Africa50 Senior Director Outlines How Infratech Can Spur Economic Development

During a panel on Advancing the SDGs through Sustainable Infrastructure in the COVID-19 Era organized by Devex and KPMG, Senior Director for Strategy and Investor Relations Opuiyo Oforiokuma highlighted how Infratech is helping infrastructure development and economic growth. The event also explored the role of InfraTech in improving the COVID public health and economic response by boosting investments in innovative last-mile connectivity solutions, increasing automation and electrification, and fostering new business models that mitigate the pandemic’s negative economic and social impacts. Panelists explained how to leverage the opportunities InfraTech presents to build-back-better and help push progress on the SDGs in the COVID era and beyond, and how this can support the provision of public service delivery.

The panel was moderated by Raj Kumar, President and Editor-in-Chief, Devex. Oforiokuma was joined by Richard Threlfall, Global Head of Infrastructure at KPMG, Morgan Landy, Senior Director, Global Infrastructure and Natural Resources at IFC, and Susan Goeransson, Director, Infrastructure Europe, Sustainable Infrastructure Group at EBRD

Background:

Infrastructure and technology, or InfraTech, not only improves the efficiency and sustainability of infrastructure – it can also create new investment opportunities in high-impact projects and improve economic efficiency to ultimately reduce public spending. And in a world currently impacted by COVID-19, InfraTech can also provide valuable tools for governments to respond to this dual public health and economic crisis. Managing the pandemic recovery and efforts to “build back better” will require unrivaled partnership and investment. The success of this endeavor will depend on our ability to make InfraTech and private capital work for the Sustainable Development Goals. The G20 has already highlighted the importance of infrastructure as a driver of economic prosperity and for strong, sustainable, and inclusive growth and development. However, many low- and middle-income countries still face a persistent infrastructure gap.

Categories: Events, Media Coverage