Evolving Continental Trade Devt Policy Review for the Attention of Transport/Blue Economy Ministers
DR. EUGENE NWEKE
By Dr. Eugene Nweke
PREAMBLE:
The essence of this special review is to draw the ministers attention and solicit for prompt representation and subsequent dissemination of information as it relates to the Nation’s participatory activities in the African Continental Free Trade Agreement ( AfCTA) implementation. Secondly, is to raise pertinent questions, which answers will help communicate the ministries interventions in the critical concerns areas of potential developments.
FOCUS: IS ON THE AfCTA IMPLEMENTATION : AFRICAN TRANSPORT MINISTERS COMMITMENTS.
At the 4th Ordinary Session of the Specialized Technical Committee on Transport, Transcontinental and Interregional Infrastructure and Energy, the African Transport Ministers has observed and resolved as follows:
︎ Pledge its commitment towards the acceleration of Transport infrastructural development to aid the AfCTA implementation.
︎ Observed that transportation costs in Africa is 50 – 170% higher than other part of the world due to poor infrastructures.
︎ That about 60,000Km to 100,000Km new roads are required by year 2030 to meet the demands for effective intercontinental connectivity in Africa.
︎ The infrastructural pace at hand cannot match the increasing demand from African Communities and Markets, thereby impacting negatively on competitiveness and participation in global markets.
︎ African Countries annual national economic growth has reduced by 2% and the industrial productivity growth reduced by 40%.
︎ The Action plan for the implementation of PIDA – PAP2 Project containing 69 large scale project is underway, and it is expected to cost above US$160billion over a 10 year implementation plan.
︎ Projects financing and implementation challenges encountered shows that, out of over 430 projects in PIDA – PAP1, about 50% of the projects failed to reached the construction stage, while 30% failed to go beyond the feasibility stage.
︎ Notwithstanding, success was recorded in the Transport Sector as 16,066 kilometers of roads and 4,077 kilometers of railways have been developed, strengthened by nearly 120 SINGLE BORDER POSTS.
︎ Equally in the Energy Sector , 3,506 kilometers of transmission lines were installed, lighting the way for 232 GW of electricity and connecting African electrical networks.
︎ It is noted that, over the past 20 years, the African Governments spent 3.5% of their GDP on infrastructure development. @ 3.5% when compared to China 7.7% and India 5.2% GDP spent on infrastructure, is low.
︎ It recognized the need to tackle the impediments to universal infrastructure services need in the Continent. Such impediments includes: Policy, Regulatory, Financial, Technical, Capacity Challenges and other new emerging challenges ranging from, the Climate Change, Russian Ukraine crisis and Disruptions in Global Supply Chain.
︎ Forged solutions to the Member States and Regional Economic Communities, especially in the areas of : Harmonized Strategies, Strengthen Cooperation and Acceleration of Project Implementation.
︎ The essence of this solutions is to facilitate access to modern, sustainable, climate resilient and universal access to infrastructure services, in realization of the AU Agenda 2063 goals for Continental integration, prosperity and peace.
︎ It emphasizes on the need to design climate resilient and smart infrastructure projects and clamouring support for digital solutions and emerging technologies aimed to promote efficiency of transport and energy infrastructure projects and services.
︎ While the PIDA – PAP2 Projects is aimed to develop capacity building initiatives and provide technical assistance to support the Members States and Regional Economic Communities so as to fast track the implementation and monitoring of the infrastructure project execution, the States and Communities must create an enabling environment for the private sector and public private partnerships to build institutional capacities and implement the necessary policies and a regulatory framework that will facilitate the implementation of PIDA – PAP2 Projects.
︎ In the light of these, the AU Commission is in collaboration with the African Union Development Agency ( AUDA) – NEPAD), the African Development Bank Group ( AfDB) and United Nations Economic Commission For Africa ( UNECA) are mandated to engage with the development partners and Development Finance Institutions to mobilize resources for projects preparation and implementation of the PIDA – PAP2 Projects.
︎ Additionally, Members States were requested to fast track the ratification process for the Road Safety Charter, the Maritime Transport Charter and the Luxembourg Protocol on Railway Rolling Stocks. Equally, they were further requested to complete the harmonization and domestication of the Yamoussoukro Decision. Then subsequently, join the Project Implementation Pilot ( PIP) initiatives aimed to accelerate the implementation of a Single African Air Transport Market ( SAATM).
︎ Notably, the AU Commission and the African Civil Aviation Commission ( AFCAC) in collaboration with Partners are working on the liberalization of markets through the development of policies, regulations and disputes settlement mechanism, etc.
OBSERVATIONS/REMARKS:
This modest is concerned with the following questions:
︎ The direct impact of the PIDA – PAP1 & 2 Projects to Nigeria, with the benefit of being at the headship of the AU?
︎ What is the level of the Nigeria government responses and interventions in relation to harmonizing strategies, strengthening cooperations and accelerating the Projects Implementation?.
︎ What is the goverment’s compliance state to the ratification and domestication processes in relation to the Road Safety Charter, the Maritime Transport Charter, the Luxembourg Protocol on Railway Rolling Stocks and the Yamoussoukro Decision?.
︎ What policy framework is in place to fast track the creation of an enabling environment for the private sector and public private partnerships to build institutional capacities and implement the necessary emerging technologies, for example market liberalization policy?.
︎ What is the administrative program in place to cushion, drive and expedite actions in relation to designing a climate resilient, smart infrastructure developments, increased support for digital solutions and maximizing the emerging technologies aimed to promote efficiency of transport and energy services in the Nation?.
︎ How much of the nation’s annual GDP shall the government dedicate on infrastructure development yearly?
︎What deliberate policy national plan is presently on in place to meet the demands for effective interstate and rural connectivity infrastructures that matches the increasing demand from our rural communities and markets places, and how do the local farmers and miners attain competitiveness and participation in regional and continental markets?.
︎ In conclusion, the observations here is that, while the committee of the African Transport Ministers meets to strategize further, towards the effective implementation of the AfCTA regime, the Nigeria stakeholders are not promptly carried along with respect to information dissemination. Thus, the need for designating a national correspondence desks, for effective coverage, is apt.
*Fwdr (Dr) Eugene Nweke Rff Ksm Fnis Fptm Fasca Fffa is
Convener/Secretary General – Customs Consultative Committee – CCC.
PREAMBLE:
The essence of this special review is to draw the ministers attention and solicit for prompt representation and subsequent dissemination of information as it relates to the Nation’s participatory activities in the African Continental Free Trade Agreement ( AfCTA) implementation. Secondly, is to raise pertinent questions, which answers will help communicate the ministries interventions in the critical concerns areas of potential developments.
FOCUS: IS ON THE AfCTA IMPLEMENTATION : AFRICAN TRANSPORT MINISTERS COMMITMENTS.
At the 4th Ordinary Session of the Specialized Technical Committee on Transport, Transcontinental and Interregional Infrastructure and Energy, the African Transport Ministers has observed and resolved as follows:
︎ Pledge its commitment towards the acceleration of Transport infrastructural development to aid the AfCTA implementation.
︎ Observed that transportation costs in Africa is 50 – 170% higher than other part of the world due to poor infrastructures.
︎ That about 60,000Km to 100,000Km new roads are required by year 2030 to meet the demands for effective intercontinental connectivity in Africa.
︎ The infrastructural pace at hand cannot match the increasing demand from African Communities and Markets, thereby impacting negatively on competitiveness and participation in global markets.
︎ African Countries annual national economic growth has reduced by 2% and the industrial productivity growth reduced by 40%.
︎ The Action plan for the implementation of PIDA – PAP2 Project containing 69 large scale project is underway, and it is expected to cost above US$160billion over a 10 year implementation plan.
︎ Projects financing and implementation challenges encountered shows that, out of over 430 projects in PIDA – PAP1, about 50% of the projects failed to reached the construction stage, while 30% failed to go beyond the feasibility stage.
︎ Notwithstanding, success was recorded in the Transport Sector as 16,066 kilometers of roads and 4,077 kilometers of railways have been developed, strengthened by nearly 120 SINGLE BORDER POSTS.
︎ Equally in the Energy Sector , 3,506 kilometers of transmission lines were installed, lighting the way for 232 GW of electricity and connecting African electrical networks.
︎ It is noted that, over the past 20 years, the African Governments spent 3.5% of their GDP on infrastructure development. @ 3.5% when compared to China 7.7% and India 5.2% GDP spent on infrastructure, is low.
︎ It recognized the need to tackle the impediments to universal infrastructure services need in the Continent. Such impediments includes: Policy, Regulatory, Financial, Technical, Capacity Challenges and other new emerging challenges ranging from, the Climate Change, Russian Ukraine crisis and Disruptions in Global Supply Chain.
︎ Forged solutions to the Member States and Regional Economic Communities, especially in the areas of : Harmonized Strategies, Strengthen Cooperation and Acceleration of Project Implementation.
︎ The essence of this solutions is to facilitate access to modern, sustainable, climate resilient and universal access to infrastructure services, in realization of the AU Agenda 2063 goals for Continental integration, prosperity and peace.
︎ It emphasizes on the need to design climate resilient and smart infrastructure projects and clamouring support for digital solutions and emerging technologies aimed to promote efficiency of transport and energy infrastructure projects and services.
︎ While the PIDA – PAP2 Projects is aimed to develop capacity building initiatives and provide technical assistance to support the Members States and Regional Economic Communities so as to fast track the implementation and monitoring of the infrastructure project execution, the States and Communities must create an enabling environment for the private sector and public private partnerships to build institutional capacities and implement the necessary policies and a regulatory framework that will facilitate the implementation of PIDA – PAP2 Projects.
︎ In the light of these, the AU Commission is in collaboration with the African Union Development Agency ( AUDA) – NEPAD), the African Development Bank Group ( AfDB) and United Nations Economic Commission For Africa ( UNECA) are mandated to engage with the development partners and Development Finance Institutions to mobilize resources for projects preparation and implementation of the PIDA – PAP2 Projects.
︎ Additionally, Members States were requested to fast track the ratification process for the Road Safety Charter, the Maritime Transport Charter and the Luxembourg Protocol on Railway Rolling Stocks. Equally, they were further requested to complete the harmonization and domestication of the Yamoussoukro Decision. Then subsequently, join the Project Implementation Pilot ( PIP) initiatives aimed to accelerate the implementation of a Single African Air Transport Market ( SAATM).
︎ Notably, the AU Commission and the African Civil Aviation Commission ( AFCAC) in collaboration with Partners are working on the liberalization of markets through the development of policies, regulations and disputes settlement mechanism, etc.
OBSERVATIONS/REMARKS:
This modest is concerned with the following questions:
︎ The direct impact of the PIDA – PAP1 & 2 Projects to Nigeria, with the benefit of being at the headship of the AU?
︎ What is the level of the Nigeria government responses and interventions in relation to harmonizing strategies, strengthening cooperations and accelerating the Projects Implementation?.
︎ What is the goverment’s compliance state to the ratification and domestication processes in relation to the Road Safety Charter, the Maritime Transport Charter, the Luxembourg Protocol on Railway Rolling Stocks and the Yamoussoukro Decision?.
︎ What policy framework is in place to fast track the creation of an enabling environment for the private sector and public private partnerships to build institutional capacities and implement the necessary emerging technologies, for example market liberalization policy?.
︎ What is the administrative program in place to cushion, drive and expedite actions in relation to designing a climate resilient, smart infrastructure developments, increased support for digital solutions and maximizing the emerging technologies aimed to promote efficiency of transport and energy services in the Nation?.
︎ How much of the nation’s annual GDP shall the government dedicate on infrastructure development yearly?
︎What deliberate policy national plan is presently on in place to meet the demands for effective interstate and rural connectivity infrastructures that matches the increasing demand from our rural communities and markets places, and how do the local farmers and miners attain competitiveness and participation in regional and continental markets?.
︎ In conclusion, the observations here is that, while the committee of the African Transport Ministers meets to strategize further, towards the effective implementation of the AfCTA regime, the Nigeria stakeholders are not promptly carried along with respect to information dissemination. Thus, the need for designating a national correspondence desks, for effective coverage, is apt.
*Fwdr (Dr) Eugene Nweke Rff Ksm Fnis Fptm Fasca Fffa is
Convener/Secretary General – Customs Consultative Committee – CCC.
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