SA and AfDB Launch Ubuntu Initiative to Fast-Track Cross-Border Infrastructure

The National Treasury of South Africa and the African Development Bank Group (AfDB) have taken a bold step toward regional economic integration with the launch of the “Ubuntu Initiative”—a legacy project designed to accelerate the development and delivery of cross-border infrastructure across Africa. This marks a significant milestone under South Africa’s G20 Presidency, reflecting a growing consensus that infrastructure is a key driver for inclusive growth, continental integration, and global competitiveness.

Laying the Foundations: The Ubuntu Approach and the G20 Toolkit

At the heart of the Ubuntu Initiative is a practical Toolkit for Developing Cross-Border Infrastructure, one of South Africa’s flagship deliverables as co-chair of the G20 Infrastructure Working Group. Developed in partnership with the African Development Bank, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, and the World Bank, the Toolkit aims to help African countries and regions address the persistent obstacles—planning, financing, implementation, and management—that have long stymied major regional projects.

By leveraging collective expertise and lessons learned, the Toolkit is envisioned as a hands-on guide for African policymakers and investors to create a new wave of transformative, investment-ready infrastructure projects that transcend national boundaries.

A Pan-African Gathering: First Consultative Meeting in Pretoria

The first consultative meeting, held in a hybrid format in Pretoria, brought together senior officials from 15 African countries, the African Union Commission, all eight AU-recognised Regional Economic Communities (RECs), and the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD). These stakeholders represent the engines of Africa’s integration agenda.

The gathering provided a vital platform for sharing perspectives on how the Ubuntu Initiative can be strengthened and tailored for the continent’s complex realities. Participants were united in their support for the initiative, highlighting its potential to unlock economic opportunities, foster peace, and build resilience against challenges such as climate change and post-pandemic recovery.

Four Pillars for Transformation

The Ubuntu Initiative is structured around four interlocking pillars:

1. Data: Recognizing the importance of accurate information, this pillar focuses on updating Africa’s cross-border infrastructure gap in the wake of COVID-19 and amidst changing regional dynamics. The goal is to provide the evidence base needed for smart investment decisions and climate-resilient planning.

2. Pipeline Generation: This pillar is about identifying and prioritizing transformative cross-border projects, ensuring a robust pipeline that attracts private capital. By focusing on financial structuring and readiness, the initiative seeks to mobilize resources and fast-track project delivery.

3. Governance Concilium: Governance and capacity are critical. The initiative will establish an expert advisory platform—known as the Governance Concilium—to provide end-to-end support, capacity building, and technical advice, ensuring projects benefit from best practices in oversight, transparency, and efficiency.

4. Innovative Financing: Africa’s infrastructure needs are immense, and traditional funding alone will not suffice. This pillar champions innovative instruments such as public-private partnerships (PPPs), infrastructure bonds, and guarantees. Multilateral Development Banks are called upon to de-risk investments and catalyze private sector involvement, while advocating for increased capital in Africa’s development finance institutions.

Building on Existing Strengths and Avoiding Duplication

Participants stressed the importance of leveraging existing tools, methodologies, and capacities to avoid duplication and maximize efficiency. The Ubuntu Initiative will consolidate and scale up proven mechanisms—like the NEPAD Infrastructure Projects Preparation Facility Special Fund and the Infrastructure Consortium for Africa—while using existing platforms to gain operational credibility with global partners.

Vision: A Connected, Prosperous, and Peaceful Africa

The Ubuntu Initiative aligns with the Pan African vision of “An integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa, driven by its own citizens.” By accelerating cross-border infrastructure, the initiative aims to unlock new economic corridors, expand trade, enhance energy security, and enable more inclusive growth.

The approach is rooted in ubuntu—a South African philosophy of shared humanity and mutual support—underlining the belief that Africa’s future will be determined by cooperation and solidarity among its people and nations.

Next Steps: Toward Action and Implementation

The momentum from the Pretoria meeting will be carried forward as stakeholders work to translate commitments into a detailed action plan. The next milestone will be a broader engagement scheduled alongside the G20 Infrastructure Working Group meeting in September 2025, where the Ubuntu Initiative will be presented to an even wider audience.

South Africa’s National Treasury, in its role as G20 Finance Track co-chair, will continue to lead the Infrastructure Working Group, ensuring that Africa’s priorities and innovations shape the global infrastructure agenda.

The African Development Bank Group, as co-author of the Toolkit and long-time champion of regional integration, will play a central role in supporting the initiative’s rollout.

A New Era for African Infrastructure

The Ubuntu Initiative is poised to become a game-changer for cross-border connectivity and economic integration in Africa. With strong political backing, practical tools, and collaborative spirit, it offers a pathway toward a continent where borders are bridges, not barriers—and where infrastructure underpins a more prosperous, peaceful, and resilient Africa.