THIRD SESSION OF THE AFRICAN UNION CONFERENCE OF AFRICAN MINISTERS OF TRANSPORT (CAMT)

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, April 3, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — THIRD SESSION OF THE AFRICAN UNION Conference OF AFRICAN MINISTERS OF TRANSPORT (CAMT) MALABO, EQUATORIAL GUINEA / 07 – 11 April 2014

What: The third session of the conference of African Ministers of Transport

When Experts meeting 7th -8th

Ministerial meeting 10th -11th

Where: Ciudad de Sipopo, Malabo II, Equatorial Guinea

Theme “Speeding-up Transport Program Delivery for Facilitating

Africa’s Economic Growth”

Who: African Union Commission (AUC)

Objectives:

 To review the implementation of the various sub-sector plans of action, target specific outcomes, and identify constraints as well as new challenges to facilitate rapid implementation of transport development activities.

 Provide strategic direction to the AU Commission and all stakeholders on the appropriate actions to take for a coherent development of the transport sector on the continent.

 Elect a new Bureau to manage its activities during the period from 2014 to 2015

Participants:

 African Ministers responsible for Transport

 Senior officials of ministries and agencies responsible for transport regulation of member states of the African Union

 Heads of African regional and continental transport specialized institutions

 CEOs of national authority of road, port facilities, airports and railways

 African Union Commission

 NEPAD Planning and Coordination Agency

 Regional Economic Communities (RECs)

 African Development Bank

 United Nation Economic Commission for Africa

 International technical organizations

 Regional and international financial organizations

 Various development partners

Background:

The first strategic plan of the Commission of the African Union, covering the period 2004 to 2007 provided a strong impetus on infrastructure development as a priority in its efforts to accelerate socio-economic development and integration of Africa. In that context, the transport sector has been considered as important means to establish whether special and sectorial linkages essential to achieving growth and continental integration desired. Thus a “Linking Africa” (Africa network) special thematic program was formulated within the framework of the Strategic Plan, with transport as a major component.

The transport sector continued enjoying a priority status when the Strategic plan of the AU commission entered its second phase (2009-2012). The third Strategic Plan from 2014 to 2017 gave priority to the implementation of the program of infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA) which covers the sectors of Transport, Energy, ICT and Trans-Boundary Waters.

Efforts to improve infrastructure and transport services have been developed for several decades at the national, regional and continental levels. However because of the huge resource requirements and weak economies, most countries have not been able to develop transport infrastructure that would enable them to meet their development needs.

Despite significant progress made in the transport sector in general, the situation of the transport industry in Africa has not changed much. Transport costs in Africa are among the highest in the world, which obviously undermines the competiveness of African products in local and international markets. Transport costs in terms of high freight rates, delayed delivery fees, freight losses and missed opportunities. This situation is caused by mainly by inadequate, poor quality and poorly functioning transport infrastructure and related services.

The conferences resulted in the organization of the first session of the Conference of African Ministers of Transport, which took place from 21 to 25 April 2008 in Algeria. It was a historic conference that established the CAMT as a statutory conference of the African Union.