With 1.35 million Euros granted by the EU-Africa Infrastructure Trust Fund for the feasibility study for the NEPAD ICT Infrastructure Network, the NEPAD Agency has managed to close the ICT broadband gap in West, Central and North Africa. NEPAD has also contributed in providing technical support to ease negotiations for the climate change process in Cancun, Mexico along with seeing to the progress of the NEPAD Teacher Development Centre on Training in Mathematics based in Kenya.

With this, Dr. Mayaki then relayed the lesson learnt from the implementation of the various programmes, stressing that “We should collectively (AU and its organs, NEPAD Agency, Regional Economic Communities (RECs), and national governments) focus on the implementation of approved policies, strategies and programmes.” This he insisted was “critical, given the tendency in the past where the focus was largely on developing policies and strategies and getting them approved by Summits in and less on supporting implementation.”

Dr. Mayaki called for a joint working committee between NEPAD and the PAP explaining that “as law makers, parliamentarians are key to facilitating major national, regional and continental reforms.” Therefore, the NEPAD Agency is ready to develop specific interventions that they believe should be championed by the PAP.

Hon. Mostefa Boudina, Chairperson of the PAP Committee on Transport, Industry, Communications, Energy, Science and Technology, responded to NEPADs presentation by questioning Dr. Mayaki on issues regarding railway and air travel on the continent. He expressed his concern on the visibility of NEPADs programmes, saying that his Committee was in complete darkness in regards to current progress and future plans. This, he added, needed to be rectified if any evaluation and support were to be provided.

This point was reiterated by several Parliamentarians, suggesting that many countries do not benefit from NEPAD programmes. The issue, as it was expressed, was to do with the dissemination of information about the NEPAD Agency’s initiatives. NEPAD was, therefore, urged to adopt and support various projects in different countries. However, Dr. Mayaki was commended for presenting a clear and encouraging report on the Agency’s efforts.