Economic Community of West African States

<p>NA</p>

<p>The AXIS Project aims to facilitate the development of an African internet infrastructure through policy and regulatory reform, capacity building and technical assistance. Development of an African internet infrastructure refers to the establishment of regional internet exchange points (IXPs) and internet carriers.</p>

<p>The AXIS Project aims to facilitate the development of an African internet infrastructure through policy and regulatory reform, capacity building and technical assistance. Development of an African internet infrastructure refers to the establishment of regional internet exchange points (IXPs) and internet carriers.</p>

<p>The AXIS Project is being implemented through two phases. Phase I consists of capacity building to support the establishment of national IXPs through providing a series of two workshops for stakeholders and the Internet Service Provider Association (ISPA) on  I) best practice and benefits of IXP and II) technical assistance through workshops which will cover the technical and administrative skills needed to set up, operate, and administer an IXP.</p>

<p>Phase II focuses on supporting establishment of Regional IXP and Regional Internet Carrier through provisioning Capacity building workshops on best practice and benefits of setting up RIXP/IC and providing technical assistance.</p>

<p>The AXIS Project is a flagship project of the African Regional Action Plan on Knowledge Economy (ARAPKE) endorsed by the African Union Executive Council. </p>

<p>The proposed Sambangalou dam project entails the construction of a gravity dam, with a 128 MW capacity, and a 3.8 km3 reservoir. The dam is located in Senegal, 930 km upstream from the mouth of the Gambia river and about 25 km south of Kédougou. The reservoir overlaps Senegal and Guinea. The project now has two components, i.e. Sambangalou Dam and an interconnection transmission line which will link the Sambangalou and Kaleta dams to the electric grid of the four member countries.</p>

<p>The project was formerly part of larger OMVG Energy project involving fuoir countries (with Kaleta dam in Guinea and interconnecting power grid), however it split in 2011 after Guinea decided to develop Kaleta dam as a standalone.</p>

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<p>In June 2017, the Heads of State and Government of Cape Verde, Senegal, The Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, and C&ocirc;te d'Ivoire signed a Treaty to establish the Dakar-Abidjan Corridor. This Treaty was further supported by the adoption of Supplementary Act A/SA.3/06/17 during the 51st Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government in Monrovia, Liberia. The agreement outlines the development of the Corridor through the following key actions:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Establish the Dakar-Abidjan Corridor</strong> and a Corridor Management Authority with Supra-National Status.</li>
<li><strong>Construct and manage a 6-lane Dual Carriage Multinational Highway (2x3)</strong>, as detailed in the International Project Agreement.</li>
<li>Implement complementary trade and transport facilitation measures linking Dakar to Abidjan, passing through Banjul, Bissau, Conakry, Freetown, and Monrovia, including potential extensions, expansions, and additional transportation modes as agreed by the Contracting Parties.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Objectives of the Corridor Development:</strong> According to Article 3 of the Corridor Development Treaty, the objectives are:</p>
<ol>
<li><strong>Facilitate safe and efficient movement of persons and goods</strong> and enhance regional and international trade by improving road infrastructure and simplifying and harmonizing controls and requirements. This aims to reduce transportation costs and transit times.</li>
<li><strong>Stimulate economic and social development</strong> within the territories of the contracting parties, fostering partnerships between the public and private sectors.</li>
<li><strong>Transform the Corridor into a Development Corridor</strong>, providing secure, fast, and competitive transport and transit services to support regional trade. This includes stimulating investment, promoting sustainable development, reducing poverty, and ensuring security along the corridor.</li>
<li><strong>Implement strategies for accelerating economic and social growth</strong>, while ensuring environmental sustainability.</li>
</ol>
<p>To achieve these objectives, the ECOWAS Commission, through its Department of Infrastructure, is preparing various components of the comprehensive corridor development program. In addition to the Highway, Articles 6 (2) & (3) of the Treaty call for the development of integrated transportation infrastructure, including Rail, Maritime, and Air Transport. Provisions are also made for future expansions, such as Optic Fibre Networks, Gas Pipelines, and other utilities as needed.</p>
<p>The ECOWAS Commission is thus planning a broader intervention known as the PRAIA-DAKAR-ABIDJAN CORRIDOR DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME.</p>