Africa’s infrastructure gets developmental strategies at World Economic Forum

The experts discussed Africa's infrastructure at the World Economic Forum on Africa that took place between in South Africa's Cape Town between September 4 and 6. Others infrastructures lag behind while roads dominate Africa's transport sector covering 90 percent of traffic hampering economic growth on the continent. The question of what can the African governments and businesses do to help?

The free trade zone in Africa is the largest single market in the world, "but its success relies on infrastructure" says the Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer of MIGA, Vijay Iyer. That's roads and railways, but it's also border controls, customs and the free flow of people, he clarifies. "Investors choose to go to countries where economies are more stable, where there are people with the skills they're looking for."

Infrastructure projects are meant to be for the benefit of the people. So how accessible are they? "I'm not impressed," says the Founder and Executive Director of the Cedar Seed Foundation, Lois Auta. Cedar Seed Foundation advocates for the rights of people living with disability. "Sign language interpreters are not at the airport to guide the hearing impaired. Braille materials are not provided, and ramps for wheelchair users are not provided," she says.

"The government and private and public sectors need to come together and work with disabled people organizations, ask them what they need to do to make infrastructure more inclusive and accessible." The issue of access is a problem, agrees Vijay Iver. "When we build a highway, we only think about the cars. We don't think about the pedestrian who will have to walk a kilometre or more to cross the road. It's important we don't create new inequities when we create new infrastructure."

The problem is that disabled people are not involved in decision-making processes, says Lois Auta. "People see them in terms of charity, not in terms of their rights."

In terms of the African regional integration it would take to deliver on these projects, the panelists were more upbeat. "Now we have leaders championing infrastructure and good governance, as well as the anti-corruption fight," says Popo Molefe, Chairman of Transnet. "I think the future will be better."

"Governments are getting better at collaborating," says Vijay Iver in his closing remarks. And when they do, there is a faster pace of growth. "I see that happening more and more."

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