Agenda 2063 emphasizes the need for integration as one of the key foundations for ensuring Africa achieves its goals for inclusive and sustainable growth and development. Aspiration of Agenda 2063 places import on the need for Africa to develop world class infrastructure that crisscrosses Africa and which will improve connectivity through newer and bolder initiatives to link the continent by rail, road, sea and air; and developing regional and continental power pools, as well as ICT.
The AU also must work to implement Agenda 2063 continental frameworks for promoting infrastructure development such as The Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA) which provides a common framework for African stakeholders to build the infrastructure necessary for more integrated transport, energy, ICT and trans-boundary water networks to boost trade, spark growth and create jobs.
The main Agenda 2063 flagship projects driving the AU’s efforts in the areas of energy and infrastructure development are
- The Integrated High Speed Train Network which aims to connect all African capitals and commercial centres through an African High Speed Train Network
- The Implementation of the Grand Inga Dam Project from DRCongo which aims to transform Africa from traditional to modern sources of energy and ensure access of all Africans to clean and affordable electricity through the development of the Inga Dam
- The establishment of a Single African Air-Transport Market (SAATM) which aims to ensure intra-regional connectivity between the capital cities of Africa and create a single unified air transport market in Africa, as an impetus to the continent’s economic integration and growth agenda.
- The Pan-African E-Network which aims to promote transformative e-applications and services in Africa especially the intra-African broad band terrestrial infrastructure; and cyber security, making the information revolution the basis for service delivery in the bio and nanotechnology industries and ultimately transform Africa into an e-Society.
- Cyber Security which aims to promote the safe use of emerging technologies, as well as ensure that these technologies are used for the benefit of African individuals, institutions or nation states by ensuring data protection and safety online.
With the evolving digital landscape the AU must embarked on a mission to ensure ICT plays its role in Africa;s development through the creation of Africa’s very own online identity leading to the launch of DotAfrica (.africa) which is the Geographic Top Level Domain (gTLD) for the people and continent of Africa. This gTLD name affords individuals, governments, companies and others the opportunity to associate their products, services and information with the continent and people of Africa.
The Department of Infrastructure and Energy of the AUC must leads the implementation of these Agenda 2063 flagship programmes as well as the AU’s activities aimed at promoting, coordinating, implementing and monitoring programmes and policies on infrastructure development, transport, energy, information communications technology (ICT) as well as postal services.