Snippet – MAIN ACTIVITIES – ACTIVITIES RELATED TO RESULT 1

EA-SA VLM Strategy and Implementation Plan, VLM MoU and a Regional Weighbridge Location Plan have been developed and validated. EAC has passed EAC Vehicle Load Control Act in 2016. The VLM Strategy and MoU cover the following:

  • Legislation and regulations;
  • Infrastructure and equipment;
  • Enforcement and operations;
  • Institutional/organisational structures;
  • Human resources/training;
  • Public support and cooperation, and
  • Monitoring and evaluation.

These interventions need to be implemented at Member State level and some Member States will need support and assistance for this. The following activities are proposed under this programme.

1.1 Development of model legislative provisions based on the existing EAC legislative regime on VLM for promulgation at Member State level;

1.2 Definition of institutional settings at national and corridor levels and institutional capacity building;

1.3 Development of a system for monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of the harmonised VLM strategy. Monitoring will be conducted at the three levels of implementation: national, corridor (involving a cluster of countries served by each corridor), REC and Inter REC level;

1.4 Development of harmonised guidelines for designs, operations, maintenance, management, financing calibration and auditing of weighbridges,

1.5 Establishment of VLM information system and cross border VLM integration with customs and border agencies1.6 Establishment of guidelines and piloting the cross border transporters self-regulation standard and system.

Stage 1: Establish Statutory Basis

■ Regional model laws and solution development;
■ Solution Offers by Member States inclusive of the development of TRIPS and the Operator Registration Systems as per the MCBRTA;
■ Selection of the Pilot in respect of Member States that are ready to sign the MCBRTA, and
■ The establishment of the T-CBRTC and the hosting of TRIPS.

The domestication of the model legislation in the 20 participating countries and solution development as well as the establishment of the T-CBRTC and hosting of TRIPS will continue after the Stage 1 Workshop in parallel with the Stage 2 and will conclude with Stage 3 before the conducting the pilot in Stage 4.

It is recommended that the pilot should be based on a primary corridor as well as a secondary (backup) corridor that are preparing in parallel for the pilot. The secondary corridor will also provide the opportunity to preferably to include the REC(s) that are not represented in the primary corridor through participating Member States. Furthermore, the possibility is relatively high that a fatal problem or delay could be encountered by a participating Member State due to the magnitude of the transition from the current status quo to the Baseline. A delay could come from any internal or external source in relation to the domestication of the MCBRTA and VLM MoU in respect of a legislative, technical, system, operational, industry or political issue or oversight.

The secondary (backup) corridor was included within the methodology and key result activities to demonstrate the possibility and implications associated with this risk mitigation. However, the work related to the secondary pilot corridor will only be performed upon approval by of an AO that authorises the additional expenditure.

Stage 2: Institutional Capacity and Development of Systems

The Project Programme will be firmed up in Stage 2 as the decisions of the Tripartite at the Stage 1 Workshop, will lead to the establishment of the required project governance structures as required to assist the pilot member states and corridors to plan and prepare for the pilot. The same will be required for Member States that are not participating in a pilot corridor but their solution offer was adopted by the Tripartite and to be used during the pilot, i.e. development or hosting of TRIPS.
For each Pilot Corridor, a Steering Committee will be established of which the composition is to include representatives of the relevant REC Secretariats, nominated project representative(s) from the Tripartite, participating Member States and Corridor Management Institution and the Contractor. During Stage 2, a Roadmap for the transition will be determined through the Steering Committees. The Roadmap will include the key results and activities required for the transition and preparation for the pilot. The Roadmaps will be incorporated in the Project Programme with an Action Document that will determine the Project Budget and financing requirements.