Inadequate capacity puts key projects at risk

By James Anyanzwa

Kenya: Key regional projects earmarked for implementation under the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (Nepad) framework, a development arm of the African Union, face the risk of stalling.

This follows revelations that they face capacity constraints and lack effective synergies among member States to complete them.  Nepad Chief Executive Ibrahim Mayaki said inadequate skilled manpower for the development and maintenance of projects is a major cause of concern.

 “All these projects need to be implemented now but one of our weaknesses is the capacity to implement them,” he said. “When we develop roads and the railway system, we need people with skills to maintain them.”

Core areas

Dr Mayaki said Nepad’s success hinges on its comprehensive framework on projects covering key sectors such as agriculture, infrastructure, environment and Science and Technology. “All these frameworks have been adopted by the heads of State but we have challenges in terms of capacity and synergies between countries. We need to ensure they are implemented,” Mayaki told a media briefing in Nairobi Monday. “We still have challenges of implementing the projects but it is different from the way it was 20 years ago.”

Among projects being implemented under Nepad framework in Kenya include African Peer Review Mechanism, Comprehensive African Agricultural Development Programme, climate change and natural resource management.

Others are infrastructure and regional integration, human development and gender, youth and ICT. Mayaki said African leaders have already embraced domestic resource mobilisation, reducing over-reliance. Devolution and Planning Cabinet Secretary Anne Waiguru said Nepad has not developed appropriate monitoring and evaluation framework for its programmes, adding that the agency’s offices must be strengthened.

She however said Kenya remains committed to the African Union-Nepad agenda.

“The government’s Vision 2030 projects were conceived through the Nepad initiative,” she said.