First inter-ministerial meeting on the quadrilateral declaration of convergence of the legal framework for road transport in the context of the implementation of the AfCFTA

The efficiency of the corridors linking the four beneficiary countries is a key aspect for the optimal implementation of the AfCFTA, which is of paramount importance for the economic and social growth of Benin, Burkina Faso, Niger, and Togo. Considering its commitment to the implementation of the AfCFTA, Niger has taken the initiative, as leader, of convening an inter-ministerial meeting to draft a quadrilateral declaration to organize the convergence of the road transport legal framework of the partnering countries.

This initiative is based on a rationale established by the sub-regional project “Facilitating Transit, Transport and Trade in West Africa for Better Participation in Value Chains” by UNCTAD, and all the research and validation activities of existing national studies on road transport regulation carried out under this project.

Based on the confirmed willingness of the four beneficiary countries, and the acknowledged urgent need to adopt a framework of regulatory convergence, an interdisciplinary working group has been set up in each participating country to prepare the basis for the necessary dialogue to achieve such a coordinated convergence with the objective of obtaining a definitive validation at a first sub-regional inter-ministerial meeting (on transport).

The primary objective of the inter-ministerial meeting is to validate a draft quadrilateral joint declaration that summarizes the convergence criteria to be integrated in the four national legal frameworks and to approve a roadmap at the level of the 4 countries for the coordinated implementation of the relevant approved actions. On this basis, the meeting will aim to validate the areas and broad guidelines contained in the declaration on a quadripartite basis to make the road transport sector more competitive and efficient, notably by agreeing to update in a coordinated manner the 4 national regulations in particular on the following key topics:

• Definition of types of activity and occupations in road transport and intermediation
• Conditions of access to the various professions
• Rules of incompatibility between regulated professions
• Establishment of a register of professionals in the sector and rules for suspension or cancellation
• Access to the occupation of road driver
• Market access
• Conditions for the exercise of duties

It will also lay the foundations for a quadrilateral road transport agreement to make the corridors more attractive to freight through structured and trained professionals in a harmonized way.