Raila Odinga |
Former Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga has been appointed as High
Representative for Infrastructure Development in Africa as part of the
African Union’s drive to expedite the integration of the continent
through infrastructure.
The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Moussa FakiMahamat,
announced the appointment yesterday stating that Odinga’s appointment is
aimed at promoting Africa’s economic growth and sustainable
development.
“This decision is part of the African Union’s drive to expedite the
integration of the continent through infrastructure, in order to promote
economic growth and sustainable development” a statement from the AU
reads in part.
Odinga’s appointment comes against the backdrop of renewed efforts in
this regard, as exemplified by the adoption, last March in Kigali, of
the Agreement on the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and
the Protocol on Free Movement of Persons and the African Passport, as
well as by the launching of the Single African Air Transport Market
(SAATM), in Addis Ababa in January 2018.
Odinga’s task, according to the appointing authority, is to support
and strengthen the efforts of the Commission’s relevant Departments and
those of the Planning and Coordinating Agency of the New Partnership for
Africa’s Develop-ment (NEPAD), within the framework of the Program for
Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA), which was endorsed by the
Assembly of the Union in January 2012.
“In this respect, his mandate includes mobilizing further political
support from Member States and the Regional Economic Communities (RECs)
and facilitating greater ownership by all concerned stakeholders on the
continent.
He will also support the Commission and NEPAD initiatives to
encourage increased commitment from development partners.” The statement
said.
The High Representative is tasked to build on the work and leadership
of the PIDA Presidential Infrastructure Champion Initiative (PICI), and
“pay particular attention” to the missing links along the transnational
highway corridors identified as part of the Trans-African Highways
Network, with a view to facilitating their development and
modernization.
He will also focus on the continental high-speed train, which is one
of the flagship projects of the First Ten-Year Implementation Plan of
Agenda 2063, in the context of the relevant African Union decisions.
Agenda 2063, provides a robust framework for addressing past
injustices and the realisation of the 21st Century as the African
Century.
By 2063, Africa aspires to have the necessary world-class
infrastructure, accompanied by trade facilitation, will see
intra-African trade growing from less than 12 per cent in 2013 to
approaching 50 per cent by 2045.
Africa’s share of global trade shall rise from 2 per cent to 12 per
cent. This will in turn spur the growth of Pan-African companies of
global reach in all sectors, according to the continental development
blueprint.
Odinga is expected to interact with the current Champions of related
African Union initiatives and seek their guidance, to ensure the
required synergy and coherence.
Odinga was Prime Minister of Kenya from 2008 to 2013. In addition to
having been a Member of Parliament, he has held several ministerial
portfolios, including Energy, Roads, Public Works, and Housing between
2001 and 2005, in a career spanning more than forty years.
“The Chairperson of the Commission is grateful to Honorable
RailaOdinga for accepting this important assignment. He brings with him a
rich political experience and strong commitment to the ideals of
Pan-Africanism and African integration, as well as a deep knowledge of
infrastructure development.” Mahamat stated.
The AU Commission Chairperson also expresses appreciation to Kenyan
President Uhuru Kenyatta for “his support to this decision”, consistent
with his commitment to African integration.
Mahamat added that, he looks forward to the full cooperation of all
Member States with the High Representative, as he carries out the
mandate entrusted to him.
-
No comments:
Post a Comment
Disclaimer: Comment expressed do not reflect the opinion of African Parliamentary News