The Africa Road Builders – Trophée Babacar NDIAYE 2024 will be awarded to the winning Head of State at the end of the Inaugural Conference in April in Dubai. (IMAGE/ARB.
By SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
The Africa Road Builders – Trophée Babacar NDIAYE is a series of two Annual Conferences, the second of which takes place on the sidelines of the Annual Meetings of the African Development Bank (AfDB).
The event is organized by ACTUROUTES and a network of journalists gathered within MIFA (Media for Infrastructure and Finance in Africa). It is endowed with the Babacar NDIAYE Trophy, named after the 5th President in the history of the AfDB.
Since the first edition in 2016, The Africa Road Builders – Trophée Babacar NDIAYE has been under the patronage of the President of the AfDB, Dr Akinwumi ADESINA.
Created more than nine years ago, The Africa Road Builders – Trophée Babacar NDIAYE registers each year participations at high level for discussions around roads and transport issues. In 2022, the Final Conference received the President of the United Republic of Tanzania, HE Samia Suluhu Hassan in person, in Accra (Ghana) on the sidelines of the AfDB Annual Meetings.
Indeed, the Final Conference is the venue for the presentation of the Babacar NDIAYE Trophy, rewarding the Head of State whose country has been remarkable in recent years, with regard to the general theme of the year.
For 2024, the winning Head of State will be known at the end of the Inaugural Conference in April in Dubai. The event takes place each year around a central theme, bringing together experts (private and public), decision-makers, users, observers and journalists.
The central theme for 2024 is: «Quality of road infrastructure and development in Africa». The event aims to promote developed roads and transport in Africa. It is also a framework for promoting the AfDB’s and other partners’ actions in favor of roads and transport in Africa.
In 2024, the Inaugural Conference focuses on the crucial importance of high-quality road networks in Africa to promote the economic, social and sustainable development of the continent.
In Africa, road infrastructure plays a vital role in connecting regions, facilitating internal and international trade, improving access to essential services such as health and education, and driving economic growth.
The quality of road infrastructure in Africa is often a determining factor in economic competitiveness, poverty reduction and improving the quality of life of citizens.
Well-built, maintained, and durable roads have the potential to boost industrialization, encourage foreign investment, create jobs, and strengthen regional integration.
However, Africa faces various challenges related to the quality of road infrastructure, such as lack of adequate financing, poor management, environmental and climatic constraints…, as well as issues related to sustainability and resilience.
To achieve its full development potential, Africa must address these challenges by investing in quality road construction and renovation projects, promoting sustainable practices, and fostering technological innovation.
