By JUDITH NAMUTOWE-
THE African Development Bank (AfDB) has invested approximately US$11 billion in the construction of the necessary infrastructure in Africa to boost trade and economic growth.
Among the key investments are bridges, border posts, fiber optic energy centers, railways, airports and ports that have united Africa and linked its market to the world.
Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) public relations officer, Mwangi Gakunga said in a statement in Lusaka at the weekend that the Bank’s basis for support and partnership was due to accelerated implementation of regional policies through a management approach focusing on achieving results in trade, public financial management and the business climate.
AfDB results division manager, Victoria Chisala said the basis for the bank’s support and partnership with COMESA was to accelerate the implementation of regional policies through a management approach focusing on achieving results in trade facilitation, public financial management and business climate.
“COMESA and the Western African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) are the only regional economic implementing the Africa for Results (AfriK4R) programme which is an initiative of the African Community of Practice on Managing for Development Results (AfCoP-MfDR).
“This is a network of professionals that help countries to participate in the exchange of results solutions under the latter’s flagship program, the AfriK4R initiative,” Ms Chisala said.
And AfDB had financed a training programme for COMESA staff to enable them focus more on results as opposed to processes.
The workers were equipped at a training workshop that took place from October 7 to 10, 2014 in Siavonga.
The event was informed by the results of the COMESA Management for Development Results (MfDR) readiness assessment which showed that its
Medium Terms Strategic Plan (MTSP’s) indicators needed to be improved and better tailored to the organisational context.
About 30 members of staff were equipped with skills to accelerate regional policy implementation through the use of MfDR tools and mainstreaming the use of results-based management principles.
“We want to ensure that the training responds to the objectives set forth by COMESA to mainstream managing for development results to accelerate regional integration and development,” the statement said.
Thirty COMESA senior staff were trained in a move aimed at enhancing their abilities and role as change agents who can trigger and accelerate regional transformation.
The African Community of Practice on Managing for Development Results (AfCoP-MfDR) conducted the training.
COMESA assistant secretary general in charge of programmes, Kipyego Cheluget thanked the AfDB for its key role in the economic transformation of the African continent through massive support to regional integration programmes.