COMESA-EAC-SADC TRIPARTITE TRANSPORT AND TRANSIT FACILITATION PROGRAMME

1. COMESA-EAC-SADC TRIPARTITE TRANSPORT AND TRANSIT FACILITATION PROGRAMME A female perspective SATC 2019 Abigail Asumadu-Amoah- Ladybird Logistics, Ghana

2. Content of Presentation

3. Introduction

4. Background • African transport costs are the highest in the world • Delays at border posts, low vehicle quality, policies restricting competition have significant effects on transport costs • African Union Agenda 2063 has high aspirations, inter alia to be a Continent where the free movement of people, capital, goods and services will result in significant increases in trade and investments among African countries rising to unprecedented levels, and in the strengthening of Africa’s place in global trade • Agenda 2063 recognises that the road network and well-developed ICT is necessary to achieve the aspiration by 2063 • Rural women in Africa carry the largest transport burdens in terms of transport costs and time spent waiting for transportation

5. Background: African Initiatives

6. The COMESA-EAC- SADC Tripartite Geographical Area

7. The TTTFP in relation to free trade areas • The Free trade agreements cover inter alia • Trade remedies • Non-tariff barriers • Rules of origin • Customs co-operation and mutual administrative assistance • Trade facilitation • Transit and transport facilitation technical barriers to trade • Sanitary and Phyto-sanitary measures • Dispute settlement • The TTTFP is a subset of the free trade agreements and its purpose is to facilitate trade through the harmonisation of transport policies, laws, technical requirements (standards) and integrating the supporting electronic systems

8. The baseline survey preceding the technical assistance project of the TTTFP • Baseline requirements were set for – • Institutional structure • Vehicle Load Management • Vehicle Standards • Abnormal Loads • Dangerous Goods – UN Model Regulations • Roadworthiness testing – inclusive of testing station design and equipment and the evaluation of testing stations • Driving Licences – the New UN Codes and format were used, as well as the requirement for compulsory training at registered driving schools • Voluntary compliance systems • Exchange of information • Weighbridge locations and design • The integration of electronic systems • Third Party Insurance schemes

9. Baseline survey country scores

10. The TTTFP • The Baseline Survey was and the technical assistance component of the TTTFP implementation is funded by the European Union and the programme is managed by the SADC Secretariat • The technical assistance component of TTTFP implementation was initiated in August 2017 and runs until 2021 • Its purpose is to develop and implement harmonised 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 EA-SA Region.

11. TTTFP Outcomes Electronic systems

12. Unique elements of the TTTFP outcomes • Prior agreements and protocols gave direction (the what, e.g. a single carrier permit or decriminalisation of road traffic offences) • TTTFP provides the tools to implement prior agreements and protocols

13. Examples of the TTTFP tools: Operator Registration

14. Transport Registers and Information Platform(TRIPS)- illustration of effect

15. Decriminalisation • Transgressions • Offences • Violations • Major violations carry a penalty and demerit points • Minor violations vary only a penalty • Law states explicitly that a violation is an administrative violation to be adjudicated in terms of the administrative law • For the region, penalties are stated in US$: foreigner pays in dollars, but locals pay in local currency • Payment is made electronically – cash only accepted at banking institution

16. The Female Perspective • The Gender Gap is measured by- • Economic participation and opportunity • Educational attainment • Health and survival • Political empowerment • Of the TTTFP countries, Rwanda has the 6th position in the world in relation to the closest gender gap, and Namibia the 10th. South Africa is 20th on the list, but some other TTTFP countries are far below the global average • In the TTTFP region, there are only two women transport ministers, and one permanent secretary who is a woman • The global gender gap on economic participation and opportunity is 59% while the gap in education is an overwhelming 95%

17. What causes the gender gap in the transport sector? • The Transport Sector has the second worst favourable conditions for women. (The worst is agriculture)) • ASA (Attraction-Selection-Attrition) model has been adapted to establish a “career cycle” model to identify issues facing women transport workers at every stage of the “life cycle” by the ILO

18. Women’s Career Cycle in the Transport Sector

19. Thoughts on progress • For all of the different factors -economic development, access to transport services and business amongst others, an individual country and the African Continent must have sustainable transport systems • Women will only benefit from initiatives such as the TTTFP within a sustainable transport system: all its elements need to be fully developed and supported by policy, programmes and legislation • A sustainable transport system can be likened to the human DNA – if a gene is damaged, the system malfunctions

20. A sustainable transport system

21. Women as part of the human resources “gene” • Human resources is a crucial gene of the Transport DNA • Women are under-represented in the transport human resources sector in the Tripartite Area • Botswana – women were 30% of the transport labour market in 2007 • Ethiopia – women were 11.9% of the transport labour market in 2014 • South Africa – women were 19.6% of the transport labour market in 2008 • Reasons for under representation • Ineffective government policy and legislation to support women in the workplace • Ineffective or lack of company policies supporting women in the workplace • Cultural stereotyping of women

22. Solutions • The Continental initiatives and the TTTFP, address the legislative and technological elements of the transport sector, and may enable women in rural areas to access proper transport services instead of headloading • Women need to become part of transport policy and law-making and transport planning professions to provide the female perspective • In doing so, educated women can pave the way for less fortunate women to at least access transport services to provide access to education and jobs • Visibility of women in transport jobs may increase its attraction • Involvement of women in transport jobs may lead to the improvement of working conditions if women contribute to country and company policy on women’s issues in the transport sector • Women need to practice identifying opportunities and learn to take advantage of them

23. Stories of Hope

24. Conclusion • The TTTFP, as a subset of the broader African initiatives on trade facilitation and integration, provides tools with which women in Africa can move from “headloaders” to owners of trucking companies and professionals in transport policy and planning • Women will however not benefit from the programme unless governments adopt the necessary policies to create a sustainable transport system • Increasing the percentage of women in the human resources “gene” of a sustainable transport system must be addressed by • Governments • Companies • Women identifying opportunities and taking advantage of them

25. Thank You Janette Botha Latamus Consultants janette@Latamus.co.za