Brussels, 15/01/2013 (Agence Europe) - The efficiency of aid granted by the European Commission to countries in sub-Saharan Africa to guarantee the sustainability of the road network in the region leaves much to be desired, according to a Court of Auditors report published on Tuesday 15 January. This special report (no 10712), “The European Development Fund (EDF) contribution to a sustainable road network in sub-Saharan Africa”, is based on the inspection of around 2,400 kilometres of roads financed by the European Development Fund (EDF) in six ACP countries (Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Tanzania and Zambia). The audit focused on the technical, financial and institutional viability of the road infrastructure of 48 programmes financed by the EDF (8th, 9th and 10th EDF) since 1995.
The Court of Auditors concluded that: - the endeavours of the six countries are insufficient for ensuring the sustainability of the road infrastructure and that despite a increase in spending on road maintenance in all the countries, the spending remains insufficient, mainly because national budgets give priority to the repair and modernisation of the road network rather than its maintenance; - most of the countries have not shown sufficient commitment to implementing the measures to efficiently reduce the incidence of the overload of vehicles on the length of life of the roads and on the maintenance costs; - most of the asphalt roads in the region are designed to last 15 years, on condition that standard maintenance be carried out. After this time, the roads must be renovated. However, their length of life could be raised from 15 to 20 years, or even more, if resurfacing was carried out every 8-10 years, the Court of Auditors stated.
To increase the efficiency of European aid, the Court of Auditors therefore recommends the Commission better target EDF resources and make better use of the conditions included in its programmes, to make better use of the political dialogue with the governments of the partner countries concerned, and to make better use of technical cooperation.
The audit reveals that the Commission's efforts to promote the adoption and application of the necessary reforms to remove the obstacles to implementing a sustainable road network in sub-Saharan Africa are only partly effective. The way the Commission uses the conditions to which its financial support is attached produces a moderately stimulating effect, which has repercussions on the political dialogue where the Commission does not fully exploit possibilities, although it has enabled some progress to be made in certain areas, especially with regard to the institutional framework and the funding of road maintenance. The technical cooperation financed by the Commission had less success than was expected.
The Court of Auditors highlighted that roads are essential for regional integration, economic growth, social development, the efficiency of public administration and security. In sub-Saharan Africa, the transport of travellers and goods takes place principally by road (over 80% of the total transport for goods and services), and transport needs a rapid increase.
The Commission is one of the sponsors for the road sector in sub-Saharan Africa, and road transport is by far the most funded sector by the EDF in most countries in the region (€7.4 trillion was committed between 1995 and 2011). (AN/transl.fl)