The Southern African Development Community (SADC) is looking at ways to implement trans-boundary infrastructure in order to facilitate trade and deepen the process of regional integration and cooperation.

The SADC Regional Infrastructure Development Master Plan is a strategic framework, which articulates the region’s aims, underpinned by a collection of projects in sectors including energy, infrastructure, trans-boundary water, transport, meteorology and information and communication technology (ICT).

Speaking at a recent validation workshop for the master plan, in Johannesburg, SADC secretariat regional integration deputy executive secretary Joao Caholo said the region needed to focus on the priorities that made a difference in deepening integration.

“One of the main priority areas discussed at the meeting was the telecommunications and ICT sector. As ICT expert Mike Jensen remarked at the meeting, a strong and viable ICT sector will lead to a well-informed, rapid decision-making and knowledgeable public. This, in turn, will lead to job creation, which relates back directly to the SADC’s mission to reduce poverty in the region” he added.

Further, Caholo said that the region aimed to create a digital SADC by 2027. The first step to creating this digital SADC is to promote policy and regulatory coordination across borders. “Once we have that, we hope to create knowledge and more local content, better e-services, research and innovation, the development of industry and manufacturing as well as the completion of complementary infrastructure to support this sector,” he said.

ICT infrastructure is a key tool for socioeconomic development on the continent. However, while it is possible to reach required capacities in this sector, progress is impeded by the current lack of complementary infrastructure, particularly in the energy sector.

Research has shown that the foundation infrastructure for the ICT sector is abundant and there is more than enough bandwidth serving the subcontinent to achieve the 2027 vision. “For this to happen, it is imperative that we connect the remaining three mainland member States Angola, Malawi and Tanzania to the Southern African Power Pool,” commented Caholo.

A recent Africa Infrastructure Diagnostic Study has forecast necessary capital outlay of almost $93-billion a year to enhance infrastructure and services in the SADC region. The region is facing basic infrastructure capacity constraints, which have not only delayed regional economic growth, but have failed to tackle supply side constraints and productive competitiveness, and the core issue of poverty.

“There is broad consensus that unless, and until, the region has fully managed the issue of access to enabling infrastructure, no significant development will be realised, despite immense investments.”

The SADC Regional Infrastructure Development Master Plan is specifically designed to tackle these issues and form a collaborative plan to facilitate growth and cross-border cooperation in order to achieve the goals of the region.

The reviewed master plan will be completed in June for approval by the SADC Cluster Ministers of Infrastructure and adoption by Council and Summit in August, in Maputo.