EAC- JICA study on harmonization of vehicle overload control laws and regulations in the community

ARUSHA, Tanzania, February 7, 2011/African Press Organization (APO)

The first stakeholders’ meeting on the Study to harmonize Vehicle Overload Control Laws and Regulations in the East African Community is taking place on 7-8 February 2011 at the Mt. Meru Hotel in Arusha, Tanzania. The meeting, which is being organized by the EAC Secretariat in collaboration with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is meant to validate the study findings. It is being attended by stakeholders from all the five Partner States including the private sector, other cooperating Regional Economic Communities and the development partners.

The study on the harmonization of axle load control in the EAC is one sub component of the Transport component of the East Africa Trade and Transport Facilitation Project (EATTFP). The study aims at making proposals and recommendations on the harmonization of various laws and regulations in the EAC that currently govern the implementation of the axle load control. The study recommendations will be benchmarked with the procedures and regulations on axle load control in the neighboring sub regions and best practices in other parts of the World.

The issue of the application of different procedures and basis on axle load control has been raised as a major challenge at the past EAC Ministerial Council Meetings and EAC Secretariat has been mandated by Council to fast track the study.

With the support of JICA, the study is being executed by a team of consultants led by a Japanese firm PADECO. The Study Team commenced its work in Arusha on 17 of January 2011 with a kick-off meeting with the officials from the EAC Secretariat. The first Task Force Meeting with a select number of Partner States experts was held on 18 January 2011 to consider the Teams Inception Report.

The Study Team has now visited all the Partner States for the initial data and information collection and fact finding. The first stakeholders’ meeting is therefore being held on 7 and 8 of February 2011 at Mt. Meru Hotel in Arusha to validate the study findings thus far.

SOURCE: East African Community (EAC)