The key issues involved in the development of Africa's transport infrastructure as a major factor in the continent's economic growth will be identified for discussion and action  at the second annual NEPAD Transport and Infrastructure Summit 2010 and Africa Expo  on 13-15 October at the Gallagher international  convention centre in Midrand, north of  Johannesburg. Other infrastructure sectors will also be under the spotlight, including energy, water and ICT.

"The need for economic growth to match Africa's population growth is putting pressure on all forms of commercial transport, on roads, railways, air and on the sea ports," said summit director Tanitha Jolly.

The summit, which is endorsed by the African Union, is a major effort to prioritise and promote infrastructure development across the continent against the backdrop of a recently published World Bank report which blames poor infrastructure for inefficiencies and wastage costing Africa billions of dollars a year.

Government leaders, policymakers and experts from Africa and overseas will come together with top executives from the private sector, industry decision-makers, investment bankers and other stakeholders  to discuss the continent's most pressing infrastructure needs.

"Road and rail construction in the cross-border trade corridors as well as operation and ongoing maintenance are of major concern for the representatives of the regional economic communities," said Jolly. "And the development of facilities at the main harbours affect everybody.

"The need for investment and the opportunities for investment are enormous and will be carefully scrutinised at the summit by executives from the donor agencies and investment banks ," she said.

Presentations on possible solutions to immediate and long-term infrastructure needs will be made by international experts, leading the way for discussions at sector-specific parallel sessions where delegates can debate and seek consensus, exchange ideas and experiences.

The summit will also include the NEPAD Transport Infrastructure Projects of Excellence Awards 2010 where projects are recognised and honoured for their contribution to the future of the  continent in line with the objectives of NEPAD and the African Union.

Delegates at the summit regard it as a "must" to visit the showcase Africa Transport, Trade and Infrastructure Exhibition (ATTIEX), where Africa's latest technologies, products and services are all on display.

A special business networking service for delegates, Meetings Direct, which was introduced with great success at the 2009 summit will be available once again.  Meetings Direct sets up one-on-one meetings for delegates with similar business interests,enabling them to start immediate discussions without the usual effort of conference networking.