The Harmonisation of Regulatory Frameworks of Road Transport in Africa is a groundbreaking initiative that seeks to bring together African nations to discuss and implement cohesive and streamlined policies for road transport across the continent.
Study tour to Heidelberg Traffic Control Centre on the Johannesburg-Durban highway which is the busiest section on the regional North South Corridor.
The workshop held at Birchwood Hotel in Johannesburg, South Africa, aims to foster economic development, improve road safety, and enhance the overall efficiency of road transportation in Africa by harmonizing and standardising regulations and promoting digitalisation in road transport across the continent.
Organised by the African Union Commission (AUC) in collaboration with the Transport and Transit Facilitation Programme (TTTFP), the meeting was attended by government officials, policymakers, regulators, transport experts, partners and concerned delegates from African Union Member States who came together with shared vision of improving the continent’s road transport sector. Additionally, representatives from Regional Economic Communities (RECs) African Union Commission (AU), AUDA-NEPAD, and European Union (EU) were present, further emphasizing the importance of a coordinated and unified approach to this important issue.
The workshop also included representatives from various transport corridor management organizations, who provided valuable insights into the unique challenges and opportunities associated with specific regional transport corridors in Africa. With joint support from the African Union and the European Union, this workshop highlights ongoing efforts to support infrastructural development and improved transportation systems on the African continent.
By reviewing and assessing the current regulatory frameworks and the gaps between the frameworks, the workshop has facilitated information sharing, study tours, and demonstrations of vehicle load management to identify gaps and areas for improvement. Furthermore, it has highlighted the importance of ICT systems as an integral part of the overall process to improve road transport. ICT introduces efficiency, limits opportunities for corruption and facilitate sharing of information between transport, logistics, and trade entities and operators.
Delegates at the AUC-TTTFP Workshop attentively listening to a presentation
The workshop has also fostered dialogue and cooperation among African countries and relevant institutions to harmonise regulatory frameworks and to develop strategies and action plans to manage this sector across the continent. These collective efforts will help reduce the negative impact of overloading on road infrastructure, improve overall road safety, and accelerate the harmonisation of road transport instruments, ultimately leading to the development of an integrated road transport framework for Africa. This is critical as road transport is key to facilitating the implementation of the AfCFTA, given that 80% of trade currently moves by road and AfCTA is expected to stimulate transport demand by 28%.
Delegates at the workshop pose for a group photo
The study tour to Heidelberg Traffic Control Centre on the Johannesburg-Durban highway which is the busiest section on the regional North South Corridor, also provided an avenue to enhance the understanding of the participants on how weighbridges can be standardised and implemented across the continent to minimise damage to road infrastructure and enhance road safety, which would serve as a step forward in terms of replicating best practices from countries that commenced similar practices ahead.
The Workshop has made significant strides in achieving its primary objectives paving the way for the realization of a more integrated, efficient, and sustainable road transport sector across the continent
Access to Workshop materials including various presentations and documentation on harmonising road regulatory frameworks
The African Union development Agency-NEPAD (AUDA-NEPAD) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) have launched the 3rd edition of the One-Stop Border Post Sourcebook on the margins of the Pre-TICAD event hosted at the Wanderers Club in Johannesburg, South Africa. The OSBP Sourcebook is a key resource that elaborates the One-Stop Border Post concept and provides guidelines on OSBP operations. The 3rd edition has been prepared in alignment with Agenda 2063 as Africa moves towards a single customs union through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Speaking at the launch, on behalf of the CEO of AUDA-NEPAD, Ms. Nardos Bekele-Thomas, the Head of Economic Integration, Dr. Towela Nyirenda-Jere said that the 3rd edition comes at a significant time where the Continent is on the one hand dealing with the impacts of COVID-19 on cross-border movements and on the other, considering the role of border posts in the operationalization of the AfCFTA. “Another focus is the need to incorporate lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic has affected trade and cross-border traffic, and it has required implementation of strict protocols and the setting up of social infrastructure to prevent the transmission of the virus.”, she said. The Sourcebook was launched on the margins of the pre-TICAD event themed “Towards TICAD8: Advancing Africa’s Economic Integration in the Post-Crisis era”.
Click on the link to access the Sourcebook in English and French.
The Ambassador of Japan to South Africa, H.E Norio Maruyama reminded guests that ownership and partnerships are fundamental pillars for the comprehensive development of Africa. In this regard, Japan clarified its policy on supporting NEPAD in 2003 and has continued to partner with AUDA-NEPAD through strengthened cooperation mainly in the fields of regional integration, industrial development, nutrition, private sector support and research. This cooperation is a contribution to the development of the continent through African ownership initiatives.
The Panel discussants moderated by Ms. Jennifer Susan Chiriga, AUDA-NEPAD Chief of Staff, highlighted the need to think about the future of the Continent and the need to strengthen African institutions, Infrastructure Development, and an overall focus on ‘smart partnerships’. When asked what their key takeaways would be from this session, the Resident Representative of UNDP South Africa, Mr. Ayodele Odusola said: “ We must ensure that whatever we do, we put the people at the center of the development process” . Mr George Kararach, Lead Economist at the African Development Bank highlighted in his ‘take-away’ that AfDB views AfCFTA as more than just infrastructure. ‘ We see AfCFTA as food security, as Capacity Building, health etc.”, said Kararach. “We want to see a stable and peaceful Africa”, said the Senior Vice President of JICA, Mr. Toshiyuki Nakamura.
The conversations on Africa’s response to crises, such as COVID-19 will surely continue at the 8th Tokyo International Conference on African Development in August 2022. The conference brings together African Nations, International organizations, the private sector, and civil society to deliberate on the common goal of the development of Africa.
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The challenge of access to energy has been recognised at the level of the African Union Agenda 2063 the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Goal 7 of the SDGs aims at achieving universal access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy by 2030, while Agenda 2063 Goals 1, 7 and 10 have targets for an increase of 50% in electricity generation, 50% distribution and 70% of Africans having access to electricity by 2023.
Furthermore, low levels of resilience to the threats such as COVID-19 in institutions of learning is a persistent challenge across Africa. Key among the causes of vulnerability of institutions across the continent is low productive capacity, especially a lack of access to key production drivers such as energy. Immediate resilience building interventions to respond to COVID-19 externalities are urgently required to cushion institutions of learning and rural households from anticipated severe short to long-term impacts. An effective response to the COVID-19 shock calls for simple, yet impactful, quick turn-around interventions that mitigate impacts in the short-term while building resilience in the long term.
It is in this context that this renewable energy project is an AUDA-NEPAD led response to the recommendation of the African Union High Level Panel on Emerging Technologies (APET), specially as part of the outcomes of the Dakar Policy Dialogue, to mitigate COVID-19 pandemic externalities.
Njala, in Sierra Leone, is a farming community with over 10,000 thousand inhabitants in which the Njala University campus was stablished in year 1964 with presently over 10 000 students and 220 staff devoid of basic amenities such as electricity and access to clean water. This puts pressure on the institution in terms of teaching, research development and to the women and youth of the entire community to meet up their domestic needs, including livestock production.
The university campus consists of the secretariat, students’ quarters and academic lecture auditoriums. The administrative secretariat provides essential educational services against severe capacity limitation due to lack of electricity. The campus has since been powered by a thermal generator of which the cost of operation is too high for the institution, hence the rationing of power which inhibits adequate hours of learning, thereby impacting negatively on quality of learning..
Consequent to the 100Kw energy system already delivered to Njala university in year 2021 to support access to digital health delivery services to university students, women, youth and the community of Njala at large, this additional deployment of 50Kw solar Pv energy generation aims to increase access to electricity supply. It will drive accelerated educational service delivery and institutional strengthening to Njala university in the fight against the current pandemic and beyond, while lifting academic productivity, living standards and livelihoods of the entire Njala community.
Project implementation
This 50Kw Solar PV energy generation system was awarded to Aptech Africa Limited as the executing firm in December 2021 through the Renewable Energy Unit of the Environmental Sustainability division of AUDA-NEPAD, with Mr Benjamin Akobundu as the Project Manager. It was fully completed in May 2022.
The implementation of this project was also monitored by University of Njala Project Monitoring Committee in conjunction with the Government of Sierra Leone through the Ministry of Energy. The project has also received the full acceptance of Inspection and Receiving Committee of AUDA-NEPAD.
Installed 50kw solar Pv energy system
The Battery System
Management System and Inverter
In 2021, the African Union Development Agency (AUADA-NEPAD) together with Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) offered technical advisory to Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) through a Covid-19 Call for Proposals by AUDA-NEPAD’s Continental Business Network (CBN). Following the technical advisory offered by AUDA-NEPAD and GIZ support, Cool Lion launched a demonstration site in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire to showcase the product to prospective clients, mobilized USD25.000 grant funding from the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) Foundation. The company was selected as one of the 25 finalists of the Milken-Motsepe Prize for which they receive USD10.000 to further develop and test their designs. Furthermore, Cool Lion received a EUR261.481 grant from the EU – African, Caribbean, and Pacific (ACP) Innovation Fund project on Accelerating Inclusive Green Growth through Agri-based Digital Innovation in West Africa (AGriDI). The Covid-19 Call for proposals offered technical assistance valued at EUR96.500 this comprised of a business plan, financial model, employment action plan, marketing collateral, and an opportunity to present to three prospective investors for business prospects.
Cool Lion is one of the MSMEs selected through a competitive continent-wide process and received technical advisory support to boost and improve its business prospects for investment opportunities. In addition, Cool Lion was selected as a pilot project under the Compact with Africa to receive technical assistance to mobilize financing for the project’s implementation and to carry out an employment analysis. Cool Lion contributes to eight of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, including Zero Hunger by providing access to storage means that minimize food waste and prolong the shelf-life of fresh food, Good Health, and Well-being by reducing respiratory disease-causing black carbon emissions associated with the current method of smoking fish and Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure.
Cool Lion provides sustainable, cold chain solutions through the fabrication and sale of affordable, solar-powered, refrigerated solar-powered refrigerated containers for social impact. The main target markets are fishing and horticultural produce sellers. To service these markets, Cool Lion offers a range of different container configurations with a choice of power source, temperature, and size, manufactured according to the needs of each customer. Its human-centered design process used inputs from the National Women’s Association of Fishmongering in Côte d’Ivoire (UNSCOFEPCI) which comprises 13 cooperatives and over 1,000 members.
President Uhuru Kenyatta has invited African leaders to attend the 7th Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA) week slated for February 28 to March 2, 2022 in Nairobi.
President Kenyatta, who is also a member of the NEPAD Heads of State and Government Orientation Committee, said the PIDA week provides an opportunity for stakeholders to review and reflect on the progress in the implementation of infrastructure programmes across the continent.
The Head of State spoke on Wednesday evening when he virtually attended a closed-door 39th Session of New Partnership for Africa’s Develop (NEPAD) Heads of State and Government Orientation Committee meeting.
Other African Heads of State including DRC President Félix Tshisekedi, the current Chairman of the African Union, also attended the meeting chaired by Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame.
President Kenyatta pointed out that the Nairobi infrastructure event will also enable participants to discuss ways of overcoming challenges, share lessons and advance possible solutions geared towards improving infrastructure development in the continent.
He added that during the PIDA week, Kenya will showcase its infrastructure development projects within the country and beyond including the Lamu Port, South Sudan, Ethiopia Transport (LAPSSET) Corridor Programme.
At the meeting also attended by Head of Public Service Dr Joseph Kinyua, National Treasury CS Ukur Yatani and NEPAD/African Peer Review Mechanism CEO Ambassador Samori Okiya, President Kenyatta congratulated Ms Nardos Bekele-Thomas for being appointed the new African Union Development Agency (AUDA)-NEPAD Chief Executive Officer.
President Kenyatta observed that the appointment of the new CEO was a major milestone as it injects fresh impetus in the AUDA-NEPAD, expressing optimism that the organization will continue operating with vibrancy towards achieving its goals.
President Kenyatta also praised outgoing CEO Dr Ibrahim Mayaki for steering AUDA-NEPAD to greater success.
During the meeting, it was agreed that the current NEPAD bureau will continue to serve for one year under the leadership of President Kagame.
The President appreciated the support accorded to Kenya by AUDA-NEPAD member states, saying he was proud that during the last 10 years Kenya has made substantial contribution to the organization’s achievements.
African Union Commission Chairman Moussa Faki Mahamat also spoke at the meeting that discussed the 2021 AUDA-NEPAD activity report among other development matters of interest to the continent.
AUDA-NEPAD is a development agency of the African Union established to coordinate and execute priority regional and continental development projects towards the accelerated realisation of Agenda 2063, which is Africa’s vision and action plan.
Media Enquiries: AUDA-NEPAD, Millicent Kgeledi; Millicents@nepad.org
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