Transport

The Bank is strongly committed to its High5 priorities to Integrate Africa. Extending Africa’s transport network is therefore a high development priority.

Transport plays a catalytic role in supporting the African Development Bank’s top priorities.

At the heart of industrialization is the requirement for an efficient and cost-effective transport and logistics system that ensures seamless movement of commodities and products along a value chain. By lowering the cost of transactions, including mostly transport, Africa can make its goods more competitive and allow for the increase of its share of regional and global trade.

Regional integration is a pre-requisite for addressing the benefits and challenges that come with the continent’s smaller and fragmented economies. Development of strong regional infrastructure systems remains critical to unlocking Africa’s potential, and provides opportunities for countries to reinforce their competitiveness and attractiveness for investments.

Agriculture remains one of the most untapped resources that can lift Africa out of poverty and ensure food security. For that to happen, the drivers of growth in the sector need to be transformed radically, including the provision of all-weather transport access to farmers in the remotest parts of the continent. The provision of reliable and efficient transport systems can bring about sizeable reductions in post-harvest losses and contribute to the competitiveness of farm commodities.

Transport also contributes to improving the quality of people’s lives by providing safe and efficient access to socio-economic services and employment opportunities. 

Projects financed by the African Development Bank should contribute to:

• Reducing infrastructure shortage, with a view to stimulating economic growth
• Facilitating the exchange of goods and services between countries

Areas of focus include regional transport corridors, rural roads, operations that permit the integration of different modes of transport, rehabilitation and maintenance programs, institutional and maintenance capacity building, public-private partnerships, and multi-sectoral projects.

Prominent amongst Integrate Africa operations are:

• GSEZ Port Project in Gabon   
• Ethiopian Airlines
• Nacala Rail and Port Project in Mozambique and Malawi   
• Dakar-Diamniadio Highway in Senegal

Please read our Bank’s Aviation Framework and Guidelines document HERE