|
|
|
|
|
|
SADC Today Volume 14 No.6, October 2012
|
SOUTHERN AFRICA has taken a significant
step forward in its quest for deeper regional integration
following the approval of a longawaited
blueprint that outlines the region’s
vision for infrastructure development.
The Summit of SADC Heads of State and
Government held in Maputo, Mozambique, in
August endorsed a number of measures on the
way forward for the region with regard to economic
integration and political cooperation.
The highlight of the Summit was the adoption
of the Regional Infrastructure Development
Master Plan Vision 2027, a 15-year
blueprint that will guide the implementation of
cross-border infrastructure projects from 2013
to 2027.
SOUTHERN AFRICA is taking
steps to accelerate investment
in infrastructure,
considered one of the key facilitators
of regional integration.
The SADC Council of Ministers
has approved the setting
up of a long-awaited Regional
Development Fund, one of
whose main priorities will be
the financing of infrastructure
in the region.
THE SOUTHERN African Power Pool (SAPP) has identified six priority
transboundary transmission projects that are expected to improve
connectivity and electricity trading in the region by 2017.
The priority projects, estimated to cost US$5.6 billion, are part of
a portfolio of short to medium-tem projects being pursued by SAPP
with the aim of increasing the availability of electricity in the region
and connecting non-participating SADC Member States to the regional
power grid.
The priority transmission projects are the Mozambique-Malawi
interconnector; the Zimbabwe-Zambia-Botswana-Namibia (ZiZaBoNa)
interconnector; South Africa energy strengthening project;
Zambia-Tanzania-Kenya interconnector; interconnection of Angola;
and the Mozambique energy backbone projects.
This article may be reproduced with credit to the author and publisher.
SADC TODAY, SARDC, P.O Box 5690, Harare, Zimbabwe.
E-mail: sadctoday@sardc.net
|
|
|
