Transport Forum 2024: Unlocking Africa’s Potential Through Regional Connectivity
The African Development Bank’s Transport Forum, held from September 18 to 20, 2024, in Abidjan, brought attention to the crucial role that regional connectivity plays in driving economic growth and integration across Africa. Under the theme "Africa on the Move - Accelerating Sustainable Transport and Logistics Connectivity," the forum addressed the significant challenges facing the continent’s transport sector and proposed strategies for harnessing the sector’s potential to foster prosperity and inclusion.
Solomon Quaynor, Vice President for Private Sector, Infrastructure, and Industrialization at the AfDB, opened the forum by highlighting the importance of resilient infrastructure to withstand climate impacts. He pointed out that the Program for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA) has made progress by advancing transboundary projects in energy, transport, and information technology. Quaynor emphasized that these initiatives are essential not only for regional connectivity but also for supporting Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement.
Transport was highlighted as a key driver of economic growth, job creation, and poverty reduction. Frédéric Wiltmann of the Multilateral Cooperation Center for Development Finance (MCDF) stressed the need for affordable, resilient, and sustainable infrastructure. Abdoulaye Alliagui, Deputy Chief of Staff at Côte d’Ivoire's Ministry of Transport, echoed this, noting that transport contributes 7-10% of the national GDP and must be made more accessible and competitive for all populations.
However, the forum also underscored the persistent gaps in financing, human capital, and the adoption of digital technologies in the transport sector. Robert Lisinge, Acting Director of Private Sector Development at the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), called for partnerships to capitalize on the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which presents significant opportunities for investment in sectors such as transport-related manufacturing.
Meanwhile, Abdérahmane Berthé, Secretary-General of the African Airlines Association, pointed out the importance of air connectivity for trade and tourism, though the continent's connectivity index remains significantly lower than Europe’s. The forum also explored the potential of Africa’s waterways, with leaders like Paul Adalikwu of the Maritime Organization of West and Central Africa, pointing to major opportunities to strengthen regional integration through the continent’s extensive river and lake systems.
The overarching conclusion from the forum was clear: African countries must build stronger partnerships and harmonize their infrastructure development strategies to fully leverage the continent’s transport potential. By fostering greater investment in climate-resilient, sustainable, and interconnected infrastructure, and by aligning efforts with the objectives of AfCFTA, Africa can unlock new avenues for growth, trade, and socio-economic advancement.
ATF2024
