What: High Level Discussion on Regional infrastructure and opportunities for private sector investment in Africa. 

Who: Africa’s top policy makers attending the Annual Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association in Lagos, Nigeria, will attend the session on transboundary infrastructure that is being hosted by the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA). 

Speakers: 
• Ms. Uzo Madu, EU-Africa Communications, “What’s in it for Africa” – Moderator 
• Prof. Emmanuel Nnadozie, Executive Secretary of the African Capacity Building Foundation, Harare– Keynote Speaker 
• Mr. Akshai Fofaria, Partner, Pinset Mason 
• Prof. Sylvain Boko – Principal Regional Advisor, Head of Development Planning and Statistics, ECA 
• Prof. Makane Mbengue, Professor of Law, University of Geneva 
• Mr. Adeyinka Adeyemi, Head of Regional Integration and Infrastructure Cluster, ECA 

When: 24 August, 2017 from 9 am to 10:30 am 

Location: Landmark Centre, Lagos, Nigeria 

On Thursday August 24, the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) will lead discussions at the on-going Annual Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association, on transboundary infrastructure in Africa and how the private sector can get involved. 

This follows the 2014 summit on financing infrastructure in Africa that was held in Dakar, Senegal, to mobilize stakeholders around efforts by the African Union (AU) and its New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) programme to accelerate the implementation of priority regional infrastructure projects. 

Since then the ECA and its partners have developed a framework to harmonize different African laws and regulations in a bid to lure investors into transboundary infrastructural development on the continent. The Model Law on Transboundary Infrastructure Projects, that has been developed by ECA experts and their partners to develop adequate private sector interest in such enterprises, will be adopted by African leaders in January. 

The ECA will lead this discourse to share with Africa’s Attorneys Generals, lawyers and government advisors attending the conference benefits to be derived from regional integration. Panelists will lead discussions on political, legal and policy issues which need to be addressed to achieve regional integration through broadening intra-regional infrastructure. 

All panelists will be available for interviews.