ECOWAS Ministers in charge of infrastructure have recommended that part of the 
proceeds of the Community Levy, a 0.5 per cent levy on imports from outside 
the region, used to finance the organization’s operations, be devoted 
exclusively to the preparation and funding of Regional infrastructure projects.

In a resolution at the end of their meeting in Yamoussoukro, Cote d’Ivoire on 
9th November 2012, the ministers also called for capacity building of the 
ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID) to enable it play a key role 
as a regional funding instrument for Member States in this sector.

The ministers, in endorsing the report of the two-day experts meeting on the 
Programme of Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA), which preceded the 
ministerial session, also urged technical and financial partners and donors to 
accord “high priority to capacity building within the framework of any 
financial or technical assistance given to ECOWAS,” especially for the 
development of infrastructure, which is considered catalytic to regional 
economic development and integration.

The African Union, NEPAD and the African Development Bank were also urged to 
support the implementation of ECOWAS Infrastructure projects.

The ministerial meeting validated a wide-ranging number of infrastructure 
projects, covering air, land and rail transportation, ICT sectors as well as 
gas and electricity connectivity projects to be implemented between 2012 and 
2020, all at the estimated cost of US$107.5 million.

The recommendations/resolutions would be forwarded to the Council of Ministers 
for adoption and then to the Authority of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government 
for approval.

Addressing the opening of the Ministerial Meeting, the Vice-President of the 
ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Toga Gayewea McIntosh, had highlighted the critical 
role of infrastructure in the achievement of the ECOWAS Vision 2020.

Consequently, he solicited stronger commitment and support to enhance the 
operations of the West African Power Pool, the ECOWAS Regional Electricity 
Regulatory Authority, the ECOWAS Centre for the Promotion of Renewable Energy 
and Energy Efficiency as well as the West African Gas Pipeline Authority and 
the ECOWAS Bank for investment and Development.

The Vice-President noted that “to do nothing or little, about infrastructural 
development within our sub-region is equivalent to self-strangulation.”

Declaring the PIDA Ministerial meeting open on behalf of Cote d’Ivoire’s Prime 
Minister His Excellency Jeanot Ahoussou Kouadio, the Minister of Industry, 
Honourable Moussa Dosso, affirmed that infrastructure would play a major role 
in facilitating access to landlocked countries, as well as free movement of 
persons and goods, making economies in the region competitive and thereby 
boosting socio-economic integration.

The Yamoussoukro meetings highlighted the objectives of the PIDA and how it 
aligns with the continental strategic programming. They were also meant to 
sensitize Member States on West Africa’s component of the PIDA Priority Action 
Plan (PIDA-PAP) and regional development plans to help drive the domestication 
of PIDA projects in national plans and budgetary provisions.

Adopted by the African Union and NEPAD leaders in January 2012, PIDA is based 
on the premise that a projected annual economic growth rate of 6% for African 
countries would translate into six-fold increase in GDP for all countries with 
the average per capita income expected to rise above US$10,000 in the next 30 
years. This is expected to result in an increase in the infrastructure demand 
in all sectors.