News in brief:
– AfDB’s Transport Forum, taking place in Abidjan, aims to address Africa’s pressing transportation challenges and promote sustainable development.
– Stakeholders will discuss solutions to improve connectivity, infrastructure, and logistics, ultimately enhancing the continent’s economic growth and agricultural sector.
The African Development Bank (AfDB) announced that its second Transport Forum will start on September 18, in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
This forum, themed “Africa on the Move—Accelerating Sustainable Transport and Logistics Connectivity,” will focus on treating issues about Africa’s logistical challeges and the critical infrastructures that is lacking.
Stakeholders from across the continent will come together for three days to discuss solutions through high-level panel sessions, presentations and networking meetings.
The bank recently marked up its investments in the transport sector by 36%, injecting $2.49 billion in projects across the continent in 2023. It mentioned that with an expected 2.5 billion population in 2050 and economic growth of more than three times by 2040 expanding and modernising the region’s transport system is a matter of urgency. Demand on the transportation networks could become eight times higher as the economic explosion is underway.
Therefore, the event will encourage dialogue among government representatives, experts, donors, and business owners to find ways to meet the demands.
Day one and two will include a roundtable of ministers of infrastructure, transport and work from several countries including Nigeria’s Nweze David Umahi, Senegals’ El Malick Ndiaye, Côte d’Ivoire’s Amédé Koffi Kouakou, and Namibia’s John Mutorwa. The development bank’s Vice President for Private Sector, Infrastructure and Industrialization, Solomon Quaynor, will also join the table.
There will be talks on asset management, infrastructure maintenance, cost recovery, and access to finance as well as insights on essential logistics links within African trade.
Resillience of road transport, ports and airports as well as independece from external shocks from climate change and market fluctuations will be a key area of deliberation as well among participants during the event.
The forum has set its sights on lofty ambitions that include shaping the future of African transport and logistics.
A more efficient supply chain will ensure that agricultural inputs are delivered on time to farmers and harvested crops also reach processors, markets and consumers early.
Additionally, exportable agricultural products can be shipped at lesser costs to local producers while maintaining freshness and quality, which are essential in foreign markets.
You can join the discussion here.
