Africa Road Builders Babacar Ndiaye Trophy 2020: Egyptian president to receive Great Road Builder Award
Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara and African Development Bank President Akinwumi Adesina awarded special prizes
ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, July 14, 2020/ --
Egyptian president Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi was awarded the Babacar Ndiaye
Great Road Builder Award it was announced Monday, a distinction for
heads of state whose countries initiate outstanding projects or
achievements in relation to the development of roads, transportation and mobility.
Al Sisi was recognized for his “personal leadership” in the development
and construction of projects in Cairo such as the Heliopolis metro
station, as well as a suspension bridge project on the Nile, George
Orido, a spokesman for the selection committee of the Africa Road
Builders said during a virtual inaugural meeting of the group, which saw global participation.
Each year, the Africa Road Builders Conference brings together
representatives and stakeholders from the road and transport sectors to
promote the development of roads, transport and mobility in Africa. This year’s theme is "Roads and transport to improve the quality of life of
people in Africa.”
For their “remarkable contribution in the area of road infrastructure
and connectivity,” Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara and African
Development Bank President Akinwumi Adesina, were also awarded special
prizes, Orido said.
Presentation of the awards will take place during the final conference
of the Africa Road Builders, organized every year on the sidelines of
the Annual Meetings of the African Development Bank.
Speaking on behalf of Adesina, Solomon Quaynor, the Bank’s Vice
President, Private Sector, Infrastructure and Industrialization thanked
the conference organizers for recognising the Bank’s role in road
infrastructure on the continent.
“Road transportation is a critical enabler for productivity and
sustainable socio-economic growth. Over the past 12 years, the Bank has
financed more than $8 billion of regional transport projects. As a
result, close to 13,000 km of regional highways have been built on 17
road corridors, along with 26 one-stop border post facilities,” Quaynor
said.
Panelists at the event also included Prof. Carlos Lopes, President of
the Bureau of the Conference, Ivorian Pierre Demba, Director General of
AGERoute –Ivory Coast’s road management agency, Raoul Jaquand,
Vice-President Strategic Business Developments and Partnerships for
Africa Assault System, and Emile Fort, West Africa Manger for Lumiplan.
Fouad Safer, Director of Transport and Infrastructure Studies at the
National Bureau of Studies and Development (BNETD) in Côte d'Ivoire said the challenges to be met, included the balance between the development
of cities in Africa and that of transport, the promotion of
professionalization of transport, renewal of vehicle fleets, promotion
and restructuring of transport networks.
“There is an urgency to have new generation of mass transport to improve the quality of life of our populations,” Safer said.
Mamadou Faye, administrator of the Senegalese Autonomous Road
Maintenance Fund (FERA) said: "Road infrastructure is the most expensive capital in Africa. Without proper and timely maintenance, the roads
deteriorate. So it’s not just about building, it’s also about
maintaining, having a funding model for road maintenance. In addition,
we must invest in mass transport and innovation. It’s fundamental to
improve performance.”
The awards were inspired by Babacar Ndiaye who was president of the Bank from 1985 to 1995. Each year the Africa Road Builders Selection
Committee carefully evaluates ambitious and concrete projects that have a real impact on the mobility of populations.
The Africa Road Builders Babacar Ndiaye Trophy is organized by
Acturoutes, an information platform on infrastructure and roads in
Africa, and the organization Medias for infrastructures and finance in
Africa (MIFA), a network of African journalists specializing in road
infrastructure. The selection committee is made up of representatives of the media from the five regions of the continent on the basis of media
and expert reports on issues related to roads, transport and sustainable development.
About the African Development Bank Group:
The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) (www.AfDB.org) is Africa’s premier development finance institution. It comprises three distinct entities: the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African
Development Fund (ADF) and the Nigeria Trust Fund (NTF). On the ground
in 44 African countries with an external office in Japan, the AfDB
contributes to the economic development and the social progress of its
54 regional member states. For more information: j.mp/AfDB_Media
Link: African Development Bank Group (AfDB)
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