President Uhuru Kenyatta has invited African leaders to attend the 7th Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA) week slated for February 28 to March 2, 2022 in Nairobi.

President Kenyatta, who is also a member of the NEPAD Heads of State and Government Orientation Committee, said the PIDA week provides an opportunity for stakeholders to review and reflect on the progress in the implementation of infrastructure programmes across the continent.

The Head of State spoke when he virtually attended a closed-door 39th Session of New Partnership for Africa’s Develop (NEPAD) Heads of State and Government Orientation Committee meeting.

Other African Heads of State including DRC President Félix Tshisekedi, the current Chairman of the African Union, also attended the meeting chaired by Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame.

President Kenyatta pointed out that the Nairobi infrastructure event will also enable participants to discuss ways of overcoming challenges, share lessons and advance possible solutions geared towards improving infrastructure development in the continent.

He added that during the PIDA week, Kenya will showcase its infrastructure development projects within the country and beyond including the Lamu Port, South Sudan, Ethiopia Transport (LAPSSET) Corridor Programme.

The meeting was also attended by Head of Public Service Dr Joseph Kinyua, National Treasury CS Ukur Yatani and NEPAD/African Peer Review Mechanism CEO, Ambassador Samori Okiya.

During the meeting, it was agreed that the current NEPAD bureau will continue to serve for one year under the leadership of President Kagame.

The President appreciated the support accorded to Kenya by AUDA-NEPAD member states, saying he was proud that during the last 10 years Kenya has made substantial contribution to the organization’s achievements.

African Union Commission Chairman Moussa Faki Mahamat also spoke at the meeting that discussed the 2021 AUDA-NEPAD activity report among other development matters of interest to the continent.

AUDA-NEPAD is a development agency of the African Union established to coordinate and execute priority regional and continental development projects towards the accelerated realisation of Agenda 2063, which is Africa’s vision and action plan.

Nardos Bekele Thomas Endorsed by AU Head of summit as the next Nepad CEO

The African Union Heads of State Summit has endorsed Nardos Bekele Thomas as the next CEO to lead the organisation’s development agency, Nepad.

Bekele-Thomas is currently the United Nations (UN) Secretary General’s Representative in South Africa in her capacity as Resident Coordinator and will replace longtime AUDA-Nepad CEO, Dr Ibrahim Mayaki.

Bekele-Thomas has a career steeped in development long before taking up her position in South Africa in May 2019.

She has previously served as a Senior Director in the office of the UN Secretary General and in various roles leading the UN Development Programme in Kenya and Benin.

Ethiopia President Sahle-Work Zewde congratulated her fellow Ethiopian national in a tweet saying she brings to the position a wealth of experience acquired at the UN, adding “women deliver”.