through the year by the staff of the AAP Unit, based on regular inputs from proponents. Step 5: Improve the methodology of the AAP Step 5.1 Establish sector and programme, project targets and outcomes for monitoring and evaluation Sectoral strategies exist for all sectors of the AAP. However, most sectors do not include quantifiable targets, baseline measurements and projected outcomes. In order to improve the objectivity and reliability of the AAP screening and prioritisation process, and for effective monitoring of global progress, results-based targets and indicators will be prepared for all sectors. A possible method of implementation could be:  Preparation by AU/NEPAD – Preparation of the targets and outcomes could be undertaken by a small task force of sectoral experts of the tripartite African institutions led by AU/NEPAD.  Adoption by sectoral forums – The targets and outcomes would then be reviewed and adopted at the various continental ministers' forums for each of the sectors. Similarly, a logical framework of results and outcomes will be established for programmes and projects, to enable monitoring and evaluation at this level. Evaluation of operational programmes and projects is a necessary element of attracting continuing support by international and African partners. Step 5.2 Introduce cross-cutting themes into sector and programme/project plans Promotion of cross-cutting objectives such as gender equality, respect for the environment and other MDGs, and allocation of funds for common needs such as capacity development, will be effectively achieved; as they will be built into sector, programme and project plans. Such an approach is normal practice for international financial institutions. Measurement of progress toward these objectives in programme and project reports is necessary to create a base for appropriate monitoring and evaluation. Strengthening these practices will facilitate funding by international partners, who are expected to report on cross-cutting themes in their worldwide activities. Step 6: Review activities and outputs Step 6.1 Publish and distribute regular AAP updates AAP will be published according to a regular annual schedule and distributed to a list of key influencers in the major international organisations, African continental and regional institutions and national governments and CSOs. Most of this distribution will be made electronically. Step 6.2 Conduct a mid-point review of sectoral progress At the beginning and mid-point of each year (2011–2012), progress toward the specific goals of each sector in the revised AAP will be evaluated. At this time a comprehensive review will be made of all activities that contribute to sectoral objectives, not just priority programmes and projects, so that Africa's leaders and the population at large can see 'the big picture' on an occasional basis, and make informed judgements on reallocation of resources. A mid-term progress review report will be provided to the NEPAD Steering Committee, and the HSGOC for information and guidance. Results and impact measures will be an important part of such reviews. Examination of the AAP in the context of the Minimum Integration Programme (MIP), a programme being developed by the AUC and the RECs, will provide further information on the links between sectoral investments and regional integration. Step 7: Improve stakeholder communications through better information and support for African civil society Step 7.1 Establish a continental statistical portal on the new NEPAD website The AAP will be presented in an online, interactive continental statistical portal, to allow partners and donors to access up-to-date information on all AAP sectors and programmes. AAP-related content to be made available on the portal includes: Sector pages Online library of relevant sector strategies, summits, declarations etc.  Background to the regional integration agenda in the sector  Goals, objectives, expected outcomes, and progress of regional integration work in the sector  Overview of all international, continental and regional organisations working in regional integration in the sector and links to their web pages. Programme pages Each AAP programme and project will have its own page featuring:  Information in the programme/project template  Online library of publicly available documents explaining the programme in full detail  Link to the programme's website (when available). AAP database A database on AAP programmes and projects will be accessible to task managers via login, to update their programme status and place links to key project reports and data. A public version of the portal will allow users to query data fields according to their interests (e.g., a search that identifies programmes with capacity building or gender components), or to review and validate project assumptions and analysis. ABRIDGED REPORT 2010–2012 www.nepad.org 9
  • 10. Step 7.2 Establish regular forums for dialogue with stakeholders and strengthen civil society participation Regular forums will be established each year to allow stakeholders an opportunity to engage in dialogue on the AAP process.  International stakeholders – The primary forum for these discussions will be the Africa Partnership Forum (APF), for a general review of the AAP and major issues such as commitments and harmonisation.  Ministerial/sector conferences – Sessions will also be established at ministerial conferences for sector-specific dialogue and reviews, relating to the progress of programmes and projects, financing issues, and areas where ministerial intervention can overcome obstacles. Expert panels could be used for validation and advice where available and appropriate.  Regional and national stakeholders – A focus on the AAP will be regularly added to regional and country meetings between AU/NEPAD, AfDB and ECA, so that RECs and national representatives maintain a continuous awareness and can provide feedback on the purpose and usefulness of the AAP.  Additional stakeholders – In the longer term, additional participatory mechanisms will be considered, such as online dialogues, discussion boards, and moderated discussion forums, to allow a broader range of participants to review and comment than those who normally attend conferences. This would be a cost-effective means of reaching individuals as well as CSOs.  Create a Centre of Excellence for the Promotion of African Civil Society – To further encourage the participation of civil society organisations in the economic and social life of the continent, and in the activities highlighted in the AAP in particular, it is proposed to create a Centre of Excellence for the Promotion of African Civil Society. Civil society groups often supply the resourcefulness, dedication and tenacity that initiate economic and social change, strengthen democracies and generate positive results in areas such as gender development, good governance, environmental awareness, health promotion, education, and adoption of new technologies, to name only a few.  Efforts by African institutions, such as the RECs and the African Union, to engender regional and continental integration and to maintain a focus on the Millennium Development Goals, depend on collaborative work with and support by African civil society. At the same time, many civil society groups are traditionally based and locally oriented. They may therefore need support to link with other organisations with similar interests in different regions, through capacity building, training and networking to share information, learn from each other and cooperate on a broader scale. Creation of a Centre of Excellence will expand the skills that enable civil society organisations and individuals to participate effectively in the continent's development and in the implementation of NEPAD values through the AU/NEPAD African Action Plan. 10 REVISION OF THE AU/NEPAD AFRICAN ACTION PLAN 2010–2015
  • 11. 1.1 Background 1.2 AU/NEPAD guiding principles and current conditions 1. Introduction The AU/NEPAD African Action Plan 2010–2015 is a defining statement of Africa's current priority initiatives related to the promotion of regional and continental integration. Covering a wide range of sectors, the Plan showcases projects and programmes in which investment is planned and for which financing is being sought, both internationally and from African sources, during the period 2010–2012, at least for infrastructure. It highlights the objectives, challenges and opportunities of programming to advance the goals of regional and continental integration in Africa, led by the African Union Commission (AUC), NPCA, AfDB and the eight Regional Economic Communities (RECs), under the banner of the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD). The Declaration by the Heads of State and Government at the AU Summit in February 2009 underlined the need for all stakeholders to work together to accelerate the pace of implementation of these efforts. The mandate to pursue regional and continental integration through the African Union is derived from the Lagos Plan of Action (1980), the Abuja Treaty on an African Economic Community (1991), the Sirte Declaration (1999) and the Constitutive Act establishing the African Union (2000). NEPAD was adopted as a programme of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) in July 2001, in Lusaka, Zambia. In 2002, the African Union was launched in Durban, South Africa, as the successor to the OAU. NEPAD functions as the AU programme in support of regional and continental integration and Africa's development objectives. The AU embodies the principles and values of the NEPAD vision. The African Union Commission (AUC), the administrative body and Secretariat to the AU, has been given the mandate to advance the cause of integration and socio-economic development of the continent. Its role in this respect is reflected in the vision statement of the AUC's 2004 Strategic Plan, to: “build an integrated Africa, a prosperous and peaceful Africa, driven by its own citizens and representing a dynamic force in the international arena.” The Accra Declaration of the AU Assembly of July 2007 called for acceleration towards the economic and political integration of the African continent. The AU has developed and articulated a comprehensive set of strategies and programme plans covering key social and economic activity sectors. The Regional Economic Communities constitute the building blocks and pillars of regional and continental integration, as set out in the Abuja Treaty of 1991. The eight officially recognised RECs are:  Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)  Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA)  Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS)  Southern African Development Community (SADC)  Community of Sahel-Saharan States (CEN-SAD)  East African Community (EAC)  Arab Maghreb Union/Union du Maghreb Arabe (AMU/UMA)  Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD). In consultation with the RECs, the AUC will introduce a new Minimum Integration Programme (MIP), designed to provide coherence in the movement towards regional integration. The evolution of other pan-African institutions has increased the continent's capacity to develop and implement investment programmes and projects. For example, a replenished and stronger African Development Bank (AfDB) will support a variety of regional integration measures and infrastructure investment in particular. Specialised agencies such as the regional power pools, water basin management organisations and the Investment Climate Facility (ICF) have assumed responsibilities for implementing key programmes and projects. It is within this framework and through these institutions and programmes, that regional and continental integration is being pursued in Africa. In 2001, NEPAD set out a Programme of Action or strategy for achieving sustainable development in the 21st century, focusing on regional and continental-scale programmes and projects. The five NEPAD initiating countries, tasked by African leaders, recognised the many economic interdependencies and common social issues faced by people across Africa, as they strive to achieve economic prosperity and social wellbeing. Thus, they saw that the need to create linkages, harmonise policies and adopt best practices, can in many instances best be done on a regional or continental basis. In a comprehensive analysis and statement of objectives and action plans, the NEPAD Programme of Action included initiatives to strengthen the pre-conditions for sustainable development, including peace, security, democracy, and political, economic and corporate governance. The ABRIDGED REPORT 2010–2012 www.nepad.org 11
  • 12. document also identified sectoral priorities, including infrastructure, human resource development, environment, culture, and science and technology. It addressed issues of mobilising resources and improving market access, and called for a new partnership relationship with industrialised countries and multilateral organisations. The guiding principles of NEPAD include:  African ownership and leadership  Promotion and protection of human rights, good governance and democracy  Anchoring Africa's development on the resources and resourcefulness of Africans – people-centred development  Channelling resources to the highest-quality operation as measured by development impact and alignment with client objectives  Promotion of gender equality  Accelerating and deepening of regional and continental economic integration  Building a new relationship of partnership among Africans, and between Africans and the international community, especially the industrialised world  A comprehensive, holistic and integrated development programme for Africa. Since 2001, NEPAD's call to action has been heard and responded to in many ways. The NEPAD Programme has been endorsed by virtually all international and bilateral agencies – from the UN General Assembly to the member states of the European Union (EU), the Group of Eight (G8) and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) – as the general framework around which the international community should structure its development efforts in Africa. Largely in response to NEPAD and the recognition of great need, the early years of this century were marked by pledges and expectations of growing official development assistance (ODA) to Africa at high-level fora, including the G8 Summits in Kananaskis (2002) and Gleneagles (2005). The Paris Declaration of 2005 and the subsequent Accra Agenda for Action of 2008, made broad and specific commitments to improve aid effectiveness, based on five principles: ownership, alignment, harmonisation, managing for results, and mutual accountability – principles which echo the spirit of NEPAD. However, in the final years of the decade, overall levels of development assistance have lagged, and would now need to rise very rapidly to meet 2012 targets. Progress in implementing the Paris Declaration has been slow, giving rise to continuing problems of less predictable, fragmented and non-aligned aid flows. Great challenges remain to be overcome. While some indicators of progress towards the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) have risen, for example, primary enrolment, levels of many key social indicators remain far below other regions of the world. Africa's primary enrolment rate remains the lowest in the world, and secondary and tertiary education intake rates are low. Improvements in under-five mortality and maternal mortality have been small, malaria claims more than one million people per year, access to improved sanitation and drinking water falls well below MDG targets, and women continue to face broad inequalities in many areas of life. The effects of climate change and environmental degradation pose immense issues for the continent. Major macro-economic events in the global economy threaten to put progress at risk, and at best will slow the pace. Having experienced an upward shock in energy and food prices in the mid-2000s, African countries are now facing the effects of the current global financial crisis and recession, which began to be felt in 2008. Currency depreciation, lower export revenues, reduced remittances and constraints in the commercial financing system, as well as the prospect of slower growth in ODA flows, mean that Africa will have fewer external resources available for investment. The same global conditions will slow the pace of foreign direct investment (FDI). Domestically, higher governmental deficits will raise current borrowing requirements and thus reduce funds available for development expenditures. Like the rest of the world, African economies will take an undetermined amount of time to recover from the crisis. It was against this background that the AU/NEPAD African Action Plan (AAP) was originally conceived and developed in 2005/2006, in the drive to fast track the implementation of Africa's development initiatives, including the MDGs. It comprises, primarily, the current priority programmes and projects with high potential impact of accelerating regional integration in Africa and requiring co-ordination at the continental level. These programmes and projects fall within the sectoral priorities that the AU and NEPAD have jointly identified and agreed to as strategic to the overall development objective of realising the socio-economic transformation of the continent. Broadly, the latest revision of the AU/NEPAD African Action Plan (i.e., the Abridged Report 2010-2012) seeks to highlight the critical investments and resource gaps that must be addressed if Africa and its development partners (including traditional development partners, African civil society and private sector, and emerging economies) are to succeed in raising living standards to meet the MDGs, and to forge a more integrated, efficient and sustainable economic base in Africa. 12 REVISION OF THE AU/NEPAD AFRICAN ACTION PLAN 2010–2015
  • 13. 1.3 Context and rationale of the review Previous versions of the AAP were intended as a platform for dialogue with international African partners, to raise resources for much needed public and private investment and to monitor and evaluate progress. The 10th meeting of the Africa Partnership Forum (APF) in Tokyo recommended the revision of the Plan. As a result, the AfDB, together with the AUC, the NEPAD Agency and the UN Economic Commission for Africa, were mandated by the AU and NEPAD to revise the AAP, with the overarching objective of producing a Plan with buy-in from all stakeholders. The revised Plan identifies Africa's development priorities and seeks to strengthen existing partnerships and forge new ones, in order to promote and realise Africa's key regional priority programmes and projects. 2. Approach to Revising the AAP 2.1 Consultations with stakeholders Data collection remained a time-consuming challenge, due to the number of agencies to be contacted, the age of much of the available data and the protocols necessary to release some data. This was the case for even basic descriptive information. Data on current issues were not available in many instances. If the Plan is to provide useful, time-sensitive information to facilitate the development and realisation of key projects and programmes, accurate and current information must be readily available to all users. Therefore, the intention is for the Plan to be backed up by a central database and arrangements made to obtain timely data from partner organisations. A significant exception to these data constraints was the availability of sectoral policy and directional frameworks. There is an impressive array of well-developed strategies and overview material for most key sectors. Looking back to 2001, this is an area of considerable evolution and maturation of the priority planning process. 2.2 Selection of programmes and projects The first guiding principle of NEPAD is African ownership and leadership. Accordingly, the process of selecting programmes and projects for the revised AAP must ultimately be done by African institutions. The process for selecting activities and initiatives for the AAP incorporated six steps:  The March 2008 version of the draft AAP provided a base of 56 projects and programmes.  The descriptions of some sectors in the Plan were adjusted, and Social Affairs, Tourism and Capacity Development were added.  A number of Emerging Priorities were flagged as candidates for review.  Priority projects and programmes identified by the RECs were collected and reviewed.  Sectoral priorities were reviewed with the lead institutions, to refine the priority list and to update information. Decisions by the AU Summit in February 2009 set priorities in energy and transport.  A prioritisation analysis of alignment, development impact and readiness provided a validation input to the process. This process resulted in extensive changes to the list of priorities included in the 2008 AAP and an increase in the number of priority programmes and projects from 56 to 80 – 28 were dropped or combined and 52 were added. As the The review process took place over a five-month period between January and June 2009.  Consultations were held with the four lead institutions (AfDB, AUC, NEPAD Agency and ECA) between January and June.  Visits were made to each of the eight RECs, to determine views on the AAP as a whole, to identify priorities and collect information. A final validation seminar was held with the RECs in June.  Data on programmes and projects were obtained from a variety of sources through the review period.  Discussions were held with international stakeholders (OECD/APF, European Union, World Bank, German Agency for Technical Cooperation (GTZ), etc.), to gain further perspective on their interests and concerns.  Progress was reviewed by the NEPAD Steering Committee in May and September 2009 and the draft Plan (i.e., Revised Plan) was endorsed by the 13th AU Summit and 21st NEPAD HSGIC in June/July 2009. ABRIDGED REPORT 2010–2012 www.nepad.org 13
  • 14. Plan focuses attention on initiatives that require new or additional funding, some important on-going regional integration activities may not be listed in the Plan. Emerging priorities. An important reality recognised by all participants in the review process was that the AAP is a snapshot in time of priorities, within a dynamic process of development of initiatives and implementation of projects. The revised Plan also contains 'emerging priorities', additional programmes and projects that will create a pipeline for the future, including some regional priorities that are not listed as current pan-African priorities. Timeframe for the plan. The NEPAD Steering Committee determined that a five-year timeframe, 2010–2015, would be appropriate for the revised Plan. Thus, the shelf life of the Plan's priorities is relatively short term. At the same time, the Plan is intended to develop a sustained flow of regional and continental-scale investments over time. The Plan contains priority initiatives at all stages of programme and project development, from initial concept development through feasibility assessment, project packaging and implementation. Within the five-year life of the Plan, it is expected that significant progress will be made at each of these stages. 2.3 Prioritisation of programmes and projects The rationale and fundamental economic reason for prioritisation of projects is to assist in delivering bankable and quick-win projects and programmes that have strong regional integration impact. Progress in implementation of the Plan between 2005 and 2008 was negligible, and only a small number of infrastructure projects have reached implementation since 2008. Because at least half of the initiatives under consideration were at an early stage of development (pre-feasibility or feasibility stages), it was important to focus attention on steps to be taken during the Plan's timeframe to develop a sustained flow of viable programmes and projects into the future, and to accelerate that process. In the case of the AAP, an explicit prioritisation process provides additional transparency as to whether priority programmes and projects are in some sense, rationally based on appropriate criteria. One of the key outputs of this Review was a prioritised list of costed projects and programmes, including their current status and the level of readiness of each. There was broad agreement and guidance from the Infrastructure Consortium for Africa (ICA) annual meeting in Tokyo in March 2008 on the criteria for prioritisation, namely:  Development Impact: a project's worth measured in terms of economic net present value, contribution to economic growth, regional integration, and regional public goods  Strategic Alignment: projects aligned to regional/continental objectives (NEPAD programmes, RECs specific regional master plans and strategic orientations based on partnership with donors). Of these two broad criteria, the second is less subjective than the first, since alignment can be judged on the initial design of a programme, whereas development impact requires assumptions, if not actual data, on expected programme or project impacts. Initially, it was intended that sectoral programmes be prioritised using the following criteria. Two of them fall into the category of objectives: 1. Minimum number of countries impacted as beneficiaries 2. Regional needs and gaps based on regional development strategies. Three others have to do with readiness: 3. Project readiness for implementation with all studies completed and cost estimates firmed up 4. Sector reforms of legal, regulatory and institutional framework completed/Investment climate to attract private partnership 5. Institutional capacity for implementation. Application of criteria. At least two problems were encountered in applying these criteria: how to deal with programmes, for which project information may not be available, and how to deal with a lack of reliable data, given the absence of comparable information covering the wide range of sectors, regions and institutions included in the AAP? Open-ended, multi-faceted programmes, often at an early stage of definition and development, made up over half of the priority initiatives in the Plan. The scope of the 14 REVISION OF THE AU/NEPAD AFRICAN ACTION PLAN 2010–2015
  • 15.  Medium: Programmes and projects with good alignment, a low or moderate number of beneficiaries, and moderate impact on integration or development  Low: Programmes that show weaker alignment with key sectoral objectives or less development impact, or raise questions regarding sustainability. With more complete data, it would be possible to assess priorities more accurately and more precisely, and to use factors such as economic return and Development Impact criteria more effectively in that process. In the forthcoming study on the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA), there will be an opportunity to apply a set of criteria more rigorously to infrastructure programmes and projects. 2.4 Sequencing, monitoring and managing programmes and projects review did not allow the time or resources to study or develop individual project and programme economics. Accordingly, programmes and projects were assessed in terms of four criteria, as follows: 6. Alignment with objectives. Programmes and projects were assessed in terms of their alignment with authorised sectoral policy statements and their expected positive impact on these strategies. 7. Beneficiaries. The number of beneficiary countries was identified for each programme or project. 8. Development impact. The expected impact of programmes and projects on broad objectives (economic growth and other MDGs) and on regional and continental integration, and their economic and financial sustainability, were assessed with available data. 9. Readiness. The current status of each programme or project and thus its readiness for investment was described and analysed, using the following framework (described further below): Stage 1: Programme/ Project Implementation Stage 2: Feasibility/ Need Analysis Stage 3: Programme/ Project Structuring and Promotion Stage 4: Implement-ation and Operations Given the variability of available data, programme and projects were evaluated against the first three criteria as high, medium or low. Tests were made using numerical weightings to ensure consistency of ratings. Composite priority rating. The results of the four assessments were combined in a composite rating, with the impacts on the first three criteria (which collectively reflect the 'worth' of the programme or project) being given the primary consideration. When two programmes or projects were equal in other respects, greater readiness raised the rating (although not always enough to affect the overall, composite rating). The composite priority ratings were stated as follows:  Top: Programmes and projects with a very compelling case for investment, based on contribution to regional integration and continental development or to sector objectives  High: Programmes and projects that show strong alignment with sectoral objectives, impact on a large number of countries and/or on regional and continental development Knowing the current status of a proposed project or programme is key to understanding the steps needed to bring it to implementation (i.e., readiness), and to judging the reliability of related data, including costing. In order to increase the quantity and quality of implementable programmes and projects, it is important to monitor and manage them systematically, so that at the end of the process investment decisions can be based on solid information and analysis. A project/programme development model. An effective tool for these purposes is the use of a sequencing framework, based on the normal steps and activities of programme and project development. The diagram below identifies a series of development stages from initiation through implementation, including:  Programme/Project Identification  Feasibility/Needs Assessment  Programme/Project Structuring and Promotion  Implementation and Operations. The diagram describes the functions or tasks that are normally required at each stage, to move programmes and projects from concepts to reality. Monitoring and managing progress. This development stage framework was used to provide a rapid and comparable indication of the status and readiness of all programmes and projects in the revised AAP. The framework can be used to monitor progress, and to ABRIDGED REPORT 2010–2012 www.nepad.org 15
  • 16. Stages in programme and project development proactively manage the process of developing and refining programmes and projects, by assessing whether the appropriate tasks have been accomplished at each stage, and if not, what barriers to implementation may have arisen and what actions, and by whom, are required to overcome them. Projected timing to completion may be estimated as well. A similar framework is in use by COMESA. 2.5 Content reliability and costing Within the scope of this review, it was problematic to undertake a full scientific, methodical and verifiable analysis of programmes and projects that would ensure consistently reliable content across the Plan. Programme managers and public sources often provided only a forward-looking account of plans and announcements, rather than hard information on completed activities. In many cases, the information was very dated, from 2006 or earlier, and thus told little about their current status or issues. Measures to ensure that more up-to-date information is available in future are described in the discussion of Implementation of the AAP and the Way Forward (p. 49). The costing of programmes and projects presented in the 2008 AAP appeared to be almost entirely order-of- magnitude estimates of large, partially-defined programmes and projects at Stage 1 in their development, and had not changed from a previous 2005 draft. Of the US$115 billion total for 56 projects, US$50 billion was a single estimate for the Grand Inga/Inga III power project, with the costs of another ten programmes and projects rounded to the nearest US$1 billion. There was little if any indication as to the source or basis of these estimates. New programmes and projects proposed as priorities varied from conceptual plans without any previous costing, through well-defined Stage 3 projects, with costing based on technical and economic studies. The purpose of costing work is to provide progressively more precise estimates of resource needs as a programme or project moves through the project cycle, being refined and shaped, subject to approvals along the way. At the front end of the process, it is reasonable to use descriptive, order-of-magnitude estimates, followed by subsequent improvements in accuracy and precision as preliminary designs (Stage 2) and detailed designs (Stage 3) are completed. Clearly, such improvements require application of real resources – expertise and significant amounts of time – to develop concepts and undertake technical and economic investigations. The development stage model has been used to substantially redress the unmethodical use of costing figures encountered in previous versions of the Plan. This 16 REVISION OF THE AU/NEPAD AFRICAN ACTION PLAN 2010–2015
  • 17. has been achieved by clarifying the status or stage of development of programmes and projects, and thus the basis for the estimated cost of programme or project implementation. Where implementation cost estimates were based on Stage 2 or Stage 3 studies, the estimates have been accepted as having a scientific and verifiable basis, and are included in the total cost of the Plan. Where cost estimates were simply order-of-magnitude estimates or were Stage 1 (pre-feasibility) estimates, the numbers have been noted separately and are not included in the estimated total cost of the Plan. Where Stage 2 or Stage 3 cost estimates were not available, the cost of undertaking studies to refine an initiative and move it to the next stage (at which further financing decisions would normally be required) was identified as the relevant cost. Where Stage 1, Stage 2 or Stage 3 preparatory work is required, costs have been estimated from proponents' data or on a notional basis, to calculate an aggregate requirement for this work. Using this methodology, costs have been identified for all priority programmes and projects. They are presented in the sector descriptions and in the AAP-PAP matrix presentation. The estimated aggregate costs of implementing the priority initiatives in the Plan are provided in the following chapter. Monitoring and improving cost estimates Notional costing standards were identified for each programme or project development stage, as noted in the diagram above – pre-feasibility, preliminary design and detailed design. In future, these (or similar) standards should be used for reporting on the status of programmes and projects in the AAP. Judgements should be made by a central monitoring organisation as to whether the appropriate level of costing has been done, when deciding whether to advance a project from one stage to the next. A central group could also provide a useful service to project proponents by making simplified costing methodologies available to them. 2.6 Sectoral objectives These statements of sectoral objectives have been included in the revised AU/NEPAD African Action Plan, to provide a policy context for the specific programmes and projects in the Plan. In an important sense, these policy frameworks elaborate on Africa's specific priorities at a broad level, in furtherance of the overarching objectives in the original NEPAD framework document of October 2001. 2.7 Priority programmes and projects AU/NEPAD sectoral policy frameworks AU/NEPAD Sector Infrastructure: Energy, Transport, ICT,Transboundary Water Sectors Development Corridors Gender Development Sectoral Policy Framework Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA) Spatial Development Programme (SDP) AU Gender Policy and Action Plan Key Promoter(s) AU, NEPAD and AfDB NEPAD AU Source: NEPAD Agency For each of the Sectors, the Plan provides a matrix-style presentation of projects and programmes, summarising key information as follows:  Title of Programme/Project  Region  Estimated Cost and Commitments  Development Stage  Description of Programme/Project  Contact Point(s) for further information. This approach provides users of the revised Plan with a convenient overview of the priority initiatives, their key dimensions and status, and where to find more information on them. In sectors where emerging priorities have been identified, they are described in a separate table. Of 25 priority programmes and projects in the abridged AU/NEPAD African Action Plan, 2010–2012:  8 are at Stage 2: Feasibility/Needs Assessment  15 are at Stage 3: Programme/Project Structuring and Promotion  2 are at Stage 4: Implementation and Operations The prioritisation analysis found that virtually all priority programmes and projects are aligned with sectoral objectives and would contribute to regional or continental integration. The priority rankings are not comparable between sectors because of different scales of activity, development impacts and average stage of programme and project development, and a lack of comparable data. Since the draft AAP was published in 2008, progress of programmes and projects towards implementation has resulted mainly from undertaking feasibility studies in Infrastructure. These identified investment opportunities in Energy, missing links in Transport infrastructure, ICT backbone needs, and opportunities in Transboundary Water management. Transport and ICT continue to have a significant number of projects at Stage 3 in the short-term AAP 2010-2012. ABRIDGED REPORT 2010–2012 www.nepad.org 17
  • 18. Summary of AAP priority programmes and projects by sector, 2010–2012 Sectors Energy Transport ICT Transboundary Water Gender Mainstreaming Programme AU/NEPAD African Women Empowerment/NEPAD Spanish Fund Sub-total Less commitments Net resources required No. of Projects 5 9 6 3 1 1 25 Amount (million US$) 3,124.00 6,899.00 696.30 120.00 1.00 – 10,840.30 1,550.93 9,289.37 Commitment (million US$) 851.50 666.78 2.45 20.00 0.20 10.00 1,550.93 Total (million US$) 2,272.50 6,232.22 693.85 100.00 0.80 (10.00) 9,289.37 9,289.37 Current capital investment opportunities, including quick win projects, occur at Stage 3: Programme/Project Structuring and Promotion. In addition to specific projects and programmes, this stage includes a number of sector and sub-sector funds, which are designed to pool diverse financing sources to invest in a range of sectoral needs. Programmes and projects at Stage 3 are found in:  Infrastructure: Energy (3), Water (1), Transport (7), ICT (3)  Gender Development (1). Programmes and projects listed in Stage 4: Implementation and Operations in the 2010–2012 priority list, are either being implemented or are fully operational, but may require additional funding to complete or because their success has led to demands for more, as yet unfunded activity. They include programmes and projects in:  Energy (2): Kariba North Bank Power Generation (Project has reached financial closure); Itezhi-Teszhi Hydropower Generation Expansion (Project is at an advanced stage of financial closure). 2.8 Cost of implementing the Plan Following the costing methodology outlined earlier, the estimated costs to implement the Plan are as follows:  The total cost of implementing 23 priority programmes and projects, based on Stage 2 and Stage 3 costing, is estimated at US$10.8 billion. After commitments of US$1.55 billion are subtracted, net financing requirements are estimated at US$9.3 billion.  Based on recent experience (described in ICA Annual Reports, for example), a significant part of the US$9.3 billion in implementation expenditures, and most if not all of the preparation costs, could be firmly committed within the two-year timeframe of the Plan. 3. Infrastructure: Energy, Transport, ICT and Transboundary Water Sectors Infrastructure plays a critical role in economic development and poverty reduction. Well developed and maintained Infrastructure services – energy, transport, ICT and transboundary water sectors – reduce the barriers to economic growth and the transaction costs involved, and contribute significantly to enhancing the lives of the poor through increased access to public and social services. Inadequate infrastructure imposes major costs on business 18 REVISION OF THE AU/NEPAD AFRICAN ACTION PLAN 2010–2015
  • 19. in terms of lost output and additional costs incurred. Some estimates suggest that with an improved infrastructure stock, economic growth rates could be at least 1% higher than they are today.1 Developing and completing infrastructure networks is recognised as a critical component of advancing regional and continental integration in Africa. Africa suffers from a severe lack of infrastructure It is widely acknowledged that the infrastructure deficit is one of the key factors preventing Africa from realising its full potential for economic growth, competitiveness in global markets and achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), including poverty reduction. Modern infrastructure services are largely inaccessible to the poorest 60% of the population in African countries, including the vast majority of the rural population, further isolating impoverished communities and preventing their access to healthcare, education and jobs. Only 26% of households in Africa have access to electricity, 58% to water and 31% to basic sanitation2. Road lengths per capita have been declining steadily due to increased population growth in recent years and a lack of necessary investment in transport infrastructure. Although mobile telecommunications have experienced enormous growth in the past ten years, access to broadband services remains very limited. Current levels of water withdrawal are low, with only 3.8% of potential water resources developed for water supply and hydropower use, and about 18% of irrigation potential being exploited3. The lack of infrastructure is particularly stark when Africa is compared with other areas of the developing world. For example, while access to electricity in Africa is about 30%, in other major geographical zones in the emerging world this access ranges from 70% to 90%. For the same zones, access to water and sanitation services are 80% and 90%, respectively, compared to the 58% and 31% in Africa. AU/NEPAD's strategic focus in Infrastructure The AUC is responsible for coordinating, harmonising and providing leadership in the continent's economic and social development and physical and political integration. The AU vision for infrastructure is for efficient, reliable, cost-effective, environmentally-friendly infrastructure and services for physical integration and realisation of the MDGs. This vision is based on the elaboration of sectoral policies, strategies and medium- to long-term programmes and master plans developed to address the identified needs for progress. These needs include strong political commitment, strong human and institutional capacity of countries and RECs to plan and implement integrated regional and continental projects, and effective resource mobilisation. Within the AU/NEPAD framework, several initiatives have been established to address these needs and promote greater regional and continental integration. The Short-Term Action Plan (STAP) was adopted by the NEPAD Heads of State and Government Implementation Committee (HSGIC) in 2002. The STAP proposed a series of hard and soft programmes and projects to develop infrastructure at the regional level. STAP's progress was reviewed in considerable detail in 2004, and more recently for the AU Summit in Addis in January 2009. At the level of both programmes and projects, the STAP has been implemented to a considerable extent. According to the AfDB, most of the projects that entered the project pipeline in 2002 are now at an advanced stage of implementation and some have been completed. Between 2002 and 2008, financing of regional infrastructure projects by the Bank and other development partners stood at approximately US$5.6 billion, representing about 69% of the original total estimated cost. The Infrastructure Consortium for Africa (ICA) was established in 2005 as a major new platform to accelerate progress of infrastructure development in Africa, with an emphasis on overcoming regional constraints. Based out of the AfDB, membership is a tripartite relationship between African institutions, bilateral donors and multilateral agencies. The Consortium is intended to make its members more effective at supporting infrastructure in Africa by pooling efforts in selected areas such as information sharing, project development and good practice. The ICA publishes an annual report that presents a concise but comprehensive overview of Africa's infrastructure investment needs, resources and activity. It focuses on the MDGs and emerging social and economic trends, and thus provides a useful framework for analysis of future needs. It analyses and prioritises institutional reform and capacity building, as well as physical infrastructure investment needs. The Africa Infrastructure Country Diagnostic (AICD) study, spearheaded by the World Bank, is a multi-year, multi-country project to assess the needs and costs of infrastructure in Africa, particularly the sub-Saharan Africa region. The programme will combine studies on major topics of strategic importance to the infrastructure sector, with a major data collection exercise to set the baseline against which the renewed efforts to address the infrastructure challenge can eventually be assessed. The NEPAD Infrastructure Project Preparation Facility (IPPF) is an untied fund set up to assist proponents to prepare high quality infrastructure proposals, and related project development activities. Managed by the AfDB, the 1 Africa Infrastructure Country Diagnostic Study (Preliminary Findings), World Bank. 2 The Mutual Review of Development Effectiveness in Africa 2009, OECD and ECA (figures exclude North Africa). 3 Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA) Concept Note, 2009, prepared by AU, African Development Bank and NEPAD. ABRIDGED REPORT 2010–2012 www.nepad.org 19
  • 20. 2007/08 IPPF pipeline had some thirty projects valued at US$50 million, of which the energy and transport sectors account for 80%. Funding for project preparation continues to be relatively scarce, as the fund now has about US$18 million to finance new commitments. In 2009, a new study was planned and launched jointly by the AU, NEPAD and AfDB, to complement and extend efforts undertaken to date. The Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA) will develop regional and continental infrastructure policies, establish prioritised development programmes and propose implementation strategies. The study process is expected to take eighteen months and will therefore be completed towards the end of 2010. When in place, it will provide a structured framework and thoroughly planned roadmap that will facilitate investment flows to the infrastructure sector. The objectives of the PIDA programme are set out in the box on the left. While the PIDA process reviews and articulates a comprehensive set of infrastructure priorities for the AU/NEPAD STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES OF THE PIDA PROGRAMME ON INFRASTRUCTURE Objective 1: Establish a STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK for the development of regional and continental infrastructure (energy, transport, information and communication technology (ICT) and transboundary water resources) based on a development vision, strategic objectives and sector policies. Objective 2: Establish an INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT PROGRAMME (short, medium and long term) around priorities established and time horizons established by the RECs. Objective 3: Prepare an IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY and processes including, in particular, a priority action plan. Source: PIDA Concept Note AAP priority projects and programmes in Infrastructure, 2010–2015 Project/Programme Kariba–North and Itezhi–Teszhi Hydropower Expansion Projects Kenya–Ethiopia Interconnection Sambangalou–Kaleta Hydropower and OMVG Interconnection Zambia–Tanzania–Kenya Interconnection Project Upgrading of Dobi–Galafi–Yakobi Road Section of the Djibouti to Addis Ababa (North) Highway Mombasa–Nairobi–Addis Ababa Corridor Development Project Missing Links of Djibouti–Libreville Transport Corridor Isaka–Kigali–Bujumbura Railway Maghreb Highway Project Missing Links of the Dakar–N'djamena–Djibouti Highway Corridor Gambia River Bridge Africa Rail Beira Port Development Kazungala Bridge Project Regional Infrastructure Development in Support of Trade Facilitation Programme Brazzaville–Kinshasa Rail/Road Bridge and Railway Extension Kinshasa to Ilebo Regional Transport Network Improvements Improvement of Maritime Ports for African Island Countries Implementation of the Yamoussoukro Decision NEPAD ICT Broadband Infrastructure (UMOJA Terrestrial Network), including the following regional network projects: i. East African Community Broadband Network ii. Central Africa Broadband Infrastructure Programme (CA-BI) iii. West Africa Wide Area Network iv. Southern Africa Regional Backhaul Network v. Northern-Western Africa Backbone Project NEPAD ICT Broadband Infrastructure Network (UHURUNET Submarine Cable) Maritime Communication for Safety on Lake Victoria Senegal River Basin Water and Environmental Management Project Water Resources Planning and Management in the Nile River Basin Niger River Basin Shared Vision Investment Programme Sub-Sector Energy Transport ICT Transboundary Water 20 REVISION OF THE AU/NEPAD AFRICAN ACTION PLAN 2010–2015
  • 21. continent, the projects in the following table are considered priority programmes and projects in the infrastructure sector for development between 2010 and 2015. AAP programmes in Infrastructure are divided into four sub-sectors: Energy, Transport, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and Transboundary Water. In addition, Development Corridors are included in Infrastructure as a potential future sub-sector. The priority programmes are summarised in the table below. Additional information, including emerging priorities, is provided in the individual sector descriptions that follow. 3.1 Energy: towards a sustainable energy future for Africa A reservoir of energy resources Africa holds an immense reservoir of potential energy resources. It is estimated that Africa has more than 7% of the world's oil reserve and Africa's share in world oil production is increasing. In 2005, it contributed 12.2% of world oil production. Africa holds about 8% of the world's natural gas resources and accounts for about 6.2% of the natural gas produced.4 An untapped potential of renewable energy Africa's potential for renewable energy is also immense. There is enormous exploitable hydropower capacity in African countries, estimated to be 13% of the world total. But less than 7% of Africa's potential has been harnessed to date. Solar energy is also widespread in Africa. The average daily solar radiation available in many African countries ranges 4 African Development Bank, 2009. between 5 and 6 kWh/m². About 15 African coastal countries have excellent wind energy potential. Using the prevailing technology, the region has the potential to generate 9,000 MW of electrical energy from geothermal sources. Moreover, the potential for improvement in energy efficiency is appreciable. A growing and underserved demand In spite of these assets, Africa's energy consumption is the lowest in the world. Its consumption of energy per capita represents only one third of the world average. The average rate of electrification in Africa is around 26%, compared to 60% worldwide. A challenge and an opportunity The constraints to the development of Africa's potential are many, including a lack of infrastructure to facilitate energy exchange between countries, political instability and inadequate institutional and legal frameworks unfavourable to investment. Other constraints include a shortage of specialised human resources, poor maintenance of existing energy facilities, vulnerability to the volatile world oil market, limited regional cooperation in energy development, obstacles to efficient energy pricing, inadequate demand-side management, and inadequate information and data on the African energy situation. 3.1.1 Energy and regional integration in Africa To realise Africa's great potential in energy, AU/NEPAD are working in partnership with national, regional, continental and global organisations to promote a comprehensive programme of regional integration in the energy sector. These initiatives include the development and operational-isation of regional power pools and the development of opportunities to export Africa's excess energy production capacity to the rest of the world. The benefit of a regional integration approach to energy in Africa is expected to be a win-win situation for all stakeholders involved. 3.1.2 Partners in energy AU/NEPAD is working in cooperation with a number of specialised continental and regional organisations to promote regional integration in Energy in Africa, including: Continental partners  African Energy Commission (AFREC)  Forum of Energy Ministers of Africa (FEMA)  The Union of the Producers, Transporters and Distributors of Electric Power in Africa (UPDEA)  UN Energy Regional partners  Central African Power Pool (CAPP)  West African Power Pool (WAPP) ABRIDGED REPORT 2010–2012 www.nepad.org 21
  • 22.  Southern African Power Pool (SAPP)  East African Power Pool (EAPP)  The North Africa Power Pool or Comité Maghrébin de l'Electricité (COMELEC) 3.1.3AU/NEPAD's strategic focus in energy The guiding light for AU/NEPAD's activities in the energy sector will be the Programme on Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA), a multi-sectoral set of infrastructure development plans now under development by leading AU/NEPAD STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES IN THE ENERGY SECTOR Objective 1: PROMOTE INTRA-AFRICAN TRADE IN ENERGY at the regional and continental levels, with special attention to using regional power pools to leverage the economic and social development of the regions and the African continent, and their economic integration. Objective 2: PROMOTE USE OF CLEAN ENERGY by developing access to the different forms of modern energy, in particular, by promoting the use of clean, modern energy in lieu of biomass to improve living conditions in households and protect the environment. Objective 3: PROMOTE REGIONAL COOPERATION IN ENERGY by seeking to ensure security of regional and continental energy through trade and regional African institutions. PIDA is intended to provide a comprehensive and scientific review of Africa's energy needs and energy assets and will become the master plan for regional integration in energy infrastructure for Africa. The objectives of the PIDA programme in the energy sector are outlined in the accompanying box. The AU Summit in February 2009 endorsed PIDA and identified priority projects for development and implementation in the energy sector, between 2010 and 2012 (see below). integration, pooling of energy resources and developing them jointly. Objective 4: PROMOTE GLOBAL EXPORTS IN ENERGY by developing energy resources (water, oil and gas, in particular) and their exports for intra-African trade and to the rest of the world (electricity and gas inter-connections with Europe and the Middle East, exports of methane gas, oil and coal). Objective 5: PROMOTE EFFICIENCY IN ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE by increasing the effectiveness and competitiveness of national economies, by making use of comparative advantages through trade, and in particular, by promoting efficient use of physical energy infrastructure and related services. AAP priority programmes in Energy, 2010–2012 No. 1 Project Energy Sector Kariba-North Bank Extension (Show case: Lesson learned/PPP) 'Emerging Funder: China Experience' Region SADC Estimated Implement-ation Cost (Based on Stage 2 & 3) (in million US$) 3,124.00 405.00 mobilised Commit-ment (in million US$) 851.50 N/A Develop-ment Stage 4 Description (Project Status) This project in Zambia will expand the existing Kariba North Bank power generation capacity by an additional 360 MW. The project started in 2008 with US$325 million provided by China Exim Bank. The outstanding amount of US$105 million has recently been sourced through a loan from the Development Bank of Southern African (DBSA), effectively bringing the project to financial closure, on 26 October 2010. The hydro plant is owned by Zesco, Zambia's state-owned power utility. Funding from China is based on an Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) agreement. Project Sponsors AfDB, DBSA, Government of China 22 REVISION OF THE AU/NEPAD AFRICAN ACTION PLAN 2010–2015
  • 23. No. 2 3 4 Project Energy Sector Itezhi-Teszhi HP Generation Expansion (Show case: Lesson learned/PPP) 'Emerging Funder: India Experience' Kenya-Ethiopia Interconnection Sambangalou and Kaleta HP and OMVG interconnection Region SADC EAC-IGAD ECOWAS Estimated Implement-ation Cost (Based on Stage 2 & 3) (in million US$) 3,124.00 270.00 at an advanced staged of being mobilised and closed 1124.00 1140.00 Commit-ment (in million US$) 851.50 N/A 0.50 851.00 Develop-ment Stage 4 3 3 Description (Project Status) China-owned Sino Hydro Corporation is the sole project contractor, and the EPC contract means they have taken full responsibility for construction – including the supply of materials and labour. The project is due to be completed by December 2012, and will be commissioned by early 2013. This hydropower generation project complements the Kariba North Bank project by adding an additional capacity of 120 MW to the national grid, and by extension, to the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP). Zambia, secured a US$50 million loan from India Eximbank for the construction of the 150 MW Itezhi-Teszhi hydro power station in Southern Zambia, a joint venture between Zesco and Tata Holdings. The project is expected to be operational by 2012. The two companies need to generate a total of US$270 million towards constructing Itezhi-Teszhi hydro power project, whose costs would be shared on an equity basis as part of the additional energy to the country's grid. The project is at an advanced stage of reaching financial closure. The project involves interconnecting the power systems of Ethiopia and Kenya with a 400 kV transmission network over a distance of 1,200 km. It will supply power to the Eastern Region (Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi), and eventually will support the integration of the Eastern, Northern and Southern Regions. DBSA-based PPF facility was used to prepare the project for bankability. The project is on course; environmental soundness remains the only outstanding issue for the project to reach financial closure. The project involves development of hydropower at Sambangalou (Senegal) with generation capacity of 128 MW, and 240 MW at Kaleta. It also involves construction of 225 kV interconnection networks over a distance of 1,677 km in the OMVG countries. The project will initially improve the reliable supply of energy in the OMVG countries (Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea-Conakry, and Senegal), and subsequently will help interconnect OMVG networks with other countries in West Africa. Feasibility studies, detailed design and tender documents preparation, which have been financed by the African Development Bank, have been completed. Project Sponsors SADC, DBSA, AfDB, Governments of Zambia and India IGAD, COMESA, EIB, KfW, World Bank OMVG, EIB, KfW, AfDB, AFD, WAPP ABRIDGED REPORT 2010–2012 www.nepad.org 23
  • 24. No. Energy sub-sector Electrical Interconnections Power Generation Various Renewable Energy Project/Programme Ethiopia–Sudan–Egypt Interconnection, to link Eastern Africa to the North African grid. Ethiopia–Djibouti and Ethiopia–Sudan 230 kV connections are underway or planned, as are Sudan–Eritrea and Sudan–Uganda projects. Additional higher kV interconnection projects based on hydro development in Ethiopia (e.g., Ethiopia–Sudan 500kV) have been identified in the Horn of Africa countries. Kenya–Uganda, Uganda–Rwanda, Burundi–Rwanda, Burundi–DRC–Rwanda and Nairobi–Arusha interconnections are also planned in the East Africa Power Pool region. Engineering and planning studies to interconnect countries in the ECCAS region (PEAC power pool) are underway, as is an IPPF study of cross-border electrification in the region. Gilgel Gibe III Power Plant is a catalytic project located in Ethiopia, the source of power to be traded via the Kenya–Ethiopia Interconnection Project (a priority project). Kafue Gorge Lower Hydropower Project in Zambia. This catalytic project will add storage to an existing generating scheme, enabling reduction of Zambian power deficits and power exports to ESKOM and SAPP. It is now being structured as an IPP or PPP, at an expected cost of US$1–1.25 billion. Refurbishment of Inga 1 and 2 in the short term, development of an effective regional energy network and ultimately exploitation of Grand Inga to export power across the continent, are strategic objectives and plans of the Central African Power Pool, a specialised body of ECCAS. Energy Projects in the West Africa Power Pool, West Africa Gas Pipeline extension to Côte d'Ivoire, Regional Energy Access Programme and Renewable Energy Efficiency Programme have been identified as ECOWAS energy priorities. The Southern Africa Power Pool (SAPP) has numerous rehabilitation, generation and transmission projects underway and planned, with early cost estimates. UMA has identified the Maghreb Renewable Energy Programme among its priorities, and six renewable energy projects are priorities in the Horn of Africa countries, including geothermal, wind, solar and biogas projects. These projects would harness Africa's large, untapped renewable energy potential, especially in areas where other alternatives are costly. 24 REVISION OF THE AU/NEPAD AFRICAN ACTION PLAN 2010–2015 5 Project Energy Sector Zambia-Tanzania- Kenya (ZTK) Interconnection Region Tripartite Estimated Implement-ation Cost (Based on Stage 2 & 3) (in million US$) 3,124.00 860.00 Commit-ment (in million US$) 851.50 N/A Develop-ment Stage 3 Description (Project Status) The financing intentions of the public financing partners and the member States announced at the two round tables of April 2007 and January 2008 amount to the equivalent of US$851 million (as of August 2009), i.e. 63.4% of the total updated cost of the project. The AfDB has actively sought to promote private sector participation in the project, through equity or debt participation. A joint mission between the AfDB, West African Power Pool (WAPP) and the World Bank visited China in May 2008, to explore co-financing possibilities with the Chinese in the OMVG energy project, to which the response was positive, pending further discussions on the project. This project will interconnect Zambia with Kenya via Tanzania. The 330 kV (double circuit) line will be constructed over a distance of 1,600 km. The outstanding issue for this project is the need to update the funding model which DBSA is leading. This project, when implemented, will be able to link Tanzania with the SAPP grid, and through Tanzania, with Kenya and Ethiopia and beyond. Further extension of the ZTK network to interconnect with the Djibouti-Ethiopia regional network will be studied. Project Sponsors Tripartite, AfDB, DBSA Other regional integration projects currently under development in energy include the following emerging priorities:
  • 25. 3.2 Transport: enhancing mobility for Africans For African countries to benefit from the increasingly global economy, an adequate transport network must be in place to provide essential and efficient physical access. The lack or poor state of transport networks in Africa is among the most serious impediments to the economic and social development, preventing many countries from becoming competitive in the global markets and slowing or preventing the process of regional integration. Transport infrastructure impeding Africa's potential competitiveness Together with energy supply, transportation infrastructure is among the main bottlenecks to productivity growth and competitiveness in Africa5. The impact of poor transport infrastructure and associated logistics is particularly severe for landlocked countries. While the estimated cost of transport varies, it is reported that landlocked developing countries pay almost four times more for transport services than developed countries, and the transport costs in Africa are among the highest in the world – the transport costs for landlocked African countries can be as high as 77% of the value of exports6,7. Roads – the most important mode of transport in Africa Nearly 90% of Africa's passengers and freight travel by road, and for rural communities, roads are the only means of connecting people with centres of economic activity and with basic social infrastructure. Most African countries have a good rural road network, but improvement and maintenance are problems. In urban areas, where one in two Africans is expected to live by 20308, meeting the demand for urban transport – including public transport services – has been, and will be, a challenge. Missing regional links are also a critical issue for intra-African and international trade and regional integration, with total funding requirements estimated at US$4.3 billion9. Ports – linking Africa with global markets Sea ports are the gateway for Africa's trade with the rest of the world in the global market place. The international shipping business is increasing, but Africa's ports, with some exceptions, are largely inefficient. The inefficiencies contribute to the delays and high transportation costs of goods. Some countries have effectively improved their ports' efficiency through restructuring of the sector – such as Nigeria, where the internationally favoured landlord port model has been adopted – and others are undertaking master planning, but not all address critical institutional reforms. It is essential that ports themselves are capable of and efficient in providing the services required by shippers and that they are well connected with the rest of the transport network (as ports can only add value as nodes within a transport network) to increase Africa's competitiveness in the international trading place. Inland waterway transport, for which Africa has natural waterways and lakes, can contribute significantly to providing a solution for Africa's transport network at relatively low cost, however relatively little effort has been put into that transport sub-sector to date. Railways – important part of the transport logistics chain in the African continent The rail sector in Africa has AU/NEPAD STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES IN THE TRANSPORT SECTOR Objective 1: STRENGTHEN THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT OF AFRICAN REGIONS AND CONTINENT AND THEIR ECONOMIC INTEGRATION through trade and movement of people within the continent. Objective 2: ENHANCE AFRICA'S COMPETITIVENESS at the global level. Objective 3: PURSUE EFFORTS TO OPEN UP REGIONS AND THE CONTINENT and implementation of the Almaty Action Plan. Objective 4: ENHANCE THE EFFICIENCY OF PHYSICAL TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURES and associated services. Objective 5: PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT. Objective 6: PROVIDE EFFICIENT MULTIMODAL TRANSPORT LOGISTICS SERVICE with interoperability of transport networks and modal interchanges. Objective 7: HARMONISE TECHNICAL AND SAFETY STANDARDS. Objective 8: LIBERALISE TRANSPORT MARKET AND PROVIDE SEAMLESS TRANSPORT along key transport corridors. Objective 9: PROVIDE MISSING LINKS for regional integration. 5 The Africa Competitiveness Report 2007, African Development Bank, World Bank, World Economic Forum. 6 Statement on Transport for Africa, made by United Nations Special Adviser on Africa and High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States, Cheick Sidi Diarra, at the World Bank's Annual Sustainable Development Network Week in Washington on 21 February 2008. 7 Infrastructure Consortium for Africa (ICA): Annual Report 2007, Infrastructure Consortium for Africa (ICA). 8 State of World Population 2007: Unleashing the Potential of Urban Growth, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). 9 Infrastructure Consortium for Africa (ICA): Annual Report 2007, Infrastructure Consortium for Africa (ICA). ABRIDGED REPORT 2010–2012 www.nepad.org 25
  • 26. seen its traffic decline over the years due to poor management, inability to provide reliable services to users, and severe competition from the trucking sector. The railway coverage of Africa is among the lowest in the world with a mean density of about 2.9 kilometres per 1,000 square kilometres10,11. However, as part of the overall logistics chain of Africa, the railway sector has the potential to play an important role in the future development of the continent. This applies particularly to long-distance freight and bulk transport, given the size of the continent and the advantages that railways provide over road transport in terms of cost and fuel needs. Railways can also have a potential role for urban mass passenger transport in major cities and medium-distance intercity passenger transport. Africa's air transport - serious safety concerns and inadequate connections The situation with air transport in African countries varies considerably, but one common concern across the board is its safety record. While Africa's share of air traffic in the world is only 4.5%, its share of accidents is 25% (2005)12,13. Many African airlines are banned from European airports for safety reasons. Another important issue to note is the 'protectionism' of countries that prevents Africa's major cities from being adequately connected with each other. The African Union's Yamoussoukro Declaration, which pursues liberalisation of intra-African air transport, is far from adequately implemented. This impedes regional integration and economic and social exchanges by creating a situation where major African cities are not directly connected by air transport. 3.2.1Transport and regional integration Given Africa's geography and the nature of transport infrastructure (i.e., it is there to 'connect'), transport sector development for Africa must be approached from a regional perspective. According to the ICA: 'Africa's geography and its fragmented markets make regional integration a development imperative; and a key prerequisite for trade and increased competitiveness.'14 Landlocked countries are particularly disadvantaged when they are not connected by effective transport links. The 2003 Almaty Programme of Action outlined specific measures to help landlocked countries and their transit country neighbours bolster development and cooperation. At a High-Level Midterm Review in October 2008, the UN General Assembly urged development partners and international organisations to support efforts by countries in a spirit of shared responsibility. Better transport networks and regional integration in Africa would be mutually enhancing forces. Better physical links among African countries will facilitate trade and social and cultural exchanges among them, moving further towards regional integration. At the same time, on-going regional integration efforts that involve efforts for institutional, regulatory and legal framework harmonisation will significantly contribute to enabling countries to take full advantage of physical transport links by removing non-physical barriers to trade and transport. 3.2.2 Partners in transport AU/NEPAD is working in cooperation with a number of partners to promote regional integration in transport, particularly the RECs: Regional partners  Community of Sahel-Saharan States (CEN-SAD)  Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA)  East African Community (EAC)  Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS)  Economic Community Of West African States (ECOWAS)  Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD)  Southern African Development Community (SADC)  Arab Maghreb Union/Union du Maghreb Arabe (UMA) 3.2.3AU/NEPAD strategic focus in transport AU/NEPAD's activities in the transport sector will be guided by the Programme on Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA), a multi-sectoral set of infrastructure development plans now being assembled by leading African institutions. PIDA is intended to provide a comprehensive and scientific review of Africa's transport needs and transport assets and it will become the master plan for regional integration in transport infrastructure for Africa. The objectives of the PIDA programme in the transport sector are in the box on page 23. Good examples are the Dakar-Ndjamena-Djibouti transport corridor and the Djibouti-Libreville transport corridor pre-feasibility studies, which are currently under the supervision of the African Union Commission. The AU Summit in February 2009 endorsed PIDA and identified priority projects for development and implementation in the transport sector, between 2010 and 2012. 10 Ibid. 11 African Development Bank. 12 "Infrastructure Consortium for Africa (ICA): Annual Report 2007", Infrastructure Consortium for Africa (ICA). 13 African Development Bank. 14 "Infrastructure Consortium for Africa (ICA): Annual Report 2007", Infrastructure Consortium for Africa (ICA). 26 REVISION OF THE AU/NEPAD AFRICAN ACTION PLAN 2010–2015
  • 27. AAP priority programmes in Transport, 2010–2012 No. 1 2 3 Project Transport Sector North-South Corridor: Regional Infrastructure Development and Regional Trade Facilitation Project Kazungula Bridge Mombasa–Nairobi– Addis Ababa Corridor Development Project Region Tripartite SADC EAC– IGAD– COMESA Estimated Implementation Cost (Based on Stage 2 & 3) (in million US$) 6,899.00 N/A (US$20million feasibility study funded by AfDB). The NSC has strong financial and technical support and commitment from partners, as well as the political will of the Tripartite countries of EAC-COMESA-SADC. About US$1.2 billion of funding has been committed by the development partners for upgrading road, rail, ports and energy infrastructure and to support implementation of trade facilitation instruments. 158.00 530.00 Commit-ment (in million US$) 666.78 20.00 3.28 338.00 Develop-ment Stage 3 3 3 Project Sponsors Tripartite, DFID, AfDB, DBSA SADC EAC–IGAD– COMESA Description (Project Status) The programme involves a range of sub-projects to upgrade infrastructure and remove bottlenecks to trade flows, including regulatory and administrative constraints to transport and transit systems as a whole. The project covers East and Southern Africa, involving COMESA, EAC and SADC countries. The project is related to the regional North-South corridor linking the countries of Botswana, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe with interlinks to other corridors including the Trans Kalahari, Beira, Lobito, Dar es Salaam and Nacala Corridors. The Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) is the Secretariat of the Tripartite Task Force Investment Committee, currently composed of DBSA, DFID, the 3 RECs and a private sector member. Preparation of feasibility and detailed design studies and tender documents for the bridge over the Zambezi River. The bridge is an important link in the North-South corridor linking the countries of Botswana, DRC, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe, with interlinks to other corridors including the Trans Kalahari, Beira, Lobito, Dar es Salaam and Nacala Corridors. In particular, the bridge will facilitate transport services along the north-south corridor within Botswana and Zambia. The Corridor is an important section of the Trans-African Highway from Cairo to Cape Town. Phase I of the project, to be completed in 2010, is aimed at providing enhanced mobility and accessibility to Kenya's north-eastern arid and semi-arid lands. It is also planned to economically integrate the area with the rest of the country. Phase II of the project involves the construction and tarring of 438 km of the Mombasa–Nairobi– Addis Ababa road corridor. These sections include the 245 km Merille River–Marsabit–Turbi ABRIDGED REPORT 2010–2012 www.nepad.org 27
  • 28. No. 4 5 6 7 Project Transport Sector Upgrading of the Djibouti-Addis Highway Corridor: Dobi-Galafi-Yakobi Road Section Gambia Bridge Africa Rail (Phase 1) Nacala Corridor Region IGAD ECOWAS ECOWAS SADC Estimated Implementation Cost (Based on Stage 2 & 3) (in million US$) 6,899.00 30.00 75.00 1,500.00 606.00 Commit-ment (in million US$) 666.78 N/A 0.30 4.00 292.00 Develop-ment Stage 2 3 3 3 Project Sponsors IGAD OMVG ECOWAS SADC Description (Project Status) road section in Kenya and the 193 km Ageremariam–Yabelo–Mega road section in Ethiopia. Phase I of the project is jointly co-financed by the African Development Fund (ADF), the concessionary window of the AfDB, and the governments of Kenya and Ethiopia. The AfDB is the lead financing agency, providing 64% of requirements in the form of two ADF loans to Ethiopia and Kenya. One loan is for UA85 m and the other for UA125 m. Project is to upgrade to bitumen standard a 72 km section of road between Dobi (Ethiopia) and Yakobi (Djibouti). This section of road is part of the Dakar–Ndjamena–Djibouti highway (Trans-African Highway 6). The road link has high national as well as regional priority for trade and development, and will strengthen inter-state trade and integration. It will permit reduced vehicle operating, maintenance/rehabilitation costs, and faster turn-around for transport vehicles, permitting important time savings for trade activities. The project is to construct a bridge across the Gambia River. The bridge is part of the Dakar–N'djamena– Djibouti Highway Corridor, which will increase regional trade and economic integration. The feasibility studies and engineering detailed design studies are complete. The project is yet to reach financial closure. Africa Rail is a project to rehabilitate and construct 2,000 km of new railway to link the railway systems of Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Niger, Benin and Togo (all 1,000 mm narrow gauge), including a train service linking the ports of Lomé and Cotonou. Specifically, the project involves the following sections: Benin to Niger from Parakou–Malanville–Gaya– Dosso–Niamey (625 km); Burkina to Niger from Kaya–Dori–Terra–Niamey (398 km); Dori–Tambao (99 km); Togo to Benin from Lomé–Anecho– Segbohue (90 km); and Burkina to Togo from Ouagadougou–Blittaw (783 km). A future stage of the project would link Mali (1,000 mm), Nigeria (1,067 mm gauge, changing to 1,435 mm) and Ghana (1,067 mm gauge). The Nacala road corridor project comprises rail and road components. The road project consists of over 28 REVISION OF THE AU/NEPAD AFRICAN ACTION PLAN 2010–2015
  • 29. No. 8 9 Project Transport Sector Isaka-Kigali- Bujumbura Railway Brazzaville-Kinshasa Rail/Road Bridge Region EAC ECCAS/ SADC Estimated Implementation Cost (Based on Stage 2 & 3) (in million US$) 6,899.00 4,000.00 N/A Commit-ment (in million US$) 666.78 1.50 7.70 Develop-ment Stage 3 2 Project Sponsors EAC ECCAS/ SADC Description (Project Status) 1,000 km of civil works and two one-stop border posts (OSBPs), one between Mozambique and Malawi and the other between Malawi and Zambia. The road works are being financed by JICA, Government of Zambia and the ADB that financed the upgrading of the Nacala section of road in Zambia costing US$95 million. Phase I, which was approved in June 2009, covers 348 km in Mozambique (ADF loan of UA102.72 million) and a 13 km bypass in Malawi (ADF loan of UA14.32 million). Phase II, which was approved in September 2010, covers 114.7 km in Zambia (ADF loan of UA69 million). Phase III is under preparation. A feasibility study was funded by AfDB to extend the railway line from Isaka (Tanzania) to Kigali (Rwanda) and Bujumbura (Burundi). The project is part of the Dar es Salaam–Kigali– Bujumbura Central Transport Corridor. The new railway line would provide an alternative route to the port of Dar es Salaam for landlocked countries such as Rwanda and Burundi. A PPP funding model is under consideration by the project sponsors; Rwanda is the Secretariat of this project. This rail and road bridge project will link the two capital cities of Brazzaville (Republic of Congo) and Kinshasa (DRC), across the Congo river. The road/rail bridge will complete a missing road link of the Trans-African Highway: Tripoli–Windhoek–Cape Town, and a rail link for the Pointe Noire–South- Eastern Africa railway network. The bridge will promote regional integration and economic development in both countries, and will also serve as an inter-state and sub-regional trans-African link. A feasibility study is underway, financed by the African Development Bank (AfDB). ABRIDGED REPORT 2010–2012 www.nepad.org 29
  • 30. 3.3 Information and communication technology (ICT): bridging Africa's digital divide Access to advanced ICT is critical to the long-term economic and social development of Africa. It has increasingly become essential that appropriate ICT infrastructure, applications and skills are in place and accessible to the population to close the development gap between Africa and the rest of the world. Improvement in access to basic voice communications Africa has succeeded in rapidly increasing access to basic voice communications. It is estimated that the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) mobile phone population coverage increased from virtually zero for the vast majority of countries in the region (with the major exception of South Africa and Senegal) to over 50% (to as high as almost 100%) for many between 1999 and 200615, and this expansion is expected to continue. Bridging the digital divide In spite of this significant achievement in the area of voice communications, the provision of broadband connectivity has been slow. It is estimated that only five countries have a broadband penetration rate higher than 1% as of 200816, and the gap between Africa and the rest of the world is becoming wider. Two factors are key to the low penetration rate of broadband in Africa: high prices and limited availability. According to local estimates, a basic E1 circuit is US$5,000 per month, as compared to, for example, US$10–20 (developed countries) and US$200–350 (India). Much of the infrastructure, where it exists, is of poor quality17. Significant opportunity and underserved demand Efforts to close the digital divide between Africa and the rest of the world will greatly contribute to the continent's poverty reduction and social and economic development by enhancing efficiency and productivity, improving public services, creating jobs, generating knowledge, facilitating trade and regional integration. It is assumed that a significant demand for broadband exists in Africa as the rapid increase in the use of mobile voice communication services to date (despite its relatively high price and limited availability in many parts of the region) indicates the value that people place on communications technology. Bottlenecks and challenges The major constraints to affordable and reliable ICT (particularly, broadband) services are the lack of a backbone infrastructure and of an appropriate policy and regulatory environment. Where a backbone infrastructure is available, the network has been GSM mobile phone expansion in Africa, 1999–2006 Source: World Bank 15 Determinants of a Digital Divide in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Spatial Econometric Analysis of Cell Phone Coverage, World Bank (Policy Research Working Paper 4516), February 2008. 16 Bank Group's Information & Communication Technologies (ICT) Operations Strategy, African Development Bank Group, October 2008. 17 Williams, Mark, Broadband for Africa: Policy for Promoting the Development of Backbone Networks, World Bank. 30 REVISION OF THE AU/NEPAD AFRICAN ACTION PLAN 2010–2015
  • 31. Optical fibre network (existing, under construction, planned) Source: African Development Bank concentrated in urban areas, leaving the rest out of reach, and the un-liberalised (or only partially liberalised) market with limited competition prevents further network development, limiting service availability and keeping prices high. An inadequate skill base further limits the capacity to utilise and support the infrastructure and develop applications, content and related economic benefits. 3.3.1 ICT and regional integration in Africa Africa is currently undertaking a number of major ICT initiatives, many of which are regional in nature. The regional nature of these initiatives requires significant efforts for countries to cooperate with each other and synchronise/ coordinate policies and regulatory frameworks. As such, further regional integration will help advance various regional initiatives in this sector. An advanced ICT sector in Africa, in turn, will likely lead to faster integration of the region by facilitating trade and social exchanges between African countries as evidenced elsewhere in the world. This challenge is being addressed through the policy and regulatory framework in the Kigali Protocol. The Kigali Protocol has been signed by twelve countries in Eastern and Southern Africa, and ratified by eight of them. Legal experts from the African Union Commission have confirmed that any country in Africa can accede to the protocol, which is being amended to incorporate all African countries. The Connect Africa Summit held in Kigali, Rwanda in 2007 established the following continental goals in ICT: Goal 1: Interconnect all African capitals and major cities and strengthen connectivity to the rest of the world by 2012 Goal 2: Connect African villages to broadband ICT services by 2015 and implement shared access initiatives such as community telecentres and village phones Goal 3: Adopt key regulatory measures that promote affordable, widespread access to a full range of broadband ICT services Goal 4: Capacity building to support the development of a critical mass of ICT skills required by the knowledge economy Goal 5: Adopt a national e-strategy including a cyber-security framework; deploy at least one flagship e-government service, e-education, e-commerce and e-health service using accessible technologies in each country in Africa by 2015 Programmes are being developed by various partners to meet these goals. 3.3.2 Partners in ICT AU/NEPAD is working in cooperation with a number of specialised continental and regional organisations promoting regional integration in the ICT sector in Africa, including: Continental partners  African Telecommunication Union (ATU)  Réseau Francophone de la Régulation des Télécommunications (FRATEL)  African Telecommunications Regulators Network (ATRN)  ECA Regional partners  West African Telecommunications Regulators Association (WATRA)  Communications Regulators Association of Southern Africa (CRASA)  Association of Regulators for Information and Communication Services of Eastern and Southern Africa (ARICEA)  East African Regulatory Post and Telecommunications Organisation (EARPTO) ABRIDGED REPORT 2010–2012 www.nepad.org 31
  • 32. 3.3.3AU/NEPAD's strategic focus in ICT The former eAfrica Commission (now NEPAD ICT Programme) was mandated by the AU/NEPAD to develop a broad NEPAD ICT strategy and comprehensive action plan with the objective of:  Accelerating the development of African inter-country, intra-country and global connectivity, and  Promoting conditions for Africa to be an equal and active participant in the global information society. Two flagship programmes of the NEPAD ICT Programme are the UHURUNET submarine cable project and the UMOJANET terrestrial cable project. In June 2010, the Uhurunet project reached a major milestone with the signing of the Construction and Management Agreement in Paris, France, between the France Telecom-led ACE consortium and 19 members from 23 countries, and a Supply Contract with Alcatel-Lucent. The total cost apportioned to the NEPAD/Baharicom ACE partner is US$225 million, which is to be raised through a combination of debt and equity capital. The Programme on Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA) will develop a comprehensive, scientific study on infrastructure in the ICT sector and will guide such activities in the future. The objectives of the PIDA study in ICT are listed in the box on the left. While the PIDA process reviews and articulates a comprehensive set of infrastructure priorities for the continent, the projects in the following table are considered priority projects for development in the ICT sector between 2010 and 2012. AU/NEPAD STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES IN THE ICT SECTOR Objective 1: ESTABLISH HARMONISED POLICY, LEGAL AND REGULATORY FRAMEWORKS at the regional and continental levels to create an enabling environment that will attract investment and foster the sustainable development of competitive African telecommunications/ICT regional markets, infrastructure, and to increase affordable access to telecoms/ICTs. Objective 2: ACCELERATE DEVELOPMENT OF INTEGRATED INFRASTRUCTURE that will help bridge the digital divide, i.e., foster access to reliable and quality telecommunications/ICT services that will be affordable for the greatest number of people in Africa. Objective 3: PROMOTE E-APPLICATIONS AND SERVICES aimed at improving government services (e-government), education (e-education), trade and business (e-commerce) and other social services. Objective 4: INCREASE GLOBAL COMPETITIVENESS OF AFRICA by reducing the costs of services and enabling Africa to integrate into the global economy. Objective 5: REDUCE OR ELIMINATE TRANSIT OF INTRA AND INTERREGIONAL TRAFFIC out of the continent. Source: Programme on Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA) No. 32 REVISION OF THE AU/NEPAD AFRICAN ACTION PLAN 2010–2015 1 Project ICT Sector NEPAD ICT Broadband (UHURUNET Submarine Cable Project) Region Contin-ental Estimated Implementation Cost (Based on Stage 2 & 3) (in million US$) 696.30 225.00 Commit-ment (in million US$) 2.45 N/A Develop-ment Stage 3 Project Sponsors NEPAD/NPCA Description (Project Status) The programme ultimately aims to encircle the entire continent with an undersea cable, UHURUNET. The network, together with UMOJANET, will link 54 African countries. The programme is expected to decrease communication costs, provide integrated communication systems, and help to integrate the continent by facilitating trade, social and cultural exchanges. For the ACE (Africa Coast to Europe) submarine cable system, a landmark Construction and Maintenance Agreement (C&MA) was AAP priority programmes in ICT, 2010–2012
  • 33. No. 2 3 4 5 6 Project ICT Sector East African Community Network Central Africa Broadband Network (CAB) Backbone Project West Africa Wide Area Network (ECOWAN) Southern Africa Regional Backhaul Network Maritime Communication for Safety on Lake Victoria Region EAC ECCAS ECOWAS SADC Tripartite Estimated Implementation Cost (Based on Stage 2 & 3) (in million US$) 696.30 30.00 100.00 252.00 81.00 8.30 Commit-ment (in million US$) 2.45 0.40 0.60 0.50 0.50 0.45 Develop-ment Stage 3 3 2 2 2 Project Sponsors EAC ECCAS ECOWAS SADC Tripartite Description (Project Status) signed in Paris on 5th June 2010 with 19 members from 23 countries; an additional culmination was the signing of the Supply Contract with Alcatel-Lucent. The contract came into force on 3rd August, 2010. The Africa Coast to Europe (ACE) submarine cable is co-sponsored by France Telecom, Baharicom (a NEPAD company), and private sector interest groups. The project will establish a backbone for Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda covering 4,493 km, and links with Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia and Sudan. It includes the Eastern Africa Submarine System (EASSy) cable. The project will establish links among Libreville–Franceville–Lekoni–Oyo–Bra zzaville, Cameroon–Chad–Central African Republic and to a SAT-3 station in Douala, over 4,406 km. The ECOWAS Wide Area Network (ECOWAN) is an e-governance platform that will provide intra-community broadband interconnectivity that will help accelerate regional integration (particularly in the areas of trade, customs administration, tourism, monetary cooperation and agriculture) and will contribute to the implementation of the regional sectoral database as well as an improved internet network for West African citizens. The network will link the countries of ECOWAS together over 14,285 km. Ministers responsible for telecommunications, information and communication technology in ECOWAS Member States on Saturday, 31st July 2010 approved a US$100 million regional e-governance project that will enhance the seamless exchange of information among officials of the ECOWAS Commission, institutions of the Community and national focal points for ECOWAS. The network will connect countries of the SADC region (14,757 km). The project will include the following components: (a) wireless communication system based on GSM technology allowing two-way contact between boats in distress and rescue centres; (b) a Regional Maritime Communications Centre (RMCC), with ABRIDGED REPORT 2010–2012 www.nepad.org 33
  • 34. No. Project ICT Sector Region Estimated Implementation Cost (Based on Stage 2 & 3) (in million US$) 696.30 Commit-ment (in million US$) 2.45 Develop-ment Stage Project Description (Project Status) Sponsors the capacity to process distress radio traffic from the public in the region; and (c) a maritime communications system that will facilitate Search and Rescue operations. A grant for a detailed pre-investment feasibility study is underway. 3.4 Transboundary water: advancing regional cooperation in water resource management Water is central to life sustenance, poverty alleviation and sustainable growth and development in Africa18 Water is the almost universal input into all areas of human activity, from individual needs to massive energy projects. Its availability is affected by climate change, and through droughts and floods it causes major environmental impacts and migrations of people. A growing population is increasing the demand on already limited water supplies. It is estimated that over 300 million people in Africa face conditions of water scarcity. Water presents a complex, long-term set of issues that challenge leadership and require vision, action and resources. 18 NEPAD Short-Term Action Plan for Transboundary Water Resources, 2005. 19 Africa Atlas of our Changing Environment, UNEP. Transboundary water basins in Africa Source: Africa Atlas of our Changing Environment, UNEP Africans are dependent on transboundary water sources Africa has 59 international transboundary river basins, 15 principal lakes, 38 transboundary aquifer systems, and 24 main watersheds that cross the manmade political boundaries of two or more countries. These resources cover about 64% of the continent's land area and contain 93% of its total surface water resources19. These water basins are also home to 77% of the African population. 3.4.1Water and regional integration in Africa The combination of environmental factors and the political issues of managing a resource owned by multiple nations 34 REVISION OF THE AU/NEPAD AFRICAN ACTION PLAN 2010–2015
  • 35. AU/NEPAD STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES IN THE TRANSBOUNDARY WATER SECTOR Objective 1: ENSURE WATER SECURITY to meet future increases in demand for water and enable the socio-economic development of the regions of the African continent Objective 2: ENABLE EQUITABLE ALLOCATION of water resources among competing water uses for sustainable development Objective 3: PROMOTE EQUITABLE SHARING of benefits arising from the shared basin resources Objective 4: MITIGATE CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS by adapting to and mitigating climate change impacts and variability in weather patterns Objective 5: ENHANCE REGIONAL COOPERATION by deploying the principles of integrated water resource management (IWRM) particularly for shared water resources through the lake/river basin organisations (L/RBOs) and regional water protocols Objective 6: ENSURE GOVERNMENTAL SUPPORT by ensuring African Ministers' Council on Water (AMCOW) fully supports the outputs Objective 7: PROMOTE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION by ensuring environmental protection and management Objective 8: ACHIEVE AFRICA WATER VISION by achieving the Africa Water Vision 2025 in the long term provides a considerable challenge to providing adequate quantities and quality of water on the continent. Trans-boundary water resource management is critical to succeeding in these challenges, and requires partnerships that encourage sustained cooperation on a continental and regional scale. (Sanitation projects are almost all national in scope.) The Africa Water Vision 2025, written in 2000, provides the long-term framework for water development in Africa. Under the leadership of AMCOW (African Ministers' Council on Water), ministerial declarations have addressed key water issues, leading to the AU Summit declaration at Sharm el- Sheikh (2008). Major multilateral and bilateral commitments have been made to support integrated water management in the seven basins. The African Water Facility (AWF) has been set up and housed in the African Development Bank, and infrastructure investments have increased to US$2.9 billion in 2007 (ICA). Huge requirements remain, however, to meet the targets of the Africa Water Vision 2025. NEPAD has chosen seven transboundary water basins, holding 80% of the continent's water resources, as the focus of its STAP. The ultimate objective is to create fully functioning, integrated basin management systems. Progress in the basins across the range of measures is needed to achieve this goal. 3.4.2 Partners in transboundary water AU/NEPAD is working in cooperation with a number of specialised continental and regional organisations to promote regional integration in the transboundary water sector in Africa, including: Continental partners  African Ministers' Council on Water (AMCOW)  UN Water  African Network of Basin Organizations  African Civil Society Network on Water and Sanitation Regional partners  The Lake Victoria Basin Commission (LVBC)  The Nile Basin Initiative (NBI)  The Economic Community of the Great Lakes (CEPGL)  Organisation pour la mise en valeur du Fleuve Sénégal (OMVS) 3.4.3AU/NEPAD's strategic focus in transboundary water The guiding document for AU/NEPAD's activities in the transboundary water sector will be the Programme on Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA) that will provide a comprehensive, scientific and verifiable study on Africa's transboundary water needs and will become the master plan for management of transboundary water for Africa. The objectives of the PIDA programme in the transboundary water sector are set out in the box to the left. While the PIDA process reviews and articulates a comprehensive set of infrastructure priorities for the continent, the projects in the following table are considered priority programmes for development and investment in the transboundary water sector, between 2010 and 2012. ABRIDGED REPORT 2010–2012 www.nepad.org 35
  • 36. AAP priority programmes in Transboundary Water, 2010–2012 Project Transboundary Water Sector Water Resources Planning & Management in the Nile River Basin Senegal River Basin Water & Environment Management Project Niger River Basin Shared Vision Investment Programme Region COMESA OMVG/ ECOWAS ECOWAS Estimated Implementation Cost (Based on Stage 2 & 3) (in million US$) 120.00 33.00 21.00 66.00 Commit-ment (in million US$) 20.00 N/A 20.00 N/A Develop-ment Stage 2 3 2 Project Sponsors COMESA OMVS/ ECOWAS ECOWAS Description (Project Status) Programme to build a common technical foundation to facilitate integrated water resources planning and management in the Nile River Basin. The project involves the development of a framework for an environmentally sustainable Senegal River Basin and the launching of a basin-wide cooperative programme for an effective transboundary land and water management system. Programme of investment to realise the shared vision for the sustainable development of the Niger River Basin, through capacity building and stakeholder investment, conservation of the ecosystem and protection of specific resources, and development of infrastructure for socio-economic purposes, including three transboundary dams. Other regional integration programmes currently under development in transboundary water include the following: Emerging priorities in Transboundary Water Transboundary Water Programmes/Projects Lake Chad Water Basin, Congo River Water Basin, Okavango River Water Basin and Zambezi River Water Basin. NEPAD has chosen seven transboundary water basins, holding 80% of the continent's water resources, as the focus of its STAP. Major multilateral and bilateral commitments have been made to support integrated water management in the seven basins. Investment projects have been initiated in the three basins listed as AAP priorities. The four basins considered emerging priorities are primarily the focus of capacity-building efforts. For example, facing a severely declining resource, PRODEBALT, the Lake Chad Basin Sustainable Development Programme, is initiating shared management of water resources, establishing sustainable data collection networks, carrying out sector actions to control water demand, fighting desertification and biodiversity loss, ensuring prevention and control of contaminants, improving water ecosystems exploitation methods, and launching technical studies on inter-basin water transfer. Financing requirements of US$90 million over five years will be supported by a group of major development partners led by the AfDB. Regional water management in the Horn of Africa. Experts in the EC-Horn of Africa Initiative have identified six key projects to strengthen water management and increase water supply in this arid and semi-arid region. These include water harvesting, regional dialogue forums, groundwater assessment, capacity building for water planning institutions, a regional water trust fund, and rural water supply in Karamoja pastoral areas. Shared aquifer management. The Nubian Sandstone Aquifer System (NSAS) is the world's largest underground fossil water reservoir. It is shared by four states: Chad, Egypt, Libya and Sudan, and occupies over 2 million square kilometres. With an estimated total volume of over 542,000 cubic kilometres, it has the potential, if tapped on a large scale, to turn an ostensibly water-scarce region into an oasis. Rational and equitable management of the NSAS for sustainable socioeconomic development and the protection of biodiversity and land resources is the objective of management of this key resource. 36 REVISION OF THE AU/NEPAD AFRICAN ACTION PLAN 2010–2015
  • 37. 4. Gender Development: Advancing Gender Equality in Africa Women constitute over 52% of the African population and contribute significantly to the development of the continent. They remain the backbone of the agricultural sector, key players in the service industry, undisputed drivers of the informal sector and home economy. However, they rarely enjoy access to basic services or equal opportunities, and are often excluded from major decision-making processes. In recognition of their role and the constraints facing women, African leaders have, through Article 4(1) of the Constitutive Act of the African Union (2000), adopted a gender parity principle. Further, through the adoption of the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa and the signing of the Solemn Declaration on Gender Equality, the Heads of State have demonstrated political commitment to gender equality at the highest level. The Statute of the AUC and NEPAD's foundation document make a clear call for centrally anchoring gender within the AU/NEPAD policy framework. Indeed, one of the two goals of NEPAD is specifically devoted to the empowerment of women. In this regard, all of the organs of the AU, including the AUC and NEPAD, are committed to ensuring that gender equality is mainstreamed institutionally. In order for AU/NEPAD to close the existing gender gaps and address widespread gender disparities, it needs additional financial resources to use towards institutional capacity building, technical expertise and funding of special interventions addressing existing barriers to gender equality. Additional resources will support gender mainstreaming and the implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action (BPFA) at the national level as well as build capacities linked to project implementation and interventions that address gender-based marginalisation through social exclusion, vulnerability and for orphaned children. Inequalities in social institutions worldwide Source: OECD, GID 4.1 Gender development and regional integration in Africa The Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa expanded its definition in the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women by including within its ambit economic violence or harm20. Certainly, one of the issues for the AU's Gender Policy is not only to ensure that the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) is ratified by each country, but also implemented by each member state. The RECs and AU structure will be important in achieving MDG3 and the implementation of CEDAW over the next five years. Prior to the finalisation of the AU's Gender Policy, the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa was adopted and the Solemn Declaration on Gender Equality was signed21. 20 United Nations General Assembly, In-depth study on all forms of violence against women Report of the Secretary-General. 6 July 2006. 21 AAP, Gender and Development Preamble. March 2008. ABRIDGED REPORT 2010–2012 www.nepad.org 37
  • 38. 4.2 AU/NEPAD's strategic focus in gender development The guiding document for AU/NEPAD's activities in gender is the African Union Gender Policy adopted in 2009. The objectives outlined in the gender and development area from the AU Policy are set out in the adjacent box. Policy commitments The policy commitments of the AU Gender Policy are based on AU and international gender equality instruments, including the Constitutive Act of the African Union, MDGs, the Solemn Declaration on Gender Equality in Africa (SDGEA), Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights related to the Rights of Women in Africa, BPFA, and UN Resolution 1325 (2000) on Peace and Security emphasising gender mainstreaming as core to the promotion of the culture of peace, promotion of democracy, economic and social development and human rights. The policy commitments are overarching and anchored on the pillars of AU Organs, RECs and member states' institutional policy statements, strategic plans, roadmaps and action plans for achieving gender equality and women's empowerment targets in eight areas as follows: 1. Creating an enabling and a stable political environment 2. Legal protection actions against discrimination for ensuring gender equality 3. Mobilisation of different players for gender equality in Africa 4. Rationalisation and harmonisation of RECs' gender policies and programmes 5. Resource mobilisation 6. Capacity building for gender mainstreaming 7. Gender mainstreaming in all sectors 8. Maintaining peace, security, the settlement of conflicts and reconstruction. The African Union Gender Policy Plan of Action will outline a series of steps towards achieving gender mainstreaming across all of the sectors where the AU works. The expected outcomes of this gender mainstreaming plan will target most of the AAP sectors, as set out in first the table on page 37. AU/NEPAD STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES IN THE GENDER DEVELOPMENT SECTOR Objective 1: To advocate the promotion of a gender responsive environment and practices and the enforcement of human rights, gender equality and women's empowerment commitments made at international, continental, regional and member states level; Objective 2: To initiate and accelerate gender mainstreaming in institutions, legal frame-works, policies, programmes, strategic frameworks and plans, human resources and performance management systems, resource allocation and decision-making processes at all levels; Objective 3: To promote the development of guidelines and enforcement of standards against sexual and gender-based violence, gender-insensitive language and actions in the workplace (including the AU Commission and other organs, the RECs and member states); Objective 4: To develop a Gender Management System (GMS) within the AU and promote its adoption within other AU organs, the RECs and member states; Objective 5: To address gender-based barriers to the free movement of persons and goods across borders throughout the continent; Objective 6: To promote equitable access for both women and men to/control over resources, knowledge, information, land and business ownership, and services such as education and training, healthcare, credit and legal rights; and Objective 7: To facilitate implementation of remedial measures to address existing in-qualities in access to and control over factors of production, including land. Source: African Union Gender Policy While the AU Gender Policy Plan of Action will present a comprehensive set of gender priorities for the continent, the projects in the second table on page 37 are considered priority programmes for development and investment in the gender sector, between 2010 and 2012. 38 REVISION OF THE AU/NEPAD AFRICAN ACTION PLAN 2010–2015
  • 39. Sector Expected Outcomes Cross-cutting priorities  Implement the AU Gender Policy, existing member states' and RECs' gender policies across sectors and programmes  Adopt affirmative action policies in recruitment, training, career progression and promotion  Develop a sexual harassment policy  Eliminate violence at the work place such as sexual harassment and intimidation  Gender mainstreaming tools and guidelines for all sectors  Guarantee equal access to opportunities, services and factors of production  Develop indicators to identify and measure progress towards gender equality in all programmes and sectors Infrastructure  Develop gender sensitivity in operations of infrastructure  Improve gender balance in hiring in infrastructure  Build awareness of different infrastructure needs of both men and women  Increase women's participation in infrastructure decision-making institutions at all levels Trade, market access and  Women should form part of the decision-making process in trade and industry issues private-sector development  Development of gender-sensitive trade agreements  Establish an African learning context for women’s entrepreneurship  Increase women's enterprises in Africa including micro-credit facilities  Education for women to promote economic literacy, generate awareness and enable them to organise themselves into cooperatives to attract investment  Development of a framework for engendering trade-related capacity for trade programmes  Gender-sensitive measures introduced to deal with negative outcomes of trade reforms  Gender-equality interventions to overcome constraints on market entry in small- and medium-sized enterprises and other businesses owned by women Governance  Training and advocacy programmes for women in governance  Specific gender-responsive political and governance policies where necessary  Adoption of affirmative action and quota share and representation to increase women's participation in decision making  Build equitable, gender-sensitive democratic and accountable governance  Put in place accountable mechanisms to ensure governance institutions honour and promote gender-equality commitments  Build capacity for women to become effective political actors to transform political space for gender equality  Advocacy, awareness raising and education to change mindsets about women's involvement in decision making, politics and public life. AAP priority programmes in Gender Development, 2010–2012 Project Gender Development Gender Mainstreaming Programme AU/NEPAD Region Contin-ental Estimated Implementation Cost (Based on Stage 2 & 3) (in million US$) 1.00 1.00 Commit-ment (in million US$) 10.20 0.20 Develop-ment Stage 2 Project Sponsors AECID/ Spanish Government Description (Project Status) The gender programme of the NEPAD Agency will articulate and advocate gender mainstreaming in policy making, management and implementation, using time-tested tools and best practices. NPCA will facilitate the capacity development of professional and programme staff at the Agency on gender issues and mainstreaming in line with the AU Gender Policy and AU/NEPAD Capacity Development Strategic Framework. Gender mainstreaming tools and materials, including a pocket handbook, fact sheets and background documents on gender, will be developed for NPCA staff, the RECs and governments implementing NEPAD priority programmes. The framework for gender mainstreaming will design strategy to monitor and ABRIDGED REPORT 2010–2012 www.nepad.org 39
  • 40. Project Gender Development African Women Empowerment Programme (AECID/Spanish government committed to provide 10 m (US$7.5 m) over 3 years, in support of women's empowerment in Africa.) Region Contin-ental Estimated Implement-ation Cost1 (Based on Stage 2 & 3) (in million US$) 1.00 Commit-ment2 (in million US$) 10.20 10.00 Develop-ment Stage 3 Project Sponsors AECID/ Spanish Government Description (Project Status) evaluate progress achieved in this area. At the end of the NEPAD Gender mainstreaming process, sector-specific policy briefs will be presented to address any gaps identified. The NEPAD/Spain Fund for the Empowerment of Women in Africa resonates perfectly with the mandate of the NPCA and the Spanish Agency for International Development and Cooperation (AECID). Both institutions work towards the achievement of the MDGs in Africa by 2015 and the alleviation of poverty by considering gender equity, equality and women's empowerment as a pre-condition to sustainable growth and development. This commitment is enshrined in the Memorandum of Understanding signed by NEPAD and the Government of Spain on 12 June 2007, to formalise the establishment of the Spain-NEPAD Fund for the Empowerment of Women in Africa. Both parties strengthened this commitment in the IV Steering Committee of the Fund, on 17 June 2009, by extending the duration of the Fund for a five-year period, starting on that date. The goal of the NEPAD/Spanish Fund is to promote gender equality and increase the capacities and autonomy of African women, in order to contribute to the acceleration of the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals, in particular MDG3. In the first call for proposals in 2008, 46 projects from 23 countries in sub- Saharan Africa were approved. In addition, 2 m has been assigned to carry out a Business Incubator for Women project implemented by COMESA and ECOWAS. Its aim is to support women entrepreneurs in Africa. The business incubators will lead to increased capacities of SMEs run by women in African countries. During the last Steering Committee meeting, 10 m was approved for release to the Fund by AECID at the end of 2010, with the aim of launching a second call for proposals at the beginning of 2011. This second phase of the Fund will focus on finance projects to African organisations/institutions working in the areas of economic women's empowerment, civil society and women, community-based organisations, and institutional strengthening. 40 REVISION OF THE AU/NEPAD AFRICAN ACTION PLAN 2010–2015
  • 41. 5. Cross-Cutting Sectors 5.1 Trade, industry, market access and private-sector development: advancing Africa's competitiveness in the global marketplace Trade, industrialisation and investment Exports in 2007 totalled almost US$425 billion and accounted for 3% of world exports. Exports are concentrated in fuel and mining (70%) and agriculture. Exports to Asia have grown significantly. Within Africa, intra-regional trade accounts for about 7% of total exports, compared with about 50% in Asia. Manufacturing contributes less than 15% of gross domestic product in many African countries, and is concentrated in food, textiles, clothing and footwear. Foreign direct investment inflows to Africa rose from about US$13 billion in 2002 to US$45 billion in 2007, largely in the extractive industries and in various service industries. Total net private capital flows to Africa rose to US$81 billion in 2007. Challenges With almost half of the population under 25 years old, creating jobs and career prospects is critical to Africa's prosperity and stability. Africa is abundantly endowed with natural resources, including many industrial minerals and agricultural resources, but the continent remains relatively poor, with little or no local value added and processing and minimum local inputs. Dependence on primary products has exposed resource-rich African countries to the vagaries of global markets and commodity cycles. Supply-side constraints act as limiting factors in many countries, both in manufacturing and in agriculture. Responses NEPAD recognises the critical role of the private sector as the continent's engine of economic growth. It has encouraged governments to establish an environment conducive to business and investment activities, and partners to facilitate greater world market access. Measures included legal and regulatory reforms, harmonisation of standards and trade facilitation, reduction of internal tariffs, deepening of financial markets, technology acquisition and knowledge sharing, industrial diversification and strategic participation in international trade negotiations. In addition, fundamental economic policies such as investment in infrastructure (energy, communications, transport, water, etc.) are critical to the promotion and sustenance of industrial development in Africa. Similarly, building human capacity through health, education and training and technology development is also necessary to enable the continent to compete in the increasingly knowledge-driven global economy. Aid for Trade is a mechanism that can address these imperatives (see box below). 5.1.1Trade, industry, market access and private-sector development and regional integration in Africa Opening up African markets through infrastructure development and trade facilitation are important elements of regional integration in Africa. The eight RECs across the continent are key actors in expanding Free Trade Areas and Customs Unions, as well as other forms of trade facilitation. Aid for Trade refers to assistance by the international community to help countries address supply-side constraints to their participation in international markets, and to cope with transitional adjustment costs from liberalisation of trade. It covers assistance with trade policy and regulations and trade development, but also trade related infrastructure, capacity development, and trade-related government budget adjustments. The WTO Hong Kong ministerial meeting launched the initiative in 2005. The European Union is a major supporter of the approach and committed 2.73 billion to Africa in 2007. Support to regional integration is a priority. The European Development Fund allocated 645 million for eastern and southern Africa (EAC-COMESA-SADC), notably to a jointly-planned North-South Corridor programme. Another regional review of Aid for Trade takes place in the ECOWAS region in June 2009, and a global review is scheduled for July 2009. In this context, Aid for Trade may be seen as an important funding modality, providing technical support to trade liberalisation and also support for the infrastructure base that is critical to expanding trade. 'Eradication of extreme hunger and poverty can only be achieved through faster economic growth and enhanced competitiveness' U.N. Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro ABRIDGED REPORT 2010–2012 www.nepad.org 41
  • 42. 5.1.2 Partners in trade, industry, market access and private-sector development AU/NEPAD is working with a number of specialised continental and regional organisations to promote regional integration in trade, industry, market access and private sector development in Africa, including: International partners  United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) Continental partners  Conference of African Ministers of Industry (CAMI)  Investment Climate Facility (ICF) Regional partners  Regional Economic Communities 5.1.3 AU/NEPAD's strategic focus in trade, industry, market access and private-sector development In 2004, the AU Summit in Addis Ababa adopted the African Productive Capacity Initiative (APCI) as the policy framework for Africa's industrialisation effort through NEPAD. The APCI was designed to facilitate a shift towards a hands-on approach for tackling industrial performance and productivity, sustainable employment creation, and the contribution of industry to poverty reduction. In January 2008, the African Union Assembly endorsed the Action Plan for Accelerated Industrial Development of Africa (AIDA). The Conference of African Ministers of Industry (CAMI) subsequently adopted an implementation strategy to:  Promote economic diversification through industrial value-added activities  Create an enabling environment and institutional framework that promotes private sector-sensitive industrial development, regional economic co-operation and international competitiveness  Enhance supply-side and demand-side capacity for industrial production and trade. Programme-specific objectives of this strategy are based on the measures described in the box below. 5.2 Environment and climate change: promoting sustainability and stewardship for Africa's ecosystems Africa contains some of the richest environmental resources in the world. Africans depend on a healthy and vibrant ecosystem and for their livelihoods on everything from forest products, water, food and agricultural products to tourism. Yet unless Africa is able to foster sustainable use and stewardship of its resources, the continent will face many threats to these treasures in the future. A rich biodiversity Africa contains over 3,000 protected areas including 198 Marine Protected Areas, 50 Biosphere Reserves, and 80 Wetlands of International Importance. Eight of the world's 34 international biodiversity hotspots are in Africa22. Despite their recognised status, these areas remain under threat from poaching, encroachment and the introduction of alien species. AU/NEPAD STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES IN TRADE, INDUSTRY, MARKET ACCESS AND PRIVATE–SECTOR DEVELOPMENT Objective 1: Building productive capacity and capabilities for converting comparative advantage into industrial competitiveness. Objective 2: Promoting actions that facilitate export of value-added products through the conversion of commodities into products. Objective 3: Enhancing trade linkages and market penetration for expanding the extent of the market for products. Objective 4: Promoting value chains by thinking globally and acting locally for job creation and poverty reduction. 22 Africa Atlas of our Changing Environment, UNEP. Objective 5: Developing small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and their linkages to large-scale enterprises for seizing opportunities for industrial expansion. Objective 6: Promulgating standardisation, accreditation, quality and metrology for effective global market integration. Objective 7: Fostering public-private partnerships (PPPs) for industrial development. Objective 8: Removing bureaucratic and administrative impediments to trade and investment. 42 REVISION OF THE AU/NEPAD AFRICAN ACTION PLAN 2010–2015
  • 43. The threat of land degradation Due to the lack of strong environmental management, land in Africa is becoming increasingly degraded. The most prevalent forms of degradation include desertification, deforestation, dust storms, rising pollution and loss of ecosystems from rapid urbanisation. Thirty-one per cent of the region's pasture lands and 19% of its forests are classified as degraded. Forests account for over 20% of Africa's land area, but are being destroyed by logging and conversion of forests to agriculture and urban settlements. Africa is currently losing more than four million hectares of forest every year – twice the world's average deforestation rate. The threat of climate change Although Africa produces only 4% of total global carbon dioxide emissions, its inhabitants suffer greatly from the consequences of global climate change. In many parts of Africa, even small changes in precipitation and water availability are having a devastating effect on agricultural output and consequently on food security. As climate change intensifies and its impacts deepen, adaptation amongst the communities in Africa will become increasingly challenging. 5.2.1 Regional integration in environment and climate change in Africa Many environmental issues transcend national boundaries. The sustainable use of natural resources such as those derived from forest ecosystems and monitoring, management, and climate change control, are problems of major concern to all African nation. Since these resources and issues span more than one nation, they are often treated with different levels of political priority using different Transboundary protected areas Protected areas Source: Africa Atlas of our Changing Environment, UNEP management approaches, laws and regulations. Some efforts have been made to introduce management mechanisms that involve a degree of international cooperation, but there are still many challenges to be overcome before a unified framework can be achieved. To this end, AU/NEPAD has focused on six programme areas and three cross-cutting issues in the NEPAD Action Plan for the Environment Initiative that concentrate on fostering regional cooperation on transboundary environmental issues:  Programme Area 1 Combating Land Degradation, Drought and Desertification  Programme Area 2 Conserving Africa's Wetlands  Programme Area 3 Prevention, Control and Management of Invasive Alien Species  Programme Area 4 Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine, Coastal and Freshwater Resources  Programme Area 5 Combating Climate Change in Africa  Programme Area 6 Transboundary Conservation or Management of Natural Resources  Cross Cutting Issue 1 Health and the Environment  Cross Cutting Issue 2 Trade and the Environment  Cross Cutting Issue 3 Technology and the Environment 5.2.2 Partners in environment and climate change AU/NEPAD is working with number of specialised continental and regional organisations to promote regional integration in Environment and Climate Change in Africa including: Global partners  The Global Climate Observing System (GCOS)  United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP)  World Meteorological Organization (WMO)  The Global Environment Facility (GEF)  The European Commission's African Monitoring of the Environment for Sustainable Development (AMESD)  The Netherlands Climate Assistance Programme (NCAP)  The International Research Institute for Climate and Society (IRI)  The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI)  The Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) Continental partners  Africa Ministerial Conference of Environment (AMCE)  The African Centre of Meteorological Application for Development (ACMAD)  Centre for Environmental Economics and Policy in Africa (CEEPA) Regional partners  The Climate Prediction and Application Centre (IGAD-ICPAC) ABRIDGED REPORT 2010–2012 www.nepad.org 43
  • 44.  The Regional Centre for Agriculture, Hydrology and Meteorology (AGRHYMET)  SADC Drought Monitoring Centre (SADC-DMC)  Observatoire du Sahara et Sahel (OSS)  The Lake Victoria Basin Commission (LVBC)  The Nile Basin Initiative (NBI)  The Economic Community of the Great Lakes (CEPGL)  The Central African Forest Commission (COMIFAC)  SouthSouthNorth (SSN) 5.2.3AU/NEPAD's strategic focus in environment and climate change The NEPAD Action Plan for the Environment Initiative is the guiding document for AU/NEPAD's activities in the environment and climate change sector. Sub-Regional Environmental Action Plans (SREAPs) have also been developed and adopted by many of the sub-regions (e.g., IGAD's SREAP, which covers each of the programme areas of the Action Plan, including monitoring). The overall objectives of AU/NEPAD's activities in environment and climate change are listed in the box on the left. Carbon finance has not played a large role in African development finance to date, for specific reasons. The Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) focuses primarily on the emission reduction components of projects, and provides post-investment cash flow only. Since Africa's emissions are relatively low, and since African financial markets are less developed than in some parts of the world, such financing has not generated large amounts of investment capital. With further development of the mechanism and domestic capital markets, carbon finance could play a larger role in African project investment. 5.3 Governance: towards a democratic future for Africa Governance underlines the basis for sustainable development Governance is interlinked with institutionalised values such as democracy, observance of human rights, accountability, transparency and greater efficiency and effectiveness of the public sector. Good governance ensures that political, social and economic priorities are based on a broad consensus in society and that the voices of the poorest and the most vulnerable are heard in decision-making over the allocation of development resources23. Improving good governance in Africa is of central importance. Governance is seen as an effective means of enabling and guaranteeing development, building AU/NEPAD STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES IN ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE CHANGE Objective 1: CONTRIBUTE TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF NEPAD through the effective implementation of its Environment Initiative Objective 2: PROMOTE SUSTAINABLE USE of Africa's natural resources and strengthen public and political support to regional and sub-regional environmental initiatives Objective 3: SUPPORT IMPLEMENTATION BY AFRICAN COUNTRIES of their commitments under the global and regional environmental conventions and other legal instruments to which they are party Objective 4: ENHANCE THE HUMAN AND INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITIES of African countries to effectively address the environmental challenges facing the continent Objective 5: PROMOTE INTEGRATION of environmental issues in poverty reduction strategies Objective 6: FOSTER REGIONAL AND SUBREGIONAL COOPERATION to address environmental challenges Objective 7: BUILD A NETWORK OF REGIONAL CENTRES OF EXCELLENCE in environmental science and management Objective 8: MOTIVATE AND DIRECT AFRICAN AND INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL COMMUNITIES to solve Africa's pressing environmental problems Objective 9: ENHANCE EFFECTIVE PARTICIPATION of major African groups and their important contribution to informing intergovernmental decision-making Objective 10: IMPROVE THE INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK for regional environmental governance Objective 11: MOBILISE INTERNATIONAL RESOURCES for the implementation of the Environment Initiative of NEPAD Objective 12: PROVIDE A FRAMEWORK FOR PARTNERSHIP between African countries themselves and with their bilateral and multilateral partners, including multilateral financial institutions such as GEF, in accordance with the spirit and the letter of the United Nations Millennium Declaration 23 Governance for Sustainable Human Development, A UNDP Policy Paper, UNDP 1997, pp. 2-3. 44 REVISION OF THE AU/NEPAD AFRICAN ACTION PLAN 2010–2015
  • 45. partnership with national, regional, continental and global organisations to promote a comprehensive programme in support of accountability, transparency, participation, combating corruption and the promotion of an enabling legal and judicial framework. The main regional focus is the continuous operation of the APRM and its increased membership. Other substantial and important initiatives encompass the development and implementation of programmes for the efficient administration of public resources, including the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, the Construction Transparency Initiative, the African Agenda for Good Financial Governance and the Collaborative Africa Budget Reform Initiative (CABRI). 5.4 Capacity development: building a capable and responsive leadership for Africa's future and/or restoring stability as opposed to conflict in countries, regions and sub-regions. Africa has made good progress in improving govern-ance but it also faces serious challenges Calls for good governance in Africa have led to some progress, particularly in improving the regulatory environment for businesses. Improvements in governance are correlated with advancements in other areas. More than half of the continent follows the democratic process and the level of resources committed by African governments to tackling poverty and other problems is rising, along with the revenue base. However, as Africa moves to address problems of governance in development, it faces some fundamental challenges, including a) the need to build the capacity of states to incorporate mechanisms for political oversight and the management of state-society relations; b) the need to institute appropriate structures and mechanisms to foster active participation by citizens, gender equality, women's empowerment, human rights and more active and meaningful participation of civil society in the development process; and c) the need to reduce the costs of doing business by improving the quality of regulatory frameworks, reducing administrative barriers, improving physical infrastructure and stamping out corruption. The African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM): Africa's innovative thinking on governance The various bodies of the AU play an important role in the evolution of governance mechanisms in Africa. In March 2003, NEPAD adopted the APRM process. APRM is a mutually-agreed instrument voluntarily acceded to by member states of the AU as a self-monitoring mechanism. The overarching goal of APRM is for all participating countries to accelerate their progress towards adopting and implementing NEPAD's priorities and programmes by achieving mutually-agreed objectives and compliance with best practices in each APRM area of governance and development, namely: the main pillars of the Declaration on Democracy, Political, Economic and Corporate Governance. The implementation of APRM has not proceeded without issues. It has encountered a number of challenges, ranging from financial, capacity, procedural and operational to political, both at the national and continental levels. Twenty-nine countries have now voluntarily acceded to the Mechanism. Of these, 14 have established their national structures and are at various stages of implementing the APRM process. The process has three phases, starting with a self-assessment, followed by peer country review missions, and finally implementation of a National Programme of Action. 5.3.1Governance and regional integration in Africa Africa's integration should be based on a set of core values held in common, including good governance, anti-corruption and the rule of law. Improved governance will further strengthen regional integration and harmonisation. In order to address the governance challenges, AU/NEPAD are working in Capacity development is a fundamental issue to enable Africa to attain the MDG goals Africa is pursuing its development agenda in a challenging, complex and ever changing environment. Capacity on the 'soft' side, namely the capacity to carry out consistent design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation activities, is critical to leverage outcomes from existing investments and to attract more financing from both public and private sectors. Low capacity has an adverse effect on the conceptualisation, management, execution and impact of development initiatives. Capacity development is a prerequisite for the implementation of African development strategies, and must be undertaken at national, regional and continental levels. NEPAD represents an expression of the will and determination of the AU leadership to steer Africa to higher levels of sustainable development through adoption of policies and strategies to create an enabling institutional, technical, administrative and political environment. ABRIDGED REPORT 2010–2012 www.nepad.org 45
  • 46. consortium of partners, in order to enhance and accelerate the regional development process. 5.4.2 Partners in capacity development AU/NEPAD is working with a number of continental and regional organisations promoting regional integration in capacity building in Africa including: Continental and international partners  Africa Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF)  ECA  Southern Africa Trust (SAT)  Germany (GTZ)  Flanders International Cooperation Agency 5.4.3AU/NEPAD's strategic focus in capacity development The guiding document for AU/NEPAD's activities in capacity development sector is the Capacity Development Strategic Framework (CDSF). Its strategic objects are listed listed in the box below. As a fundamental instrument, CDSF offers a common structure, a holistic and integrated approach based on performance and competencies. The CDSF consists of six cornerstones identified as the most critical success factors for capacity building in Africa. They are Leadership Transformation; Citizenship Transformation; Evidence-based Knowledge and Innovation; Utilizing African Potential, Skills and Resources; Developing the Capacity of Capacity Developers; and Integrated Planning and Implementation for Results. AU/NEPAD STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES IN THE CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT SECTOR Objective 1: Address Africa's real capacity challenges in a sustainable manner through a strategic perspective focusing on organisational systems capacities. Objective 2: Work towards the fulfilment of the vision of African renewal espoused in the NEPAD framework through fundamental transformation, re-orientation, realignment and strengthening of the African institutional framework. Objective 3: Promote the adoption and application of the CDSF by countries and institutions to enable them to comprehensively identify and apply solutions to capacity challenges in order to achieve transform action and change of mindsets. By engaging with NEPAD, countries and RECs lay the foundation for meeting this transformative objective. Limited capacity in African countries has been a bottleneck for Africa's development General issues of capacity building in Africa include the impacts of HIV/AIDS, the need for a highly effective leadership and well-trained civil servants, and the lack of efficient administrative and delivery systems. These deficiencies arise from a combination of factors related to individual, institutional and systemic constraints, ranging from weak harmonisation and integration to skill and knowledge gaps. Traditional capacity building is very much determined by a somewhat limited approach of building up capacity through training measures for individuals, provision of material and financial support as well as organisational restructuring, which fail to address the systemic capacity constraints. Africa needs a capacity development strategy that takes into account Africa's unique needs, priorities, challenges and context. Capacity building is a long-term process requiring a systemic approach The NEPAD Agency has launched a Capacity Development Initiative (CDI) to take on the challenge of conceptualising, developing, adopting and implementing a Capacity Development Strategic Framework (CDSF). Based on continent-wide consultation, CDSF creates a common understanding of capacity gaps and challenges, identifies key elements of a strategy for capacity and skill development at all levels. It advocates transformation, a mind-set change as well as dealing with the structural and systemic challenges hampering effective and efficient service delivery. The CDI is not framed as a stand-alone agenda and needs to be built on a solid national foundation to facilitate integration or mainstreaming into national planning and budgetary frameworks including sector plans. Moreover, CDSF needs to be championed at all levels by a range of stakeholders, not only governments. NEPAD is playing an important role in capacity development initiatives in the continent as it has a strategic advantage to be a change agent through facilitation by RECs. 5.4.1 Capacity development and regional integration in Africa Capacity development is a central strategy to transform the performance of African systems of service delivery and economic and social development. The need for regional integration in capacity development has been accelerated by the fact that more and more high-quality and viable African projects and programmes have adopted a regional/continental outlook, and aim to ensure sustainable regional economic development integration through cooperation among African countries. Low capacity levels in some countries, inability by others to finance projects on their own, and political differences hinder the integration process. As regional public institutions, RECs and their subsidiaries could effectively create unified political space for national policies to be aligned and harmonised. Capacity development in the RECs is the focus of enhanced capacity development being planned in 2009 by a 46 REVISION OF THE AU/NEPAD AFRICAN ACTION PLAN 2010–2015
  • 47. 6. Implementation of the Revised AAP 6.1 Success factors  Direct investment in planning and implementing regional projects  Provision of on-going budgetary support as needed. Among African institutions: A coordinated focus on making programmes and projects ready for investment and providing effective institutional support for that effort:  Use of the AAP as an effective monitoring and management tool by developing and maintaining a current, accurate and accessible database, reporting on progress at least yearly  Dedicated NPCA infrastructure staff will assist RECs and other proponents to prepare projects and package for financing  Revision of future AAP priorities through a more inclusive process, to strengthen awareness and consensus on the Plan. Among international partners: Scale up levels of support to meet commitments and align efforts with the Paris Declaration:  Recognition of Africa's underlying needs and the added effects of the global recession in multilateral and bilateral funding  Acceleration of liberalisation of trade access  Longer-term commitments to broad sectoral and regional development programmes  Increased support for programme planning and project development  Increased use of multinational pooling and consortia to reduce multiplicity of funding sources  Harmonisation of terms and conditionalities among partners. 6.2 Financing The NEPAD Programme of Action has attracted widespread acceptance of the guiding principles, leading to pledges and commitments by the international community; clear articulation of objectives and strategies in the sectors and regions it covers; greatly expanded capacity of African institutions to direct and plan activities in these areas; and modest progress in implementing programmes and projects. The AAP 2010–2012 serves as another partnership tool to build on the modest achievements since the adoption of NEPAD as an AU programme in 2001. Key success factors, therefore, for accelerating the progress of the AAP priority action plan (PAP) in the period 2010–2012, will include the following: At the continental/political level: Continuing commitment to the political and economic reforms set out by African countries with AU and NEPAD as forming the continental framework is essential. Likewise, focusing on promoting sustainable conditions for growth and integration will be advantageous for Africa. In this regard, the following factors are of utmost importance:  Leadership emphasis on high-level priorities: regional integration and sectoral policy frameworks in place, with emphasis on time-related outcomes, and regular progress reviews  Governance improvements, positive peace and security conditions, and policies and practices to encourage private-sector investment  Recognition of the importance of joint participation by investors and development partners in planning and implementation of projects and programmes  Rationalisation of overlapping areas of responsibility among RECs and in AU/NEPAD, to simplify processes and free up resources. At the national government level: Integration of regional strategies with national strategies and mobilisation of African resources, including:  Prompt and cooperative decisions on integration matters  Harmonisation of laws, regulations and procedures to promote interconnections and economic integration The international financial crisis and resulting global economic downturn that began in 2008 are now negatively affecting the African continent and threatening the achievements of the last decade of sustained economic growth. African leaders are speaking out to underscore the seriousness of the economic and financial situation Africa faces. Development partners also recognise the needs, which are to some extent in competition with demands from other regions and from within developed countries themselves. For example, the World Bank is mobilising its instruments in the following ways, which will affect the supply of funds in Africa and other world regions:  increasing International Bank for Reconstruction and Development lending to US$100 billion over the next three years  making available US$42 billion in International ABRIDGED REPORT 2010–2012 www.nepad.org 47
  • 48. Development Association grants and interest-free loans to the poorest countries  helping the private sector through support for trade, banks and infrastructure projects. The AfDB has a recognised comparative advantage as a channel for investment in all areas of infrastructure and economic integration, and in convening coordinated financial actions within Africa. To address the rapidly diminishing access to capital faced by its clients, the AfDB recently adopted a set of initiatives and is also reassessing the needs for additional/strengthening existing instruments under the ADF Replenishment cycles:  establishment of flexible and fast disbursing facilities (Emergency Liquidity Facility (ELF) and Trade Finance Lines of Credit)24  the African Development Fund replenishment cycle (ADF XII): substantial resources over and above ADF XI for deeper and more effective support to fragile states and deeper regional integration within Africa  the adoption of a Sixth General Capital Increase (GCI-VI) in 2010, representing a major capital increase that would maintain prudential ratios within their limits until 2018. 6.3 Financing to accelerate programme and project implementation means that sectoral priorities tend to become distorted, when funding is not available to develop programme and project concepts to the point at which they can attract funding. Professional resources for project packaging. For projects with clear indications of economic return but significant challenges, it may accelerate progress to employ capable investment advisors at an early stage, to structure workable transactions that address difficult issues. For example, giving a mandate to an experienced firm to build a commercially and financially acceptable risk management framework and institutional structure, around a major, multistate energy project that poses significant sovereign risk issues, may unearth solutions that may catalyse the project. This process can involve African banks as well as international firms, and so develop a knowledge base that will yield future dividends in the form of enhanced capability for project development. Public–private partnerships (PPPs). In Africa, PPPs have been successfully structured and implemented in power generation, ports, railways, ICT and some other applications, where commercial demand and pricing can be identified and used. PPPs are more difficult to achieve where multiple jurisdictions are involved or when the environment is less like the free market. In a public-private partnership structure, the responsibilities for ownership, financing, construction and commercial operations are shared between the public and private sectors, usually on a long-term basis. The sharing may be successfully done in many ways, as long as it is consistent with the capabilities and risk absorption capacities of the parties; some costs are lower in the private sector, but some risks cannot be born effectively by it. Determining the appropriate sharing of responsibilities and putting together a stable, long-term transaction is normally a complex set of tasks. Most countries (e.g., the UK) started slowly with a small number of projects, in order to develop models suited to their circumstances. As government and banking institutions gain experience, the process can become more efficient and repeatable. 6.4 Accessing sources of programme and project financing Immediate steps The current circumstances provide an opportunity to increase the supply of sound projects on a sustainable basis. In 2007, regional projects accounted for 20 to 25% of ICA member commitments to infrastructure. If this proportion is applied to total external investment in infrastructure (US$40 billion in 2007), regional projects across the range of the AAP's sectors could require investment of perhaps US$10–15 billion per year. It is clear that at present there are not enough good projects that are investment-ready or bankable to absorb such quantities of capital, even if it were available. Additional attention is needed to accelerate the supply of investment-ready programmes and projects. The existence of the IPPF has clearly contributed to the implementation of infrastructure projects under STAP. Funding for project preparation continues to be scarce: in December 2008, the Facility had less than US$15 million unallocated and a pipeline in the order of two to three times that amount. It appears that many of the other sectors in the Plan lack similar access to preparation funds. This A relationship-based, primarily sectoral approach Sources of finance to implement the African Action Plan are varied and are to a considerable extent oriented to or concentrated in specific sectors. The European Union, for example, has committed to support at least six of the sectors represented in the AAP in its Africa-EU strategic 24 See ADB/BD/WP/2009/27 document, "Bank Response to the Economic Impact of the Financial Crisis". 48 REVISION OF THE AU/NEPAD AFRICAN ACTION PLAN 2010–2015
  • 49. partnership, as well as some important regional concentrations. Infrastructure (power, transport corridors and communications) made up two thirds of the World Bank's portfolio of International Development Association (IDA)/GEF activity in regional integration in 2008. The remainder was divided among water resources management and environment (20%), financial sector integration (about 10%), and HIV/AIDS and regional agriculture. Additionally the World Bank managed or financed projects in HIV/AIDS, agricultural research, energy and water basin management through the Nile Basin umbrella programme, and has announced a new agriculture water facility initiative. Other major multilateral and bilateral partners have equivalent areas of concentration in specific sectors and regions, and more scattered investment. Increasing investment has come from non-OECD partners, including China, India and Brazil, as well as the Arab Funds, which have been active on the continent for many years. Much of the private sector investment in infrastructure has gone to ICT and energy projects, with lesser amounts to transport. The most promising approach to establishing sustained financing for regional development would seem to be to establish long-term relationships with major investors and development partners, based on their sectoral orientation or regional interests. Beyond reviewing the state of multilateral and bilateral commitments against public pledges, important general issues such as harmonisation of terms and consistency with the principles of the Paris Declaration, and broad statements of African needs and priorities, multisectoral forums such as the APF are unlikely to generate direct opportunities to finance programmes and projects. Pooling of funds A sectoral approach also lends itself to pooling of funds from a variety of willing donors or investors, to provide flexibility, lower costs and assure sustained multi-year funding. Financing of Health and Education, which relies primarily on domestic resources, is especially impacted by global recession, because the negative impact on African governments' revenues particularly hits allocations to these two sectors, in which the poor countries spend significantly less per capita than richer countries. Aid fluctuations add to the financing problem. A study of 72 countries found that volatility in aid flows far exceeds that in tax revenues, averaging about 40 times that in revenue. The many private sources of health funding active on the continent, while highly important in aggregate, impose administrative burdens and affect priorities in recipient countries and regions. Some sectors have dedicated sector funds, such as the African Water Facility (AWF), or targeted funds such as the IPPF, the Investment Climate Facility and the Spanish fund directed at African women's empowerment and gender development. A number of funds or similar mechanisms are included among priority programmes in the AAP, including Agriculture, Environment, Social Affairs and Science and Technology. Similar mechanisms may be useful in Health and Education, to stimulate preparation and financing of key programmes and projects. Given the variety of multilateral, bilateral and private partners, resource mobilisation missions and other strategies that target partners with identified sectoral or regional interests, or work with consortia of partners over a period of time, based on long-term relationships, should be productive. They are likely to attract financing that will help develop programmes that are at an earlier, less well-defined stage as well as investment-ready projects. These approaches should also facilitate harmonisation of terms and funding integration, consistent with the principles of the Paris Declaration. While the traditional institutional grouping of partners may not include newer, non-OECD partners, it is in Africa's interest to encourage their participation in pooling and other forms of harmonisation, to gain the full benefits of these approaches. Integration of cross-cutting themes Promotion and mainstreaming of cross-cutting objectives such as gender equality, respect for the environment and other MDGs, and allocation of funds for common needs such as capacity development, can be effectively achieved if they are built in to sector, programme and project plans. Such an approach is normal practice for international financial institutions. Measurement of progress toward these objectives in programme and project reports is necessary to create a base for appropriate monitoring and evaluation. Strengthening these practices will facilitate funding by international partners, who are expected to report on cross-cutting themes in their worldwide activities. Cross-cutting themes that may require or would benefit from general promotion, such as gender equality and development, will continue to require their own core funding. Other more instrumental but important themes, such as capacity development, may also require seed funding to ensure they are not forgotten in other sectoral planning. Aid for Trade refers to the provision of assistance by the international community to help countries address supply-side constraints to their participation in international markets, and to cope with transitional adjustment costs from liberalisation of trade. It covers assistance with trade policy and regulations and trade development, but also more broadly, trade-related infrastructure, capacity development, and trade-related government budget adjustments. The World Trade Organization (WTO) Hong Kong ministerial meeting launched the initiative in 2005. The European Union is a major supporter of the approach and committed 2.73 billion to Africa in 2007. Support to regional integration is a priority. The European Development Fund allocated 645 million for eastern and southern Africa ABRIDGED REPORT 2010–2012 www.nepad.org 49
  • 50. (EAC-COMESA-SADC), notably to a jointly-planned North- South Corridor programme (reviewed in Lusaka in April 2009). Another regional review of Aid for Trade was to take place in the ECOWAS region in June 2009, with a global review in July 2009. In this context, Aid for Trade should be seen as an important funding modality, providing technical support to trade liberalisation and also support for the infrastructure base that is critical to expanding trade. Carbon Finance has not played a large role in African development finance to date, for specific reasons. The Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) is focused primarily on the emission reduction components of projects, and provides post-investment cash flow only. Since Africa's emissions are relatively low, and since African financial markets are less developed than in some parts of the world, such financing does not generate large amounts of investment capital. Use of the CDM by African countries has been minimal. With further development of the mechanism and domestic capital markets, carbon finance could play a larger role in African project investment. 6.5 Monitoring, managing and evaluating the AAP should assist RECs and other implementing agencies to develop projects in order to accelerate financial closure of the priority projects. Evaluating results Addition of baseline data and time-related targets to sector strategies and objectives would enable better monitoring and evaluation of progress toward Africa's sectoral and integration goals. Similarly, employing baseline measures and time-bound targets in programme and project plans provides a basis for managing and for learning from such activity. There is great interest in such data on the part of international partners, who have to justify allocations to taxpayers and investors. A current, accessible database It is not possible to perform either monitoring or management functions effectively without a readily accessible, current database on programmes and projects. The costs in terms of time and effort to gather and update relevant information from many sources, in real time, are too great to keep track of a large portfolio and to respond effectively to project opportunities or investor interest. 6.6 Institutional support to AAP Continuous monitoring and management A fundamental conclusion of this review is that continuous monitoring and management of the AAP's portfolio of programmes and projects is necessary, if significant progress is to be made in accelerating the implementation of sound proposals across all sectors in the Plan. Monitoring and management implies that the state of readiness of each programme or project is known and reported regularly, and proponents are assisted to refine and present proposals for financing, based on sound analysis and quality information. The Programme/Project Development Stages approach built into the Revised AAP provides an effective framework for monitoring and managing the AAP. Evidence of the benefits of this approach and of the need for institutional support to achieve it, is quite clear in the infrastructure sector, particularly in the STAP portfolio. Regular reporting Annually, there should be reports of activity levels and financial commitments in all sectors and regions, to keep tabs on the level of effort and progress being made to implement programmes and projects. Annual HSGOC or African Summit meetings would review progress in selected sectors as at present, and a more complete review of the progress of the AAP portfolio could take place bi-annually (January and June). Project development and financing support For a viable arrangement among parties involved in the AAP, the NPCA Such a data system must be managed with adequate staff support, resourced to produce information on a timely and accurate basis, with access to computers and a simplified protocol to obtain data from partner organisations for the purpose of the AAP. The NPCA as executing agency for the AAP implementation agenda (2010–2012), will develop a database to monitor the implementation progress by RECs and other implementing agencies, to report to the NEPAD Steering Committee and HSGOC in January and June of each year. For every programme or project accorded priority status in the AAP, a basic information template should be filled out and kept current by the proponents so that users can gain access to relevant data on a timely basis (the Final Technical Report provides such a template). The Agency's current responsibilities (see the box opposite, drawn from a NEPAD sectoral document) are consistent with this role. A re-orientation of staff from policy and programme development toward project management and finance would be required. A coordination mechanism underpinned by the AU Assembly Decision of January 2010 [Decision: Assembly/ AU/14 (XIV)] and the Institutional Architecture for Infrastructure Development in Africa (IAIDA) will define, and guide the 50 REVISION OF THE AU/NEPAD AFRICAN ACTION PLAN 2010–2015
  • 51. implementation and monitoring processes of the African Action Plan (AAP) for the period 2010-2012, and beyond. NEPAD Agency  Provides technical backstopping of RECs  Monitors and evaluates continental Africa Peer Review Mechanism  Provides continental-level information  Facilitates partnership and resource mobilisation at the continental level  Facilitates mutual learning 6.7 Revisions and stakeholder engagement Schedule Consistent with the continuous monitoring approach proposed above, revisions to the AAP would take place annually, as programmes and projects reach financial closure, and are being implemented. The revised AAP has been given a lifespan of five years by the NEPAD Steering Committee. Within two to three years, the PIDA study of infrastructure priorities should be completed. At that point, an interim review of progress, similar to the Short-Term Action Plan (STAP) reviews, will be done, and all projects and programmes in 'work in progress', rolled into the PIDA. 6.8 Stakeholder engagement and wider dissemination of the AAP International stakeholders were generally aware of the AAP, but many REC representatives were not. Some stakeholders saw a potential in the AAP to be useful as a framework for defining, analysing and monitoring the progress of continental and regional integration in Africa, or for aiding them in securing financing for their programmes. However, few saw it as a process that transferred any of these benefits to them at the current time. To date the AAP has not been promoted or disseminated to other stakeholder groups, including governments, civil society (civil society organisations or CSOs) and the general population and diaspora groups. Raising awareness among these groups of Africa's key investment priorities for regional and continental integration will strengthen political and popular support for these efforts, if they are well managed. The revised AAP format, which includes extensive description of sectors and policies, as well as programmes and projects, should be more interesting and useful for engaging such groups. To achieve these purposes, the AAP should be made available online and regular forums held to allow stakeholders to engage in dialogue on the AAP's process and progress. 7. The Road Map: the Way Forward The following specific implementation steps will be taken to strengthen and use the AAP (as a precursor to the PIDA, at least for Infrastructure) as the cornerstone of Africa's engagement with development partners, and to accelerate the progress of its priority programmes and projects to successful implementation on a sustained basis. ABRIDGED REPORT 2010–2012 www.nepad.org 51
  • 52. Step 1: AAP Launch at the 2011 African Union Summit As a first step, is the need to formally launch (i.e., showcase) the AAP's priority action plan (PAP) at the Heads of State and Government Orientation Committee (HSGOC) meeting during the next AU Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in January 2011. The launch will be the most significant event around the AAP since its endorsement by the African Partnership Forum (APF) in January 2010, which will demonstrate once again, the high-level commitment of the NEPAD HSGOC and African leadership, in the short-term AAP priority action plan: 2010–2012. Step 2: AAP PAP Advocacy Workshop/Conference The second step in the Road Map is to engender an advocacy process through a series of road shows with key stakeholders such as the Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and their member countries (RMCs), civil society organisations (CSOs) – both in Africa and outside the continent – and development partners, to seek the requisite buy-in and ownership of the African Action Plan priority action plan (PAP). Such road shows will begin in earnest in mid-2011, after the launch of the AAP. Step 3: Investment Round Table The third, and vital phase of the Road Map, is the Investment Round Table for resource mobilisation for the AAP priority action plan, with partners and donors. The AUC, NPCA and AfDB will develop a common strategy to engage partners at the level of the Infrastructure Consortium for Africa (ICA) and the G8, sometime in the third quarter of 2011. Step 4: Institutionalise the AAP Step 4.1 Create a central AAP unit The NPCA will act as the executing agency for the implementation of the AAP priority action plan (PAP): 2010–2012 Step 4.2 Create a management information system (MIS) The NEPAD MIS for tracking all AAP programmes and projects will be re-vitalised. The templates contained in this report could function as a data input template for programmes and projects in the database. The database should be continually updated through the year by the staff of the AAP Unit, based on regular inputs from proponents. Step 5: Improve the methodology of the AAP Step 5.1 Establish sector and programme, project targets and outcomes for monitoring and evaluation Sectoral strategies exist for all sectors of the AAP. However, most sectors do not include quantifiable targets, baseline measurements and projected outcomes. In order to improve the objectivity and reliability of the AAP screening and prioritisation process, and for effective monitoring of global progress, results-based targets and indicators will be prepared for all sectors. A possible method of implementation could be:  Preparation by AU/NEPAD – Preparation of the targets and outcomes could be undertaken by a small task force of sectoral experts of the tripartite African institutions led by AU/NEPAD.  Adoption by sectoral forums – The targets and outcomes would then be reviewed and adopted at the various continental ministers' forums for each of the sectors. Similarly, a logical framework of results and outcomes will be established for programmes and projects, to enable monitoring and evaluation at this level. Evaluation of operational programmes and projects is a necessary element of attracting continuing support by international and African partners. Step 5.2 Introduce cross-cutting themes into sector and programme/project plans Promotion of cross-cutting objectives such as gender equality, respect for the environment and other MDGs, and allocation of funds for common needs such as capacity development, will be effectively achieved; as they will be built into sector, programme and project plans. Such an approach is normal practice for international financial institutions. Measurement of progress toward these objectives in programme and project reports is necessary to create a base for appropriate monitoring and evaluation. Strengthening these practices will facilitate funding by international partners, who are expected to report on cross-cutting themes in their worldwide activities. Step 6: Review activities and outputs Step 6.1 Publish and distribute regular AAP updates AAP will be published according to a regular annual schedule and distributed to a list of key influencers in the major international organisations, African continental and regional institutions and national governments and CSOs. Most of this distribution will be made electronically. Step 6.2 Conduct a mid-point review of sectoral progress At the beginning and mid-point of each year (2011–2012), progress toward the specific goals of each sector in the revised AAP will be evaluated. At this time a comprehensive review will be made of all activities that contribute to sectoral objectives, not just priority programmes and projects, so that Africa's leaders and the population at large can see 'the big picture' on an occasional basis, and make informed judgements on reallocation of resources. A mid-term progress review report will be provided to the NEPAD Steering Committee, and the HSGOC for information and guidance. Results and impact measures will be an important part of such reviews. Examination of the AAP in the context of the Minimum Integration Programme (MIP), a programme being developed by the AUC and the RECs, will provide further information on the links between sectoral investments and regional integration. 52 REVISION OF THE AU/NEPAD AFRICAN ACTION PLAN 2010–2015
  • 53. Step 7: Improve stakeholder communications through better information and support for African civil society Step 7.1 Establish a continental statistical portal on the new NEPAD website The AAP will be presented in an online, interactive continental statistical portal, to allow partners and donors to access up-to-date information on all AAP sectors and programmes. AAP-related content to be made available on the portal includes: Sector pages Online library of relevant sector strategies, summits, declarations etc.  Background to the regional integration agenda in the sector  Goals, objectives, expected outcomes, and progress of regional integration work in the sector  Overview of all international, continental and regional organisations working in regional integration in the sector and links to their web pages. Programme pages Each AAP programme and project will have its own page featuring:  Information in the programme/project template  Online library of publicly available documents explaining the programme in full detail  Link to the programme's website (when available). AAP database A database on AAP programmes and projects will be accessible to task managers via login, to update their programme status and place links to key project reports and data. A public version of the portal will allow users to query data fields according to their interests (e.g., a search that identifies programmes with capacity building or gender components), or to review and validate project assumptions and analysis. Step 7.2 Establish regular forums for dialogue with stakeholders and strengthen civil society participation Regular forums will be established each year to allow stakeholders an opportunity to engage in dialogue on the AAP process.  International stakeholders – The primary forum for these discussions will be the Africa Partnership Forum (APF), for a general review of the AAP and major issues such as commitments and harmonisation.  Ministerial/sector conferences – Sessions will also be established at ministerial conferences for sector-specific dialogue and reviews, relating to the progress of programmes and projects, financing issues, and areas where ministerial intervention can overcome obstacles. Expert panels could be used for validation and advice where available and appropriate.  Regional and national stakeholders – A focus on the AAP will be regularly added to regional and country meetings between AU/NEPAD, AfDB and ECA, so that RECs and national representatives maintain a continuous awareness and can provide feedback on the purpose and usefulness of the AAP.  Additional stakeholders – In the longer term, additional participatory mechanisms will be considered, such as online dialogues, discussion boards, and moderated discussion forums, to allow a broader range of participants to review and comment than those who normally attend conferences. This would be a cost-effective means of reaching individuals as well as CSOs.  Create a Centre of Excellence for the Promotion of African Civil Society – To further encourage the participation of civil society organisations in the economic and social life of the continent, and in the activities highlighted in the AAP in particular, it is proposed to create a Centre of Excellence for the Promotion of African Civil Society. Civil society groups often supply the resourcefulness, dedication and tenacity that initiate economic and social change, strengthen democracies and generate positive results in areas such as gender development, good governance, environmental awareness, health promotion, education, and adoption of new technologies, to name only a few.  Efforts by African institutions, such as the RECs and the African Union, to engender regional and continental integration and to maintain a focus on the Millennium Development Goals, depend on collaborative work with and support by African civil society. At the same time, many civil society groups are traditionally based and locally oriented. They may therefore need support to link with other organisations with similar interests in different regions, through capacity building, training and networking to share information, learn from each other and cooperate on a broader scale. Creation of a Centre of Excellence will expand the skills that enable civil society organisations and individuals to participate effectively in the continent's development and in the implementation of NEPAD values through the AU/NEPAD African Action Plan. ABRIDGED REPORT 2010–2012 www.nepad.org 53
  • 56. For more information on infrastructure work being done at the NEPAD Agency contact: Adama Deen Head of Infrastructure Programmes and Projects NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency International Business Gateway New Road & 6th Road Midridge Office Park Corner of Challenger & Columbia Avenue Block B Midrand Johannesburg 1685 South Africa Tel: +27 (0) 11 256 3600 Fax: +27 (0) 11 206 3762 Email: adamad@nepad.org Website: www.nepad.org