OSBP Status Report Launched: Key Moment of the 8th PIDA Week

From 25-28 November 2024, JICA proudly participated in the 8^th Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA) Week, held at the African Union (AU) headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. This pivotal event, hosted by AUDA-NEPAD, the African Union Commission (AUC), and the Ethiopian government, gathered over 1,000 stakeholders, including African Heads of State, Regional Economic Communities (RECs), development partners, and private sector representatives, to discuss Africa’s infrastructure development and regional integration.

As the climax of the 8th PIDA Week, JICA, in partnership with AUDA-NEPAD, hosted a TICAD-9 Pre-Event: AUDA-NEPAD & JICA Joint Launch of the OSBP Status Report – Advancing Smart Corridors through Technology and Traditional Methods for Improved Monitoring and Reporting. This event underscored a pivotal step forward in strengthening Africa’s regional integration and trade facilitation efforts.

Taking place on 28 November, just prior to the closing ceremony, the launch ceremony served as a platform to unveil the latest insights and progress in the development of One-Stop Border Posts (OSBPs). The OSBP Status Report emphasised the innovative integration of smart technologies with conventional approaches to enhance monitoring, streamline operations, and foster connectivity across borders.

The event attracted widespread participation, gathering 300 stakeholders, including policymakers, international development partners, representatives from private sector and civil society organizations. Among the distinguished attendees was the State Minister of Transport and Logistics of Ethiopia, reflecting the high-level commitment to addressing Africa’s infrastructure and trade challenges. This milestone not only celebrated collaborative achievements but also set the stage for accelerated implementation of solutions to promote seamless movement of goods, services, and people across the continent.

During the ceremony, Mr. NAKAMURA Toshiyuki, Special Advisor to JICA President, joined H.E. Nardos Bekele-Thomas and Mr. SUGIO Toru, Chargé d'Affaires of the Mission of Japan to the AU, to officially launch the OSBP Status Report.

The OSBP Status Report provides a comprehensive analysis of OSBPs along four key corridors—the Northern Corridor, Central Corridor, North-South Corridor, and Abidjan-Lagos Corridor—highlighting their role in advancing the African Union’s Agenda 2063 vision of a "More Integrated and Connected Africa."

The report assesses OSBPs' impact through key performance indicators (KPIs) such as trade volumes, times, processes, and infrastructure development. It underscores their essential contribution to boosting trade, regional integration, and infrastructure development under frameworks such as PIDA and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

Showcasing notable successes, including improved operational efficiency and economic gains across corridors, the report also addresses ongoing challenges, such as infrastructure gaps and procedural inefficiencies. It offers recommendations to integrate smart technologies with traditional methods to enhance monitoring, streamline processes, and strengthen connectivity across Africa’s borders.

Among the 40+ sessions at PIDA Week, JICA played a key role in addressing climate change risks in the infrastructure development. During the session on managing climate change risks to critical infrastructure development and operation in Africa which brought together over 250 participants, Mr. Homma, Senior Advisor to the CEO of AUDA-NEPAD, shared insights on sustainable infrastructure development in Africa.

Mr. Homma drew valuable lessons from Mombasa, ASEAN, and Asia’s Special Economic Zones (SEZs), emphasising the critical role of renewable energy in advancing climate resilience. He specifically highlighted Kenya’s leadership in green electricity generation as a notable example of progress in adopting sustainable energy solutions. His discussion underscored the need for cross-regional learning to build a sustainable and climate-resilient infrastructure network across Africa.

JICA remains steadfast in its commitment to advancing sustainable development in Africa, aligning efforts with Agenda 2063, PIDA, and AfCFTA. As TICAD 9 approaches, JICA will deepen its collaboration with AUDA-NEPAD, RECs, and Member States to build a future of corridor development and seamless trade facilitation for a truly integrated and connected Africa.