ICA’s Areas of Focus
Enhancing coordination, increasing knowledge and sharing information are key aspects of the ICA Secretariat’s work. In addition to engagement through the 2016 ICA Annual Meeting, the Secretariat’s activities in the transport sector during 2016 included:
Completion of the 2nd edition of the One Stop Border Post (OSBP) Sourcebook, which was first published in 2011. The OSBP Sourcebook project was an initiative of the Transport Sector Platform of the ICA and was funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), as lead development partner of the Platform, in close cooperation with the East African Community. The Sourcebook, an operational guide to the OSBP concept, covers issues such as legal & regulatory frameworks, simplification & harmonisation of border procedures, physical border post facilities and making best use of ICT.
Participation in a two-day meeting of experts in Addis Ababa in March 2016, hosted by the UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), which focussed on how to foster growth in tourism in Africa through the aviation sector, to take advantage of the growth in global travel for tourism. The invitation to the ICA to participate followed publication in December 2014 of major study commissioned by the ICA titled Opening Up Aviation Services in Africa, which looks at how African stakeholders could address the next steps in promoting efficient African aviation services, and how best to overcome barriers to the expansion of effective aviation services across the continent.
Organisation of a one-day workshop at the African Development Bank (AfDB) in Abidjan in September 2016 to discuss the findings of three important ICA-supported transport studies. The workshop (which was attended by AfDB officials, field officers, representatives from the private sector and officers from the ICA Secretariat) exchanged ideas on three transport studies supported by the ICA - on opening up aviation services in Africa, on urban transport development opportunities in five African cities – Accra, Addis Ababa, Dakar, Dar es Salaam and Lagos, and on trade facilitation assessing current transport and trade challenges in the West African Monetary Union (UEOMA) region.
Publication of a summary of a major study into urban transport development in Sub-Saharan Africa. Commissioned by the ICA, the study identifies opportunities for investment to improve sustainable urban transport and mobility in five African cities – Accra, Addis Ababa, Dakar, Dar es Salaam and Lagos. The Diagnostic Study and Project Development/Investment Pipeline for Urban Transport in Sub-Saharan Africa seeks to support and assist cities in overcoming urban mobility challenges. It provides an understanding of the urban transport development landscape in the five cities and seeks to identify potential opportunities for investment and support in improving sustainable transport and accessibility.
Sponsoring the 6th Africa Water Week and the 10th General Assembly of the African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW), which took place in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania, from 18 to 22 July 2016. A key outcome from the meeting was the adoption, by over 30 African water ministers and delegations from over 50 African countries, of a roadmap aimed at achieving sustainable and universal access to safe water and sanitation across Africa, through improving efficiency and transparency while creating a conducive investment climate.
During 2017 the ICA Secretariat’s work in the transport sector will include:
Workshops in Ethiopia, Ghana, Senegal, Tanzania & Nigeria to identify opportunities for investment to improve sustainable urban transport and mobility in five of Africa’s fastest-growing cities. The first workshops took place in Addis Ababa and Accra in March 2017; workshops are also envisaged for Dakar, Dar-es-Salaam and Lagos. Discussions will focus on the ICA-commissioned Diagnostic Study and Project Development/Investment Pipeline for Urban Transport in Sub-Saharan Africa, which looks at urban transport challenges in the five cities.
Identify a ‘pipeline’ of tangible and viable projects that address significant urban transport challenges in the five cities, and which could be implemented in the near to medium term. These projects could have considerable and sustainable impact on urban mobility in the five cities, while also generating substantial national and regional economic benefits. The workshops will disseminate the results of the study to policy makers, transport operators, the private sector and other potential investors to enable them to consider investment opportunities.
Publication of the 2nd edition of the One Stop Border Post (OSBP) Sourcebook, which was first produced in 2011. The Sourcebook is an operational guide to the OSBP concept and covers issues such as legal & regulatory frameworks, simplification & harmonisation of border procedures, physical border post facilities and making best use of ICT.