The NEPAD Spatial Development Programme (SDP) has been launched in earnest with a meeting between the Northern Corridor Transit Transport Coordinating Authority (NCTTCA), Kenya Ports Authority, the NEPAD Secretariat, the Regional Spatial Development Initiatives Programme (RSDIP) Unit, the South African Department of Trade and Industry and Mintek, held on 27-28 August 2007 at the NEPAD Secretariat offices in Midrand, South Africa.

The countries involved in the Northern Corridor are Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda.

The meeting was attended by Godfrey Onyango, the Executive Secretary of the NCTTCA, Jean Kabanguka of NCTTCA, Gichiri Ndua of Kenya Ports Authority, Dave Perkins and Jurgens van Zyl of the RSDIP Unit, Paul Jourdan and Hudson Mtegha of Mintek, Phuti Makololo and Rirhandzu Mahlali of the South African Department of Trade and Industry and was chaired by Godwin Punungwe, advisor on infrastructure to the NEPAD Secretariat, specialising in transport.

The meeting was held at the request of the NCTTCA, which will lead the process of transforming the Northern Corridor into an economic development corridor as mandated by its Council of Ministers.

The purpose of the meeting was to explore how the NEPAD Secretariat and its partners could assist the NCTTCA in the transformation process.

The meeting was held against the backdrop of the recent updating of the Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and other key stakeholders by the NEPAD Secretariat and its partners on the SDP approach to the economic and infrastructure development of Africa.

At the NEPAD Infrastructure Medium to Long Term Strategic Framework (MLTSF) sectoral workshop held in Addis Ababa in July 2007, sponsored by the African Development Bank, it was agreed to proceed with the SDP at both the strategic and operational levels.

At the strategic level, the SDP Management Unit that comprises the NEPAD Secretariat and the RSDIP unit would work closely with the MLTSF study consultants in Phase 2 of the study to facilitate the incorporation of the SDP approach and indicative development corridors (DCs) in the strategies for infrastructure development of the Regional Economic Communities (RECs).

At the operational level, the Programme Management Unit (PMU) would respond to RECs that have already initiated DCs or expressed interest e.g. EAC, SADC, COMESA ; discuss with each REC and come up with action plans for the development and implementation of the SDP ; and undertake ground-truthing of the desk-top study with RECs, footprint states and other key stakeholders.

In addition, the PMU would consult with the relevant RECs, review existing DCs to identify priority infrastructure projects for further investment preparation ; and assist RECs in mobilising resources for the development and implementation of the SDP.

The NEPAD Secretariat assisted by the RSDIP unit is in the process of preparing and implementing the operational level activities of the SDP and it is in this context that the Midrand meeting was held.

A wide range of issues was discussed on the status of the project, the broad SDP methodology and applying the methodology in the Northern Corridor. The meeting agreed that the Northern Corridor has both the inherent economic potential and a large degree of political and institutional support, both of which are essential elements for the success of a development corridor.

The transformation of the Northern Corridor from a transport to a development corridor should therefore be seen as the first project implemented as part of the NEPAD Spatial Development Programme (SDP).

It was agreed at the meeting to hold a one-day conceptualisation workshop for key stakeholders in late October 2007 as part of the process of transforming the Northern Corridor into a development corridor. The purpose would be to :

 Present a Northern Corridor SDP concept and obtain consensus on the basic developmental idea ;

 Present how the SDP methodology can be applied in the Northern Corridor ; and

 Agree with key stakeholders on the basic action plan for the transformation of the Northern Corridor into a development corridor.

For the conceptualisation workshop the following was agreed on :

 RSDIP Unit to assist with workshop planning : defining the purpose, agenda, attendance etc.

 RSDIP, NEPAD Secretariat to assist with preparing inputs for the workshop.

 The RSDIP agreed to provide the NCTTCA with financial support for the workshop.

 NCTTCA to take the lead of the whole preparation and staging of the workshop.

In essence the role of the PMU (NEPAD Secretariat and RSDIP Unit) is to provide technical and management support for this Northern Corridor initiative. Source : NEPAD, september 2007