An interesting new report, which reiterates the extent of the major infrastructure investment gap that exists in Africa and highlights the need for the widest possible cooperation to help fill Africa’s major infrastructure gap, has been released.

The United Nations, the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, African governments, African civil society and the mining industry need to work together on the infrastructure challenge to achieve maximum benefit for all.

Interestingly, the Global Infrastructure Hub, a G20 initiative, calculates the infrastructure gap in ten of its ‘Compact with Africa’ countries to be $1-trillion over the next 22 years, representing a 42% investment gap, which the global organisation describes as being one of the world’s largest regional gaps.

It calculates that $2.4-trillion in investment is required in the ten countries by 2040 just to keep pace with economic growth and close infrastructure gaps, but only $1.4-trillion of this is expected to be delivered, based on current spending levels.

Of the $1-trillion investment, $415-billion is required by 2030 if these countries are to meet the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals for universal access to drinking water, sanitation and electricity.

All this should also resonate loudly with mining companies in Africa. These companies require infrastructure to function optimally and they should cooperate optimally with the infrastructure investors.

Most mining companies are forced to provide a semblance of infrastructural contribution to get their products to market and letting that be known can have the benefit of a multiplying effect with overall planning.

Fortunately, the world’s big mining companies have formed an international organisation to do things that are mutually beneficial to governments and multinational organisations working for a better economic activity in Africa.

The International Council on Mining and Metals was developed to help overcome the many challenges that will be presented in the future and, through its many influential mining company members, has something positive to offer.

Arriving at the scale of the infrastructure investment needed, along with current investment trends, is an important contribution.

According to the Annual Global Infrastructure Investor Survey 2017 by the Global Infrastructure Hub and EDHEC Infrastructure Institute-Singapore, 37% of infrastructure investors invest in emerging markets, up from 20% in 2016. Of those already investing in emerging markets, 82% want to increase their investment, which is good news.

Global Infrastructure Hub CEO Chris Heathcote makes the point that these figures demonstrate a clear desire from investors to spend more in emerging markets. However, attracting private-sector investment into African countries remains a major challenge and the key to addressing this is by encouraging investors to turn their interest into action.

Meanwhile, African governments need to set their infrastructure policies in the right direction and introduce credible governance frameworks.

Mining Weekly concurs with the view that it is opportune for African governments to develop an early record of attracting public and private capital into well-identified, selected and prioritised projects that have the potential to also be boosted by private-sector mining development.