African Union Development Agency-NEPAD

PIDA Week 2024 has officially kicked off, focusing on Africa’s infrastructure for sustainable growth. As H.E. Nardos Bekele-Thomas, CEO of AUDA-NEPAD, emphasized, “PIDA’s true value lies in its ability to transform lives and create opportunities across Africa. To achieve this, we urge the private sector to invest in these vital projects, as AUDA-NEPAD plays a pivotal role in de-risking infrastructure investments and ensuring their successful implementation.” The event featured remarks from several distinguished leaders, including Hon. Dr. Alemu Sime Feyisa, Minister of Transport & Logistics, Ethiopia; H.E. Dr. Amani Abou-Zeid أماني أبوزيد, Commissioner for Infrastructure & Energy, African Union Commission; H.E. Mr. Claver Gatete, UN Under-Secretary-General & Executive Secretary of ECA; H.E. Moussa Faki, Chairperson of the African Union Commission; and H.E. Taye Atske Selassie, President of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. The President of Ethiopia concluded the opening with a call for renewed commitment to PIDA’s mission, highlighting the power of infrastructure to drive Africa’s economic integration and sustainable future: "PIDA is a key enabler of Agenda 2063, shaping Africa’s development trajectory." As PIDA Week 2024 unfolds, the focus remains on infrastructure as a catalyst for economic growth and improved quality of life across Africa. With Agenda 2063 guiding the way, PIDA is at the forefront of building a connected, inclusive, and prosperous Africa.

On the margins of the #PIDAWeek2024 in Addis Ababa, AUDA-NEPAD CEO, H.E. Nardos Bekele-Thomas, met with South Africa's Minister of Science and Technology, H.E. Blade Nzimande. This meeting is particularly significant as it aligns with the African Union's 2024 theme, "The Year of Education: Educate an African fit for the 21st Century", which underscores the continent's dedication to prioritizing education as a foundation for sustainable development. Education remains a central pillar of Africa's development agenda, and the Minister's portfolio resonates with AUDA-NEPAD's mission to empower youth and women across the continent. This year, AUDA-NEPAD has achieved notable progress through its Africa Skills Revolution initiative, fostering skills development and capacity building to drive transformative growth. #Agenda2063

Catch the inspiring speech by AUDA-NEPAD CEO, Mrs. Nardos Bekele-Thomas, from the 8th PIDA Week Opening Ceremony in Addis Ababa! https://lnkd.in/dx8Bfu-e

Tune in today to the Opening Ceremony and exciting discussions at PIDA Week 2024! The day promises insightful sessions with key leaders shaping Africa's infrastructure future. Don’t miss: Opening Ceremony Highlights: 📣 Speakers: - Hon. Dr. Alemu Sime Feyisa, Ethiopia’s Minister of Transport - H.E. Dr. Amani Abou Zeid, AU Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy - H.E. Mrs. Nardos BEKELE-THOMAS, AUDA-NEPAD CEO - H.E. Moussa Faki Mahamat, AU Commission Chairperson - H.E Taye Atske Selassie, President of Ethiopia 💡 High-Level Panels on: - Fostering resilient infrastructure - Water cooperation for green development - Investing in sustainable infrastructure with Africa-Europe synergies 🗓️ Don’t miss a moment: Watch all proceedings LIVE: English: https://lnkd.in/dh4vUNUE French: https://lnkd.in/dzytmaHa Portuguese: https://lnkd.in/dGpAXCv8 Arabic: https://lnkd.in/dmR8t_SV

The African Union Permanent Representative Council (PRC) subcommittee on NEPAD recently held a retreat in Johannesburg with the AUDA-NEPAD leadership, led by CEO Her Excellency Madame Bekele-Thomas, on 21 November 2024. During the retreat, Madame Bekele-Thomas and her team shared updates on AUDA NEPAD work and plans to support Africa’s Agenda 2063 vision, particularly focusing on the Second Ten-Year Implementation Plan. The PRC subcommittee and AUDA-NEPAD reviewed progress on implementation of the February 2024 AU Assembly and Executive Council decisions. Key discussions included implementation of Agenda 2063’s, tracking progress, addressing challenges, and exploring opportunities. The AUDA-NEPAD team also presented results and impacts from various interventions and activities. The retreat concluded with reflections on the agency’s 2025-2028 strategic plan, updates on regional and national operations, and AUDA-NEPAD contributions to the G20 processes

🌍 𝐏𝐈𝐃𝐀 𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐤 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒 𝐤𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐬 𝐨𝐟𝐟 𝐢𝐧 𝐀𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐬 𝐀𝐛𝐚𝐛𝐚 𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐰 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐲! H.E. Nardos Bekele-Thomas, AUDA-NEPAD CEO, invites all Africans to participate under this year’s theme: “𝘍𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘙𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐𝘯𝘤𝘭𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘐𝘯𝘧𝘳𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘈𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘢’𝘴 𝘚𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘎𝘳𝘰𝘸𝘵𝘩.” This week, we’ll focus on advancing energy, ICT, transport, and water sectors, exploring: 🔹 Innovative financing solutions 🔹 Regional integration strategies 🔹 Sustainable infrastructure development Can’t make it to Addis? No problem! Tune in to the AUDA-NEPAD YouTube channel tomorrow at 10EAT to watch the opening ceremony and key sessions live https://bit.ly/4eLQ7za

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐞-𝐥𝐚𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐡 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦 𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧 (𝐂𝐌𝐏) 𝐏𝐡𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐈𝐈𝐈 𝐭𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐚 𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐏𝐈𝐃𝐀 𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐤. This transformative initiative, developed by AUDA-NEPAD in collaboration with CMP partners, lays the f𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐀𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚’𝐬 𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐲 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐀𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐚 𝟐𝟎𝟔𝟑. The CMP is designed to meet the continent’s future energy demands, targeting: ✅ 𝟏,𝟐𝟎𝟎 𝐆𝐖 of electricity by 2040. ✅ A unified electricity market serving 𝟏.𝟑 𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞. ✅ The creation of the world’s 𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐠𝐫𝐢𝐝. By fostering cross-border electricity trade and enabling renewable energy adoption, the CMP unlocks significant economic and technical opportunities. When fully operational, it will help countries meet surging energy demands while driving billions of dollars in economic growth. CMP Phase III builds on achievements like demand forecasting for 2040 and regional planning scenarios, ensuring a sustainable and resilient energy future. 👉 Download the CMP report now and learn more about how it’s shaping the continent’s energy future: https://bit.ly/3AYMhVS 👉 Watch the livestream in case you missed the session: https://bit.ly/3CFQT3J

🌍 Catch Up on the High-Level Panel on accelerating preparation and financing of transboundary water projects! If you missed the insightful discussions, the High-Level Panel, co-convened by AUDA-NEPAD, Global Water Partnership Southern Africa, and the World Bank, delved into strategies for accelerating the preparation and financing of transboundary water projects in Africa. The panel highlighted the urgent need to overcome the challenges of funding, capacity gaps, and institutional weaknesses that hinder the preparation of water projects across borders. Discussions focused on resource mobilisation, stakeholder collaboration, and financing models that could drive impactful change. The session showcased best practices and case studies from successful projects, including the Angololo Multipurpose Water Resources Development Project, 1 of 15 water projects in PIDA PAP 2. This project, currently at the Project Structuring Stage, illustrates significant progress in transboundary water management, with Kenya and Uganda working together to address water security challenges in the region. The project is advancing through its technical, financial, and legal frameworks, setting the stage for large-scale investment and long-term sustainability. 📺 Watch the full session here: https://bit.ly/4eOcJPL

#PIDAWeek2024 began with a memorable welcome dinner, graciously hosted by the Ethiopian Government, the African Union Commission, and AUDA-NEPAD in Addis Ababa. This gathering set the stage for a week of impactful dialogue and collaboration, united by the shared vision of advancing Africa’s infrastructure development. 🇪🇹 Hon. Dr. Alemu Sime Feyisa, Minister of Transport and Logistics of Ethiopia, highlighted Ethiopia’s commitment to sustainable infrastructure, stating: "Ethiopia is proud to host PIDA Week and showcase our strides in green mobility and sustainable energy development. We reaffirm our commitment to infrastructure that fosters connectivity, sustainability, and regional integration for Africa's shared prosperity and resilience." In his opening remarks, Amine IDRISS A. KARAMA, AUDA-NEPAD’s Director of Economy, Infrastructure, Industrialisation, Trade, and Regional Integration, emphasized the transformative power of resilient and inclusive infrastructure: "Well-designed infrastructure does not merely connect roads or networks; it connects people, ideas, and opportunities." This year’s theme, “Fostering Resilient and Inclusive Infrastructure for Africa’s Sustainable Growth: Leveraging Transformative Financing and Regional Integration,” underlines the vital role of innovation, collaboration, and transformative financing in closing Africa's infrastructure investment gap. Mr. Adoum also highlighted our key initiatives driving progress: ✅ The Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa Priority Action Plan 2. ✅ The Continental Power System Master Plan for integrated electricity markets. ✅ Transboundary digital infrastructure projects accelerating regional integration. ✅ Enhanced project preparation tools like the Service Delivery Mechanism (SDM) to turn concepts into bankable projects. The evening set a collaborative tone for a week of meaningful discussions and action-oriented sessions. A heartfelt thank you to Ethiopia for its exceptional hospitality and to all partners driving Africa’s infrastructure transformation.

#PIDAWeek2024 kicked off with the PIDA Journalist Sensitisation Workshop, setting the stage for impactful discussions on Africa’s infrastructure development! Journalists play a critical role in amplifying the impact of projects like PIDA PAP2, bridging knowledge gaps, rallying public and private stakeholders, and showcasing the transformative power of regional infrastructure. 🏗️🚧 As Zipporah Maubane noted: "Infrastructure is the backbone of economic integration and development. We call on the media to rally investors and showcase the transformative potential of PIDA projects." This workshop revitalized the PIDA Journalists Network, empowering members to: ✔️ Share PIDA’s progress and impact. ✔️ Engage with experts on infrastructure priorities. ✔️ Inform the public about regional development opportunities.