Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Serah Makondesa Chilora
Published on 2024-03-19 08:11:20
Secretary to the Treasury Betchani Tchereni has expressed concern over the financial burden of poor infrastructure on African budgets, emphasizing that countries are spending significant amounts of money on repairing infrastructure that did not meet quality standards. He urged engineers in the country to focus on building durable infrastructure to promote construction rather than reconstruction.
Tchereni made these comments at a meeting of the African Roads Maintenance Funds Association (ARMFA) Southern African Development Community (Sadc) Focal Group in Blantyre, which is a three-day event bringing together delegates from nine countries.
He highlighted the impact of extreme weather conditions, often caused by climate change, on the deterioration of infrastructure. Tchereni stressed the importance of constructing robust infrastructure, such as roads, that can withstand these conditions in order to prevent constant regression and costly reconstruction efforts.
In the case of Malawi, Tchereni disclosed that approximately $900 million (around K1.8 billion) is needed for the reconstruction of infrastructure damaged by Tropical Cyclone Freddy, which struck the country on March 11 last year. The cyclone not only caused significant damage to infrastructure but also resulted in loss of life and property worth billions of Kwacha being washed away.
The cost of reconstruction following natural disasters poses a significant challenge for countries like Malawi, which often struggle to generate sufficient revenue from exports. Tchereni emphasized the importance of proactive measures to strengthen infrastructure resilience and mitigate the financial impact of such events.
Nkekeletse Makara, Chief Executive Officer of Lesotho Roads Fund and Chairperson of ARMFA Sadc Focal Group, also underscored the detrimental effects of climate change on infrastructure worldwide. He emphasized the need for governments to support Roads Funds entities and prioritize sustainable infrastructure development.
The conference, held under the theme ‘The Impact of Legal Frameworks and Climate Change on The Sustainability of Road Funds’, aims to address the challenges posed by climate change and inadequate legal frameworks on the sustainability of road infrastructure funding.
Overall, Tchereni’s remarks serve as a call to action for African countries to prioritize the construction of resilient infrastructure that can withstand the impact of climate change and reduce the financial burden of frequent repairs and reconstructions. By investing in durable infrastructure, countries can foster economic growth, promote development, and improve overall resilience to natural disasters.
Read the original article on The Times
