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West and Central Africa

West and Central Africa

Country Focus:

Welcome to IFRTD West and Central Africa Region

Our Members in West and Central Africa

Membership of the WCA region of IFRTD is comprised of individual and institutional members, drawn from a diversity of sectors and backgrounds: academics, research institutes, practitioners, CSO members, civil servants, donors, etc. They can be organised through an NFG (National Forum Group) or act as individual members. Their overall commitment to the Forum and its activities varies from one to another, with the variety of different inputs contributing to a rich and lively regional network.

IFRTD members observe labour based road construction in Burkina Faso during a regional IFRTD Workshop.

The West and Central Africa region of the International Forum for Rural Transport and Development (IFRTD) encompasses this geographical area and also embraces Madagascar. The Forum was introduced in this region during the late 1990s, through various networking events and regional research programmes. Working towards improving the visibility of IFRTD and the issues that the network promote, particularly in countries where IFRTD has not yet managed to be present, remains a challenge. To date however the Forum has maintained working partnerships with, amongst others - SDC, Skat, World Bank, IFAD, Universities (Dschang and Yaoundé in Cameroon), DANIDA, and National Networks (NFGs) affiliated to IFRTD.

A French language email listserv maintained by the IFRTD Secretariat contributes towards consolidating the links between IFRTD members in the region and all members receive our French language print publications and a monthly email newsletter (Network News). Meanwhile IFRTD members are working through the NFG in RD Congo to actively engage with the media and spread the message of improving rural access and mobility to remote audiences.

Thematic areas with regional interests (identified during the 2009 regional meeting held in Cotonou, Benin) include the following, in relation to rural transport: decentralisation, safety and security, agriculture and livelihoods, labour based approaches, rural roads funds for construction and maintenance, vulnerable groups, rural economy. The revival of all these areas of common interest is the responsibility of all the members, with the permanent support of the regional coordinator.

To find out more about IFRTD in this region and the activities that you can get involved in please contact us.

Guy Kemtsop

Guy Augustin Kemtsop
IFRTD Regional Coordinator (West and Central Africa)
Email: guy.kemtsop@ifrtd.org
P.O. Box: 5769 Douala, Cameroon

Tel. +237 99 94 30 78 / 75 24 94 18