Identification, characterisation and ranking of strategic corridors in Africa

In the context of the 2021-2027 EU programming exercise, the identification and prioritisation of key strategic corridors in Africa, and the focus on their development, is an opportunity to deepen the Africa-EU partnership from a "policy first" perspective. In this context, JRC and DG INTPA have initiated a project on "Strategic Corridors and Urban Systems in Africa" (CUSA). This report describes methods and outcomes of the first phase of the CUSA project, herein referred to as CUSA-1. By employing more than 140 quantitative indicators, the project identified 55 strategic corridors along four policy scenarios: Strengthening Europe-Africa connectivity; Human development & peace and security; Green Deal; and Sustainable growth and jobs. A shortlist of 11 strategic corridors was obtained by analysing potential trade-offs across the four scenarios, focusing on 32 indicators related to economic welfare, equity, social inclusion, impact on the environment and impact on vulnerable groups. The 11 recommended corridors were formally unveiled in the conclusions of the EU-African Union Summit on 17th – 18th February 2022. The second phase of CUSA (CUSA-2) aims to identify a range of specific areas of interventions for each of the selected strategic corridors, looking at - but not limited to - transport performance, socio-economic aspects, logistics and trade development, and environmental impact.