The European Investment Bank (EIB) and the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) unveiled a €6-million (R61,2-million) joint technical assistance programme on Thursday, which has been designed to improve the preparation and implementation of African infrastructure projects.

The development finance institutions would inject €3-million each into the Project Development and Support Facility (PDSF), which would target countries across Southern and East Africa and projects in the transport, energy, water and sanitation, urban and information communication technology sectors.

The deal was concluded in Johannesburg at a signing ceremony attended by EIB vice-president responsible for Africa Plutarchos Sakellaris and DBSA CEO Paul Baloyi.

PDSF would focus on so-called "high development impact" projects, including rehabilitation and climate-change resilience programmes.

Studies would be funded, as would consultancy services that advanced the preparation, financing and implementation of infrastructure projects that would not otherwise reach financial or legal closure.

Meanwhile, Sakellaris also met with Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan on Wednesday, where the two officials reaffirmed their mutual commitment to a continued close partnership and cooperation.

The EIB has been supporting priority infrastructure projects in South Africa, with loans having been already been extended to Eskom, eThekwini municipality, the South African National Roads Agency Limited, Umgeni Water, Transnet, Tshwane Metro and the Airports Company South Africa.

Further, the Industrial Development Corporation received a €60-million credit line from the EIB in 2009 to finance private sector small and medium sized enterprises, while another €60-million line of credit was granted to the DBSA to finance municipal infrastructure projects.

In total, the EIB has provided South Africa with €2-billion since 1995, while in 2009 it provided over €1,1-billion worth of funding to sub-Saharan Africa, including some €300-million to South Africa.