Regional Transit Arrangements

1. Regional Transit Arrangements The Walvis Bay Corridor - Perspectives for a SADC Corridor Development Program Geneva, Sep 27, 2007

2. Content • SADC Corridor development program • The WBC experience • Development Context • Institutional framework • Corridor development programs 3. (WB) Lessons learnt for a regional Corridor program

3. Southern African Development Community SADC • Founded in 1992 as political union • 14 (diverse) member countries

4. SADC Regional Perspective SADC strategic objectives • Economic Growth, Regional Integration & Poverty Alleviation • SADC Secretariat embarks on Corridor approach as a development strategy to achieve its objectives • SADC: “..imperative to adopt Corridors as development strategy for the region.” • SADC consults with Corridor Groups on best practices and lessons learnt

5. SADC Regional Perspective • Network of (Development and) Transport Corridors • Aim: enhance the development of these Corridors

6. Walvis Bay Corridor • Scope • Provides a western Gateway to SADC region • Multi Corridor / country network

7. Walvis Bay Corridor • Rationale • Driven by Namibian Government after independence • Commitment to development of WB Corridor, to foster regional integration of formerly isolated Namibia Corridor development phases • infrastructure development 1990 – 2000 • Corridor facilitation as from 2000

8. Driver: Walvis Bay Corridor Group • Institutional set up • Public Private Partnership • 10 selected p & p member organizations, Namibia Ports Authority as Champion; • Management • Supported by a Secretariat with professional staff • Funded by membership contributions • Fairly even split between industry & Government

9. Driver: Walvis Bay Corridor Group • Mission • To increase the utilization of the Walvis Bay Corridor … by • facilitating the provision of enabling (regulatory & infrastructure) frameworks • engaging in marketing activities • and leading in capacity building exercises • Development agenda and program • Dedicated Corridor programs tailored to the needs of individual Corridors

10. Trans Kalahari Corridor • Scope: Links WB with Botswana and Gauteng • Framework: trilateral TK CMC; TK MoU • Focus: cross border facilitation and business development

11. Trans Caprivi Corridor • Scope: Links WB with (copper belt) in Zambia and DRC • Framework: TCC business and facilitation Cluster(s) • Focus: Cross border facilitation (OSBP) and infrastructure development

12. Trans Cunene Corridor • Scope : Links WB with southern Angola, and Angola with Gauteng (transit) • Challenge: Corridor institutional framework

13. Overall assessment • WBCG made progress towards achieving its objectives • Increase utilization of WB Corridor • Promote regional integration • Sustainability • The process produced valid lessons learnt for a regional Corridor approach

14. Guidelines (for a regional Corridor development program) Development rationale Institutional frameworks Development programs

15. Guidelines – Development rationales Transport Corridors to be • embedded in a wider national and regional development agenda • To ensure sustained commitment of Governments • based on an economic / commercial rationale: business case • Which is conditional for the viability of a Transport Corridor

16. Guidelines – Institutional framework • Overall importance • CD - complex multi modal, - sector and -national process; requires an institutional focus and a driving force • Institutional design • No “one size fits all” approach! • Regional experience suggests some “success factors”

17. Guidelines – Institutional framework – Success factors • Public private partnership set up • To mobilize both the authority of public sector and resources of private sector • Purposeful Membership • Strike balance between inclusive character and ensuring common goals and objectives 3. Organizational structure • Three tier system; representation of regional (cross border) and of national (implementation) level

18. Guidelines – Institutional framework – Success factors 4. Management capacities • Capable Secretariat • with a min of full time program coordinator 5. Sufficient and sustainable funding • Sufficient resources to allow for delivery is the main challenge • Principal options incl. membership fees, user fee, donor funding

19. Guidelines – Development program • Again: no “one size fits all” • Integrated approach • Transit facilitation • Addresses core transit problem, spc. at intermodal nodes and national borders • Infrastructure upgrade • PPP’s can make a valid trade and development argument • Marketing • Complement development efforts; inform market; feed back cycle

20. Further improvement areas (for a regional Corridor development program) • Enhance information and best practice sharing : Corridor Exchange Forum • Enhance program implementation: Rapid Response Facility

21. Improvement area: Information and best practice sharing Corridor Exchange Forum • Challenge • Despite regional experiences, Corridor Development happens in isolation • Corridor Exchange Forum • Core function: best practice sharing, consultation and cooperation among C Groups • TOR to include: web based platform, exchange forums and visiting programs, “Corridor starter pack”, backed by key resource persons

22. Improvement Area: Enhance implementation Challenge • Development efforts experience unnecessary and unacceptable delays Rapid Response Facility • Core function: Help to speedily “de-bottleneck” systems and processes • TOR to include: short term TA, utilize CMCs and/or international expertise, responsive to needs of CMCs, quick turn around time,

23. The Walvis Bay Corridor - Perspectives for the SADC region Thank You