The Committee of Ministers responsible for Transport and Meteorology from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) met on 7 October 2011 in Centurion, South Africa to review progress in the implementation of the transport and meteorology programmes and projects as espoused by the SADC Protocol on Transport, Communications and Meteorology. Ministers also launched the SADC Road Safety Awareness Campaign in support of the United Nations Decade of Action on Road Safety 2011 to 2020.
The meeting was attended by Ministers from Angola, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Botswana, Malawi, Mauritius and Seychelles were represented by Senior Officials. Sub regional organisations, Corridors Institutions and Cooperating Partners were also in attendance.
Transport
Air Transport and Civil Aviation
Ministers reviewed progress made in the implementation of various Air Transport/Civil Aviation programmes. They noted the Status of Implementation of the Yamoussoukro Decision (YD) in SADC and within the Tripartite Framework of Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa - East African Community- Southern African Development Community (COMESA-EAC-SADC) and urged Member States to provide necessary support to facilitate development of the legal and institutional framework for the operationalisation of the Joint Competition Authority (JCA).
Ministers considered and adopted the SADC Model Civil Aviation Act and the SADC generic regulations and procedures for use by Member States as a basis for harmonisation of primary civil aviation legislation in SADC and recommend them for legal clearance by the Committee of Ministers of Justice/Attorneys General.
Ministers recommended to SADC Council of Ministers for approval the Draft Charter establishing the SADC Aviation Safety Organisation (SASO).
Ministers considered the implementation of the SADC Upper Airspace Control Centre (UACC) and directed the Secretariat to convene meetings of SADC-UACC stakeholders during 2012/13 to develop a strategy and roadmap for the implementation of the SADC –UACC Project.
On International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) State Letters, Ministers urged Member States to be responsive to ICAO State Letters to facilitate the coordination of inputs into the formulation of international aviation standards to avoid a scenario where decisions are taken on Africa’s behalf without their input due to poor responses/or lack of reports relating to ICAO State letters; and
Regarding issues on aviation safety in Africa, Member States were urged to continue to enter into bilateral arrangements in order to rectify safety deficiencies identified by ICAO Safety Audits.
Ministers directed SADC Secretariat to develop a strategy for engaging EU on Slot Allocation and Night Curfews; Emission Trading Scheme; Liquids, Aerosols and Gels; and European Union (EU) Ban of African Airlines.
For the African Candidate for the ICAO Council Presidential Elections 2013, Ministers urged Member States to support African candidates for the ICAO Council Presidential elections in 2013.
Surface Transport
Ministers approved the Draft SADC Road Safety Programme in support of the United Nations (UN) Decade of Action on Road Safety 2011 to 2020, the Draft SADC Road Safety Awareness Campaign Strategy and Action Plan 2011 to 2014 and the nomination of the Minister responsible for Transport of South Africa, as the Regional Champion for a period of two (2) years: 2011 to 2013.
On Corridor Infrastructure Development, Transport and Trade facilitation including implementation of One-Stop Border Post (OSBP), Ministers urged Member States to accelerate the joint designing and implementation of programs and projects including development of necessary legal and institutional frameworks to facilitate the smooth and efficient movement of people and goods in the Region.
Ministers commended the Ministerial Committee of the Organ on Politics, Defense and Security Cooperation (MCO) for the initiative to develop the SADC Maritime Security Strategy and Action Plan and also directed the SADC Secretariat to ensure that the key stakeholders in the transport sector, amongst others are taken on board in the implementation of the Strategy and Action Plan.
Ministers considered Reports from Sub-regional Organisations and made some decisions, in particular, that Member States were urged to attend the fifth Technology Transfer Africa International Conference that will be hosted by the United Republic of Tanzania through the Ministry of Works in collaboration with ASANRA.
Meteorology
Ministers noted progress made in the Meteorology Sector both in the region and internationally: In particular the formation of African Ministers Conference on Meteorology (AMCOMET), achievements of the Meteorological Association of Southern Africa (MASA) and SADC Climate Services Centre in the provision of critical products for sustainable socio-economic development, including successful organisation of Southern African Regional Climate Outlook Forums (SARCOFs) for which they directed that the Secretariat ensure necessary resources for its sustainability.
In addition, Ministers noted that further resources needed to be mobilised for improving the capacity of the national Meteorological Services and SADC Climate Services Centre in order to deliver on climate information, prediction and application services for the benefit of multi-sectoral socio-economic development.
This will especially enable the latter to meet its expanding mandate as envisaged in the implementation of the United Nations Global Framework of Climate Services among other things which would provide benefits to the region.
Ministers expressed appreciation of efforts by ICPs to strengthen the Meteorology Sector in the region by providing resources such as funding and also technical support.
Ministers finally approved the ongoing and new priorities in the Transport and Meteorology Sectors for the 2012 to 2013 financial year.
The Minister’s meeting was preceded by the meeting of senior officials on 5 to 6 October 2011.
