Northern Corridor Executive Committee directs Inland Waterways, Import-Export Imbalance Surveys
The NCTTCA Executive Committee (EC) has directed the Northern Corridor Secretariat to engage the Member States to address the trade imbalance between exports and imports and promote the inland water mode of transport in the region.
The 50th EC meeting took place online from 25th to 27th January 2021. Anchored under the theme: “Towards a Resilient, Smart and Responsive Corridor for Trade and Transport Logistics,” the meeting sought to present and discuss the progress reports of the Northern Corridor Technical Programs and assess the implementation status of the directives and recommendations made during the previous Policy Organs meeting held in July 2020.
Members of the Executive Committee commended the Northern Corridor Secretariat and the Chairperson for the initiatives undertaken to mitigate some of the challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Members of the Executive Committee during the 50th EC Committee Meetings held online from 25th to 27th January 2021
In the last half-year, the NCTTCA undertook several programmes despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. More specifically, the Secretariat saw increased automation of data collection and transmission with stakeholders such as KPA, KRA, KeNHA, RRA, and OBR. Shared data complemented by surveys conducted and mobile data collection from drivers enabled compilation of different performance reports, including a joint Northern and Central Corridors report.
In its endeavour to transform the Corridor into a resilient, smart, and seamless transport-oriented development corridor, under COVID-19, the Secretariat has been convening a fortnight meeting with regional operations stakeholders to address specific facilitation challenges brought about by the pandemic. Unresolved issues were escalated for a way forward under the Tripartite framework. The Secretariat also surveyed the conditions and potential for the use of the Naivasha ICD to reduce the cost of transport in the Northern Corridor region.
Speaking during the online meeting, the Chairperson of the Executive Committee, Dr. Margaret Mwakima, Principal Secretary State Department for Regional and Northern Corridor Development in the Ministry of East African Community and Regional Development, Kenya, lauded the NCTTCA for its efforts in ensuring fluid transit transport while curbing the spread of Coronavirus disease.
NCTTCA also organised a retreat for drafting the Northern Corridor Black Spots Management Guidelines (NC- BSMG) on infrastructure development. To promote business opportunities for private sector investments, the Secretariat spearheaded the identification of facilities with amenities similar to roadside stations for proposal to designate as RSS.
The Member States tremendously reduced the Non-Tariff Barriers along the Northern Corridor. However, some issues require regional intervention, including the disparity in levying Road User Charges by the EAC Partner States, gaps in exchange of information used in the clearance of internationally traded among the Member States under the Single Customs Territory, and geo-fencing of all transit sections linking the Central and Northern Corridor to support tracking of goods from origin to destination.
Port of Kisumu in the Lake Victoria, Kenya
As a way forward, the EC directed NCTTCA to engage the Member States in addressing the imbalance of trade by encouraging free trade and value addition trade hubs along the Corridor and promoting inland water mode of transport. The Secretariat has currently collected information regarding Ports and Inland Waterways from the East African Community (EAC) platform for Lake Victoria’s development.
The Secretariat will work with member countries to mobilise the Corridor infrastructure projects and work with member countries with established PPP units to assist the other members with legislation and capacity building.
The EC Chair urged Member States and Stakeholders to increase coordination and cooperation in dealing with the integration of information systems; harmonisation and simplification of documents, processes, and procedures required for trade and mutual recognition of licenses, certificates, insurance, and other transport trade-related documents.