Mombasa – 6 December 2012
The Transit Transport Co-ordination Authority of the Northern Corridor (TTCA-NC) launched the Transport Observatory Project (TOP) today. The project was implemented with support from TradeMark Africa (TMA) and partnership with the Kenya Transporters Association (KTA). The TOP will monitor performance along the Northern Corridor through identifying total time delays from all possible causes as a means towards establishing an evidence-based regional platform that can be used by the TTCA-NC as an operational tool and by the region’s policy makers.

The delays will be analysed using a set of indicators dis-aggregated by cause, location, date, time of day as well as, define parameters such as direction of travel, nationality of vehicles and types of cargo. The data collected will be stored in a database for analysis and dissemination online at http://top.ttcanc.org and also use offline methods.

Information analysed from this process will be disseminated to partner states through various government agencies, private sector and civil society organisations and the media, with the view of informing decision making, problem solving and policy formulation towards the improvement of the Northern Corridor’s performance. Ultimately, this is expected to have an impact on improving the business environment in the region by reducing the costs of transport, the costs of doing business and leading to the improvement of livelihoods in the EAC region and for the Northern Corridor Member States.

The improved performance of the Northern Corridor, through its trade infrastructure, is critical to East Africa’s economic prosperity, as it is the main corridor through which import and export merchandise enters and exits the region. TradeMark Africa (TMA) is supporting the TTCA-NC with collaboration from the KTA to develop a tool that will continuously identify and map the various bottlenecks, including non-tariff barriers to trade along transit routes, and to create a platform that will then be used by policy makers to propose workable solutions to eliminate the identified hurdles. This platform will also be used towards monitoring the corridor performance to highlight the problems that need to be addressed, but to also identify positive changes that can be replicated for greater success.

Mr Donat Bagula, the Executive Secretary for the TTCA-NC remarked, “For this achievement, the TTCA-NC Secretariat is very excited and thankful for the co-operation received from various key stakeholders and transporters in the donation of data towards the TOP project. The Secretariat also encourages more stakeholders to participate in providing the data required in order to enhance the analysis.”

TradeMark Africa (TMA) has delivered 100 GPS kits to the KTA so that data can be collected through the KTA members to assist in developing the 25 indicators so far identified. These indicators include monitoring of time wastage along the trade routes associated with multiple stoppages, identification of the causes of these delays, qualitative and quantitative indicators to monitor node performance on the corridor (e.g. ports and border stations) as well as indicators on costs and fees charged at various points on the Northern corridor. (at the port of Mombasa, borders, weighbridges and the transit route).

This data once analysed will provide informed and evidence-based opportunities for the development and implementation of policies towards resolving these delays for cost effective operations.
TradeMark Africa (TMA)s Deputy CEO Country Programmes, David Stanton noted, “The Northern Corridor is an important transit Corridor enabling trade in East Africa. Improvement in the quality and efficiency of the corridor’s infrastructure, starting from the Port of Mombasa to the weighbridges, the pipeline, the railways and the border posts is a key and critical intervention that will lead to the reduction of costs of transportation and to lowering the cost of doing business in the region. The TTCA-NC’s Transport Observatory Project is an important mechanism that can be used to monitor corridor performance in order to highlight opportunities for further improvement to the benefit of all East Africans. The Transport Observatory will also ensure that policies passed on the Northern Corridor are based on evidence and can be monitored to see whether the problems have been resolved or not so that further corrective action can be taken. TradeMark Africa (TMA) is proud to be associated with the TTCA-NC on the development and launch of this innovative tool.

At the launch, Jane Njeru, the CEO of the Kenya Transporters Association noted, “The project will assist members of KTA to identify non-tariff barriers (NTBs) along the Northern Corridor and once they have been identified, seek solutions for resolving them. The project will also assist KTA to perform advocacy for our members from an informed perspective.” Currently, the TOP incorporates data ranging from various stakeholders’ ICT systems and Roads Surveys and the results can now be disseminated by an online web based system (http://top.ttcanc.org ) as well as a quarterly report so that key issues can be identified, discussed and be resolved in a timely and effective manner.

The established TOP framework is presently capable of monitoring, measuring and tracking up to 25 key performance indicators related on volume and capacity, transit time and delays, rates and costs, efficiency and productivity.

Transit Transport Coordination Authority of the Northern Corridor (TTCA-NC)

The Northern Corridor comprises of the transport infrastructure, facilities and services in East and Central Africa linked to the maritime port of Mombasa. These primary transport networks and facilities link the port of Mombasa in Kenya to the Great Lakes countries of Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Northern Corridor is also linked to Northern Tanzania, Southern Sudan and Ethiopia.

TTCA-NC whose Secretariat is based in Mombasa, Kenya, was established to oversee the implementation of the Northern Corridor Transit Agreement (NCTA) provisions and to safeguard the interests of the member states and corridor users. NCTA’s main objective includes enhancing and ensuring the seamless movement of trade and traffic across the region. Its signatories include the Northern Corridor member states and primary corridor users which are Kenya Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

TTCA-NC’s major objectives are to:

• To facilitate trade, the movement of persons, vehicles and goods in domestic, regional and international transport.
• To stimulate economic and social development in the territories of the contracting parties.
• To transform the Corridor into a Development corridor which, in addition to offering safe, fast and competitive transport and transit services that secure regional trade, will stimulate investment, encourage sustainable development and poverty reduction.
• To implement strategies for accelerating economic and social growth along the corridor while ensuring environmental sustainability.

To find out more please visit the TTCA-NC website at www.ttcanc.org

Kenya Transporters Association (KTA)

The Kenya Transporters Association Limited is the umbrella body of truck transporters/owners in Kenya and it’s registered under the Companies Act (Cap. 486 of Laws of Kenya). The Association was formed in 1969 and originally named Kenya Africa Road Transport Association (KARTA). It was renamed Kenya Transport Association in 1982.

The Association was formed purposefully to represent, advise and support truck transporters – in essence give transporters a forum through which they can air their grievances to various government institutions. Over the years, the Association has experienced tremendous growth in terms of membership and activities. Our core mandate being advocacy, the Association has continued to successfully engage key stakeholders in the transport sector on various issues affecting the transport business and the industry in general. We have endeavored to vigorously partake in measures aimed at eliminating bottlenecks in order to ensure maximum benefits to our members and guarantee the general health of the industry. Such measures include influencing policy formulation and industry-related legislation as well as comprehensive training programs and partnerships.

To find out more please visit the KTA website at www.kta.co.ke

Find out more about Trademark East Africa.

NOTES FOR EDITORS

To arrange for interviews please contact :
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Nelson Karanja
Communications Manager
TradeMark Africa
Tel: +254 20 4235221
Mobile: +254 731 500 596
Email: nelson.karanja@trademarkea.com
Website: www.trademarkea.com
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Aloys Rusagara
Head Transport Strategic Planning & Policy
Transit Transport Coordination Authority – NC
Tel: +254 (0)41 4470734/(0)41 2000881
Email: arusagara@ttcanc.org
Website: www.ttcanc.org
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Source: TradeMark Africa (TMA)

TradeMark Africa (TMA) is an aid-for-trade organisation that was established with the aim of growing prosperity in East Africa through increased trade. TradeMark Africa (TMA) operates on a not-for-profit basis and is funded by the development agencies of the following countries: Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands, UK, and USA. TradeMark Africa (TMA) works closely with East African Community (EAC) institutions, national governments, the private sector and civil society organisations.