Rural Connectivity in Developing Nations: Lessons From the Field
2026-04-22 10:00 - 11:00 (America/New_York) | Go-To-Webinar, Online / Virtual
Rural access is fundamental to economic opportunity and social inclusion, yet it remains one of the most overlooked aspects of transport infrastructure. Globally, nearly one billion people still lack reliable all-season road access, limiting their ability to reach markets, schools, and healthcare. The result is predictable: rapid deterioration, seasonal isolation, high transport costs, and increased vulnerability to climate shocks. However, policy and funding discussions are slowly beginning to shift towards emphasizing rural access as an important development priority.
This webinar offers a valuable opportunity to learn from field-based experiences and gain practical strategies to improve rural connectivity. Participants will hear from professionals in both the private and non-profit sectors who are actively working to improve rural connectivity for the more than three billion people living in rural areas worldwide. Through case studies from East Africa and the Asia-Pacific region, speakers will highlight the importance of fit-for-purpose technologies, data-driven decision-making, and innovative policy frameworks in enhancing rural access and improving quality of life.
Join us to engage with industry experts, ask your questions, and strengthen your approach to delivering sustainable rural access solutions.
Learning Outcomes for the Audience

Understand the critical role of rural access in improving livelihoods, service delivery, and economic inclusion of the last mile
Appreciate the value of actionable, community-level data in prioritizing infrastructure investments for maximum impact
Recognize a range of fit-for-purpose rural access solutions, ranging from roads to trail and stone arch bridges
Learn practical lessons from East Africa and Asia Pacific on implementing climate-resilient and scalable rural access interventions.
Gain insight into how partnerships with governments and local communities can support sustainable, long-term rural access improvements.

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About the Speakers
Alex Campbell, Senior Transport Specialist – Introduction & Moderator
Alex Campbell has over two decades of international experience across Africa, the Caribbean, the Middle East, and the Asia-Pacific. Alex has led multidisciplinary teams in the planning, design, and delivery of strategic road, bridge, and transport corridor projects in some of the world’s most challenging environments. His expertise spans geotechnical and pavement engineering, drainage and flood resilience design, and the application of advanced data analytics and remote sensing to optimize infrastructure performance under changing climate conditions. Throughout his career, Alex has been instrumental in implementing practical, cost-effective solutions tailored to the realities of developing regions. He has worked extensively with government ministries, multilateral agencies, and private contractors to design and implement infrastructure that balances engineering excellence with socio-economic sustainability.
Zeevik Halber, AnyWay Solutions CEO – Case Study: The long-term impact of climate resilient roads, connecting rural areas in Papua New Guinea
Zeevik Halber was appointed CEO of AnyWay Solid Environmental Solutions in 2004 and, since then, has led the company’s development from a regional business into a multinational enterprise and world expert on Climate Resiliency for Transport Infrastructure. Zeevik is the senior executive responsible for managing the AnyWay group of companies and the General Manager of several AnyWay companies across various countries. Through long-term involvement at the management level of the Metrontario Group of Companies, Zeevik has gained multinational, multidisciplinary experience in managing large-scale businesses. Experienced in government relations at the highest levels and in the operation and growth of a wide variety of businesses at every stage of development.
Edgar Mussajjawaza – Fika Uganda Program Manager – Case Study: From trail bridge construction to an integrated approach to rural access
Edgar Mussajjawaza is a Building Economist and certified Project Management Professional (PMP) with over 13 years of experience in infrastructure development, construction supervision, and program management across East Africa. He holds a Master of Science in Construction Management and a Postgraduate Diploma in Project Management from Makerere University, as well as a Bachelor of Science in Building Economics from Kyambogo University. Currently serving as the Uganda Program Manager at Fika (formerly Bridges to Prosperity), Edgar leads the delivery of rural infrastructure initiatives that improve access for underserved communities by constructing climate-resilient pedestrian bridges. His work focuses on advancing data-driven and remote access assessment tools that inform government prioritization policies and guide high-impact infrastructure investments.

Adaptation Investment Summit for Africa 2026 (AISA 2026)
2026-07-06 - 2026-07-07 | Argyle Grand Hotel, Nairobi, Kenya, Kenya
Led by Trade Catalyst Africa, policymakers, investors and financial institutions all focused on one of the most crucial questions for climate financing: How do we actually get climate adaptation finance where it’s needed most?
Drawing on AnyWay Solutions’ practical experience using advanced technologies and data to design climate-resilient road infrastructure, and focusing on the importance of feeder and farm-to-market roads for agri-food corridors in Africa and the need for adaptation funding to flow to this local level
Panellist: Caylee Talpert
Caylee Talpert has spent her career working in emerging markets at the intersection of technology, entrepreneurship and development. Her work has spanned diverse sectors, from banking and consumer goods to agriculture, government, and infrastructure, across both Africa and Southeast Asia. She leads Corporate Growth at AnyWay Solutions, a company specializing in technology-driven solutions for climate-resilient infrastructure in LMIC countries. Prior to that, she served as Chief Business Officer (CBO) of &frnds, a high-tech company focused on emerging markets. Her work has taken her from enabling all Rwanda’s citizens to access e-government services through their mobile phones, to providing the technology platform for an agency banking network serving over 4 million low-income customers in Indonesia, to building a distribution network that served over 150,000 micro-retailers across South-East Asia. Caylee has worked closely with some of the world’s largest consumer goods companies (e.g. Coca-Cola, Unilever, P&G), financial institutions (e.g. IFC/World Bank, Asian Development Bank, local banks) and technology companies (e.g. Microsoft, Mastercard) as well as non-profits, startups, mobile operators and government ministries. Caylee holds an MSc in International Development from the London School of Economics (LSE), an MA in Politics and Sociology from Hebrew University and a business degree in Economics and Finance from the University of Witwatersrand in South Africa and teaches courses on entrepreneurship at the Technion Institute of Technology and Hebrew University.

ADB green roads webinar series
2026-07-16 08:00 - 17:00 UTC | Go-To-Webinar, Online / Virtual
Leveraging satellite data and AI in route alignment for climate resilient route planning.
Discover how Earth Observation (EO) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) are transforming the planning and design of climate-resilient roads in developing countries. This webinar will demonstrate how satellite imagery, remote sensing, GIS, and AI-driven route optimization can be used to identify feasible corridors, assess terrain and climate risks, and develop more resilient, cost-effective road alignments. Through real-world case studies and practical examples, participants will gain insight into innovative approaches that improve decision-making, reduce project risks, and support sustainable transport infrastructure development from the earliest planning stages.
Neil Dale – Lead Design Engineer
Neil Clive Dale is a Senior Road Design and Earth Observation Specialist with more than a decade of experience in climate-resilient transport infrastructure across Africa and the Pacific. He specializes in integrating Earth Observation, LiDAR, GIS, and hydrologic analysis into road planning, route alignment optimization, and feasibility studies. Neil has led the technical delivery of strategic transport projects globally and managed road rehabilitation and construction projects in Ghana, Zimbabwe, Kenya, and South Africa. His work focuses on applying innovative geospatial technologies to improve the resilience, sustainability, and cost-effectiveness of road infrastructure.
Alfer Parreño – Design Engineer

Alfer Parreno is a Civil Engineer and Road & Infrastructure Design Specialist at AnyWay Solutions. He supports climate-resilient road planning through the application of remote sensing, GIS, satellite imagery, and hydrologic modelling. Alfer has contributed to route alignment optimization and feasibility studies for major transport corridors in Papua New Guinea and has previously worked with the Department of Public Works and Highways in the Philippines on the planning and design of roads, bridges, and flood-control infrastructure. His expertise combines conventional engineering with advanced geospatial technologies to support data-driven infrastructure development.
