Background Information for the Africa Transport Policy Programme (SSATP)

Please read the full article, Transport Policies are Key for Sustaining Economic Growth across Africa.

Background Information for the Africa Transport Policy Programme (SSATP) 

The European Commission (EC) contributes close to 60 percent of SSATP’s total budget of approximately US$ 25 million. Other donors include the African Development Bank , the Islamic Development Bank and the World Bank, in addition to Austria, France, Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. 

During its second development plan (2009-2014) the SSATP focused on three strategic areas: i) promoting comprehensive pro-poor and pro-growth transport sector strategies; ii) promoting sustainable institutional and financial arrangements for road infrastructure and rural and urban transport services; and iii) improving transit transport along selected international corridors.

The SSATP’s third plan, which officially starts in 2014 and ends in 2018, has been developed with the following strategic orientations:  increasing ownership by key stakeholders, anchoring the program in Africa, adopting a more-demand driven approach, addressing emerging issues in the transport sector and connecting with other key initiatives on the continent. 

In this next phase, the programme will be structured around three main clusters: integration, connectivity and cohesion; urban transport and mobility; and road safety. Emerging issues such as green growth and sustainable transport, governance, policy performance, and inclusive and multi-sectoral approaches for greater development impact will be mainstreamed in the clusters. 

Many of the transport issues covered by SSATP strengthen the European Commission’s efforts in the transport sector in Africa. These efforts were articulated in the 2009 decision from the European Council to support African countries in developing effective transport systems, high quality infrastructures and coordination between all modes.