The Africa Transport Policy Program (SSATP) launched its next five-year strategy cycle, the Fourth Development Plan (DP4), at the DP4 Stakeholders Engagement Meetings hosted by the European Commission in Brussels on June 16-17, 2022. 

The SSATP-DP4 launch was well attended by approximately 50 participants consisting of key development partners, continental institutions, permanent secretaries (or their equivalent) of SSATP member countries, and representatives of the EU delegations in Africa.

To kick start the event, Paolo Ciccarelli, Head of the European Commission’s Sustainable Transport and Urban Development Unit at DG INTPA F4 gave opening remarks followed by Grace Obat, the Director of the Private Sector Development and Finance Division at the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and Ibou Diouf, the World Bank’s Transport Practice Manager for Central and West Africa.

Seven substantive sessions were held over the two-day event which sought to engage with key partners and secure their buy-in and ownership of the DP4’s strategic direction going forward.

The sessions included:

Session 1. SSATP’s Third Development Plan (DP3) main achievements

Session 2. Overview of the DP4

Session 3. Introduction of the DP4 Operational Framework

Session 4. Formation of the Development Partners Coordination Group (DPCG), followed by a closed meeting with new, potential development partners

Session 5. Formation of the Permanent Secretaries and RECs Working Group

Session 6. Preparation of the DP4 First-year work program

Session 7. DP4 Pillar 4 – Resilient Road Asset Management (RRAM) concept note review

The SSATP DP4 launch also offered the opportunity to convene the SSATP-Executive Committee (SSATP-EC). The SSATP-EC meeting was chaired by Eric Ntagengerwa, Senior Policy Officer from the African Union Commission’s (AUC) Air Transport, Infrastructure, and Energy Department, who acted on behalf of the Chair of the SSATP-EC, Kamugisha Kazaura, the AUC’s Director of Infrastructure and Energy.

Note: Documentation from the launch can be accessed here.