A key activity of the just concluded Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA) Week was a site visit to the Abidjan-Lagos corridor, where participants came face to face with the reality of integrating Africa through infrastructure.

The Abidjan –Lagos Corridor is a PIDA flagship project. The 1,028-kilometre road, under construction, connects Abidjan, Accra, Cotonou, Lagos and Lome, considered to be West Africa’s largest and most economically dynamic cities, with a combined population of more than 35 million people.

Mr. Fisseha Aberra, Director in charge of cooperation with international finance institutions at the finance and economic cooperation ministry is giving the keynote address.

Ecosan toilet demonstration in Kasanje, Uganda.

The AfDB is commemorating World Toilet Day, on Thursday, 19 November with the release of encouraging results of a Community Led Total Sanitation program have just been released from its field office in Mozambique.  In Uganda, there is strong will and AfDB support to end “flying toilets” locally called “kaveera”, the practice of defecating in a polythene bag and throwing it away.

The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank (AfDB), on Wednesday, November 18, 2015 in Abidjan, approved an unfunded US $100-million Risk Participation Agreement (RPA) for Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation Europe Limited (SMBCE) to support issuing banks in Africa expand their trade finance operations.

The first ever first-ever Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA) Week came to a close on November 17, 2015 with calls on African governments to play their role in ensuring policies and reforms are consistent in order to attract private sector investment to help bridge the infrastructure deficit.