Fairness Moyana in Victoria Falls
SADC member states have been urged to prioritise projects that yield the highest economic and social benefits in an effective way given the limited availability of capital to kick start most infrastructural projects. Officially launching the Sadc-PIDA (Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa) Acceleration for the Beira and North South Corridors ministers’ meeting on Friday in Victoria Falls, Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Dr Joram Gumbo called on decision makers to identify and prioritise high benefits projects in order to maximise the limited funds.
“Honourable Ministers, given the foregoing it is my humble submission that what we should rather strive for is equity and the regional impact of the projects to be considered. Given that resources of time, labour and capital are limited, decision makers must give priority to projects that yield the highest economic and social benefits in an effective and efficient way. Hence focus should be on the identification and prioritisation of these projects guided by the above broad principles,” said Dr Gumbo.
He said the key to development of infrastructure in the region to enable economic growth and competitiveness was to engage the private sector.
“Development of infrastructure is one of the top political prioritises in Africa, to enable economic growth and competitiveness. To achieve the objectives set out in PIDA and the Sadc Infrastructure Master Plan, collaboration with the private sector is crucial. The magnitude of these plans is significant as they constitute interlinkages between various countries.”
Dr Gumbo said challenges relating to entry and exit ports infrastructure were adversely affecting the majority of the landlocked countries which required economic corridors to ensure that their exports and imports flow at relative speed to avoid lengthy storage periods.
North-South Corridor (NSC) is the transport network running from the port of Durban in South Africa northwards to the Democratic Republic of Congo through alternative routes via Botswana or Zimbabwe and Zambia.
The corridor which connects Mozambique, Botswana, Zimbabwe, DRC, Malawi, South Africa and Zambia also includes the spur from Harare to Malawi via Tete in Mozambique.
Projects earmarked for development under the North-South Corridor include construction of hydro-power dams as well as upgrading and rehabilitation of railway and road networks linking Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, DRC, Botswana, South Africa and Tanzania.
The African Union (AU) in 2012 adopted the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA) as the action plan for infrastructure development up to 2040.
PIDA’s Priority Action Plan narrowed the long list of potential infrastructure projects to 51 resulting in more than 400 actionable projects. However, the projects have been dogged primarily by lack of financing and an impasse in the signing of the MoUs by some member states.