The cost of transportation is about 63% more expensive in Africa than in Western countries, according to an international survey made available to PANA on Monday in Paris,
The survey says the situation is linked to the shortage of infrastructure on the continent.
Jointly carried out by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the African Development Bank (AfDB), the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the UN Commission for Africa (ECA), the survey says that the proportion of roads asphalted all over the African continent is five times less than in developed countries.
“The rail network should be the key element for the transport system. But more often, it consists of single tracks starting from inside the country to the coast with several secondary corridors”, the authors of the survey say.
They, however, stress dazzling development of air transport in Africa since the decision to liberalize the continent’s air space.
“Africa is the top region in the world in terms of development of air transport, particularly since the liberalization that followed the Yamoussoukro decision approved in 1999 by African leaders,” the authors say.
According to survey, despite the implementation of the decision to liberalize Africa’s space, several countries have conceded mutual bilateral rights enabling airlines to carry passengers to third countries.
The expensive air, land, rail and maritime transport is one of the major obstacles to the development of intra-African trade which today only represents 12% of the overall trade on the continent.
