THE East African Community (EAC) will join other regional economic communities for a Tripartite Transport and Transit Facilitation Programme (TTTFP) validation workshop for cross border road transport agreements, model laws and regulations in Eastern and Southern Africa slated for Addis Ababa, Ethiopia next week.

TTTFP’s goal is to assist EAC, the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa(COMESA) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) member states to harmonise road transport laws, policies, regulations, standards and systems.

Funded by the European Union (EU), the programme is coordinated by a Programme Management Unit hosted by SADC Secretariat on behalf of the Tripartite.

According to a statement released by the EAC Secretariat, the programme is relevant for the Agenda 2030 as it not only contributes primarily to the progressive achievement of Sustainable Development Goal number nine but also promotes progress towards the goal.

This does not imply a commitment by the Member States of SADC, COMESA and EAC benefiting from this programme.

The overall strategic objective is to facilitate the development of a more competitive, integrated and liberalized regional road transport market in the East and Southern African region.

The project purpose is to develop and implement harmonized road transport policies, laws, regulations and standards for efficient cross border road transport and transit networks, transport and logistics services, systems and procedures in the East and Southern African region.

Target participants in the workshop are experts from 21 beneficiary member states representing Ministries and Government Agencies.

Fifteen other regional subsidiary organisations with a mandate that covers cross border road transport and trade facilitation have also been invited to participate in the four day workshop.

Also in attendance will be International Cooperating Partners funding and or implementing complementary programmes. The three regional economic communities first launched the TTTFP during the first meeting of the tripartite Sectoral Committee of Ministers of Infrastructure in Dar es Salaam in October last year.

Source Daily News

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