Africa Transport And The Millennium Development Goals

Transport is an essential service that must contribute to national development objectives in health, education, agriculture and other sectors in guiding sub-Saharan Africa out of poverty. Developing policies aimed at providing safe, reliable and affordable transport infrastructure and services can and will make a substantial and sustainable contribution to eradicating extreme poverty and hunger, achieving universal primary education, improving health care and reducing HIV/AIDS. Although transport is identified as a priority in poverty reduction strategies, it has not generally been adequately addressed. Global responses tend to focus on rural transport infrastructure—principally roads—with little attention given to sub-sectors such as rivers, lakes, and railroads; and important geographical and econological differences are ignored. The needs of the urban poor have been weakly addressed, as have the access and mobility needs of women, the disabled and other disadvantaged groups, while strategies for adapting transport to agricultural production/distribution or social services (e.g. health and education) have not been adequately developed. A systematic approach to the development of sound, comprehensive transport sector programs that provide clear guidance on what is to be done is much needed. This volume—the product of an expert workshop held at Cornell University’s Institute for African Development in May, 2007—provides accounts of an array of African operational spaces in which transport is relevant to the Millennium Development Goals. It addresses many heretofore ignored dimesions of transport—mobility issues of the urban poor, of women and children, and issues of access to employment, education and health services. It provides an alignment of transport with the MDGs in what proves to be fertile ground for research with important messages for policy makers and consequences for policy.

Evaluates the role of infrastructure in promoting economic growth and poverty reduction in Africa. Examines complementary physical infrastructure: telecommunications, power, transport (roads, railways, ports and airports) and water supply. Explores Africa's infrastructure endowment and financing options.

This unique work by the Centre for Conflict Resolution (CCR), Cape Town, South Africa, tracks the progress Africa has made in achieving the United Nations' Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) since 2000. The chapters are organized around the larger themes of political economy, structural issues, sustainable goals, and human development goals. Together they provide a unique assessment from experts on the ground of whether the goals were a success and what remains to be done to achieve sustainable economic and human development in Africa.

This book will be of interest to governments in the region and to multilateral and bilateral aid and lending agencies, as well as to graduate students, faculty, and researchers in African studies and transport studies. --Book Jacket.

Publisher description

This study examines issues, progress and challenges in global efforts to achieve sustainable mobility of freight and people using inland modes of transport. While transport is a precondition for social and economic interactions, it has negative impacts (crashes, pollution and greenhouse gas emissions). The study identifies main challenges and opportunities to accelerate transition to sustainability. It promotes an understanding of the five defining dimensions of sustainable transport - accessibility, affordability, safety, security and environmental performance. It brings theoretical insights and best practices from around the world and maps similarities and differences among countries in their efforts towards sustainability.