borderless bulletin - january 2012

8
Bulletin Increasing Trade in West Africa 16th IRTG Report reveals REGIONAL DROPS IN ROAD HARASSMENT January 2012 Drivers find much needed help at new BORDER INFORMATION CENTER BORDERLESS ALLIANCE is launched in the sub-region

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Borderless is a vision for competitive trade in West Africa – of eliminating barriers to trade. Borderless is an initiative of the West Africa Trade Hub, a project funded by USAID and managed by CARANA Corporation.

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Page 1: Borderless Bulletin - January 2012

B u l l e t i n

I n c r e a s i n g Tr a d e i n W e s t A f r i c a

16th IRTG Report revealsREGIONAL DROPS IN ROAD HARASSMENT

January 2012

Drivers fi nd much needed help at newBORDER INFORMATION CENTER

BORDERLESS ALLIANCEis launched in the sub-region

Page 2: Borderless Bulletin - January 2012

2 January 2012

improving competitivenessBorderless

name the borderless newsletterWin a PrizeDo you have a good idea for the name of this new Borderless newsletter? We want to hear it – and you could win a prize. The best idea, as determined by the Borderless Alliance executive committee, will win its proposer a Borderless T-Shirt and Hat!

Send us your ideas at [email protected]

Borderless is a vision for competitive trade in West Africa – of eliminating barriers to trade. Streamlining procedures, attacking corruption and facilitating the movement of people and goods will lower costs. Consequently, businesses will expand, create jobs and generate more revenue for government and more income for people.

Borderless is hardly new. It’s the foundation of ECOWAS. Working with partners across the region – in the public and private sector, in civil society, in development agencies and non-governmental organizations – the Trade Hub has led a partnership to develop Borderless to catalyze change.

Page 3: Borderless Bulletin - January 2012

3Borderless Bulletin

much needed change

newly launched

Visit a centre for more information :

BORDERINFORMATIONCENTER

HELPING TRADERS CROSS THE BORDER HASSLE-FREE

www.borderlesswa.com

Ghana Shipper’s Authority (GSA)Tel: 18179 (toll-free for MTN customers)

Abidjan-Lagos Cooridor Organization (ALCO)Tel: +228 940 43 59

The new Border Information Centers at the Ghana-Togo border have assisted more than two dozen traders and truck drivers in moving goods across the border, reducing harassment and delays. The new centers – hosted by the Ghana Shippers’ Authority in Afl ao, Ghana and by the Abidjan-Lagos Corridor Organization in Kodjoviakope, Togo – were launched in August.

New Border Information Center

Borderless AllianceTransport stakeholders from across West Africa have launched the Borderless Alliance to spearhead advocacy efforts to increase trade across West Africa. The new alliance includes transport and logistics companies and leading importers and exporters. To join the alliance, visit www.borderlesswa.com.

Follow us on twitter @borderlesswa

publishedMali Truck Drivers GuidePractical information on the rules and regulations on trucking in Mali are now available in a handy easy-to-carry guide published by the USAID West Africa Trade Hub. Request a copy by sending an email to [email protected] or download it from the Borderless website!

published

le guide du

conducteur routier

MA

LI

www.borderlesswa.com

now onlineRoadshow SummariesThe Borderless website blog now includes summaries of issues discussed during stakeholder meetings across the region. Go to www.borderlesswa.com/news to see what issues people are working on.

IN BRIEF

Page 4: Borderless Bulletin - January 2012

4 January 2012

BU

RK

INA

FAS

O

MA

LI

GH

AN

A Tema

Bamako

Accra

Lomé

NIG

ER

Dakar

SEN

EGA

L

BEN

IN

TE

D’IV

OIR

E

NIG

ERIA

SIE

RR

A

LEO

NE

GU

INEA

BIS

SA

U

THE

GA

MB

IA

MA

UR

ITA

NIA

Lagos

Yamoussoukro

Abidjan

LIB

ERIA

Ouagadougou

GU

INEA

Porto

-Novo

Kantch

ari

TOG

O

Cotonou

Niam

eyM

adao

ua

Fada

-Ngo

urma

Parako

u

Noé

Elub

oA�

ao

KodjoviakopéHi

llacondjiKra

kéSeme

Sanv

eeCo

ndji

Bobo

-Dioulasso

Bitou

MAL

I per 1

00 km

2.4

cont

rols

$11.5

2 U

SD

brib

es27

min

utes

of d

elay

3.4

cont

rols

$37.7

7 U

SD

brib

es7

min

ute

of d

elay

GHAN

A per

100 k

m1.6

cont

rols

$1.6

2 U

SD

brib

es18

min

utes

of d

elay

2.8

con

trols

$4.8

6 U

SD

brib

es9

min

utes

of d

elay

3.2

cont

rols

$7.9

3 U

SD

brib

es23

min

utes

of d

elay

TOGO

per 10

0 km

1.3

cont

rols

$2.5

4 U

SD

brib

es12

min

utes

of d

elay

5.7

con

trols

$25.6

2 U

SD

brib

es147

min

utes

of d

elay

BURK

INA

FASO

per 10

0 km

1.7

cont

rols

$5.5

6 U

SD

brib

es20

min

utes

of d

elay

2.7

cont

rols

$20.0

4 U

SD

brib

es19

min

utes

of d

elay

SENE

GAL p

er 10

0 km

2.9

cont

rols

$9.3

2 U

SD

brib

es31

min

utes

of d

elay

5.3

cont

rols

$12.9

1 U

SD

brib

es12

min

ute

of d

elay

CORR

IDOR

STr

ade H

ub*

ATP*

*AL

CO***

ALCO

data

rema

ins un

chan

ged f

rom

May-J

uly 20

10

CONT

ROLS

Polic

eCu

stoms

Gend

arme

rieIm

migr

ation

(Tra

de H

ub &

ATP

)Ot

hers:

Unio

ns, W

ater a

nd F

ores

t Ser

vices

, He

alth S

ervic

e, Fo

rces N

ouve

lles,

Munic

ipaliti

es

(Tra

de H

ub &

ATP

)Ot

hers:

Immi

grati

on, U

nions

, Wate

r and

For

est

Servi

ces,

Healt

h Ser

vice,

Munic

ipaliti

es (A

LCO)

Data

from

truck

s with

all le

gally

requ

ired d

ocum

ents

Data

from

all tr

ucks

carry

ing liv

estoc

k, ma

ize,

mille

t/sor

ghum

, onio

n/sha

llot o

r rice

Data

from

truck

s with

and w

ithou

t all l

egall

y req

uired

do

cume

nts

* ** ***

AP

RIL

1st –

JU

NE

30

th

20

11

km

COTE

D’IV

OIRE

per 10

0 km

1.2

cont

rols

$14.5

4 U

SD

brib

es12

min

utes

of d

elay

5.9

cont

rols

$6.9

7 U

SD

brib

es106

min

utes

of d

elay

BENI

N per

100 k

m2.2

cont

rols

$70.6

0 U

SD

brib

es4

min

ute

of d

elay

4.4

cont

rols

$95.0

3 U

SD

brib

es66

min

utes

of d

elay

NIGE

RIA p

er 10

0 km

17.1

cont

rols

$54.0

1 U

SD

brib

es55

min

utes

of d

elay

COTE

D’IV

OIRE

bord

er c

ross

ing

times

14.6

hour

s Noe

(tran

sit)

GHAN

Abo

rder

cro

ssin

g tim

es

5.0

hour

s Elu

bo (tr

ansit

)33

.0 ho

urs A

flao

(tran

sit)

TOGO

bord

er c

ross

ing

times

4.5

hour

s Kod

jovi

akop

é (

trans

it)8.

6 ho

urs S

anve

e Co

ndji

(tra

nsit)

BENI

Nbo

rder

cro

ssin

g tim

es

45.0

hour

s Hill

laco

ndji

(tran

sit)

1.3

hour

s Kra

ke (tr

ansit

)

NIGE

RIA

bord

er c

ross

ing

times

42.1

hour

s Sem

e (tr

ansit

)

Th

e b

ig p

ictu

re:

ch

eckp

oin

ts,

bri

be

s a

nd

de

lays i

n W

est

Afr

ica

Page 5: Borderless Bulletin - January 2012

5Borderless Bulletin

With the exception of Senegal, and to a lesser degree, Mali, the road harassment indicators saw a measured decline during the second quarter of 2011 in all of the countries covered by the USAID Trade Hub-UEMOA road governance initiative. This encouraging improvement is due in part to the decrease in harassment seen in Cote d’Ivoire. These results suggest that the increasing number of stakeholders familiar with and committed to a West Africa without borders – Borderless – is leading to a change in mentality.

Compared to the previous quarter (the 15th road governance report), bribery decreased by 6% while declines in the number of checkpoints and the delays drivers experienced dropped by 27% and 22%, respectively. Bribes remain excessive : a truck that is roadworthy and completely legal is compelled to pay 42,000 FCFA (about USD 93) on average per trip.

progressDuring a caravan organized by the road governance initiative in March 2011, customs officials in Togo announced the closure of checkpoints in Kante, North Dapaong and South Cinkanse. The current report shows that this pledge was fulfilled. Several other customs checkpoints do not inspect as many trucks, either. The road governance initiative Focal Point in Togo reports that road harassment by gendarmes and police officers has radically declined also. The 17th report may confirm these observations.

in transitionThis quarter’s results are mixed: a decline in the number of checkpoints and the length of delays for trucks going from Bamako to Abidjan are offset by an increase in bribes per checkpoint. It is difficult to draw conclusions this quarter because no import-carrying trips could be monitored and no data was collected on the Abidjan-Ouagadougou corridor during the previous quarter. However, the government of Cote d’Ivoire has implemented measures to reduce harassment. Specifically, it has published a list of the 33 authorized checkpoints in the country, of which only 8 are on the corridors monitored by the road governance initiative.

a set-backSince joining the initiative in 2009, the indicators in Senegal had improved in consecutive reports. But this quarter all of Senegal’s indicators worsened. This is more surprising given that Senegal is the only country where indicators worsened. Specifically, road harassment increased at the customs checkpoint at Kidira and police checkpoints at Kaffrine, Tambacounda, Kaolack and Fatick ; and above all at Gendarmerie checkpoints at Missira, Diamniado, Botou, Goudiry, Kirene and Maka Kahone.

USAID-UEMOA Road Governance Report Summary

Togo

Côte d’Ivoire

Senegal

Bribes per 100 km (USD)

*Full report available at www.borderlesswa.com

Page 6: Borderless Bulletin - January 2012

6 January 2012

annual reviewCheckpoints are the bane of the transport industry in West Africa – delaying the movement of vehicles carrying goods and people and frustrating drivers, passengers and traders with unscrupulous officers seeking “something to eat.”

Five years after USAID and UEMOA, with support from ECOWAS, launched an initiative to monitor and report on the problem, improvements have been slow coming. But come they have, stakeholders agreed during the initiative’s annual steering committee meeting in Lome, Togo, in September.

Bribes and delays have dropped – by 36% and 17%, respectively – on the three corridors where the road governance initiative started in 2006. Quarterly reports have reflected the improvements, bit by bit.

Meanwhile, monitoring on the Abidjan-Lagos corridor, the busiest trade route in the region, has seen similar improvements. The Abidjan-Lagos Corridor Organization (ALCO) supported by the World Bank and ECOWAS, which collects data on delays and bribes on that stretch, has measured an intense concentration of checkpoints between Lagos and the Benin border – with one checkpoint on average every four kilometers, it may be the most densely checked route in the world.

“Today everyone recognizes the extent of the problem,” said Dr. Justin Koffi, the ALCO Executive Secretary. “Now, thanks to the monitoring and reporting efforts, many more people are acting. It is in that context that ALCO and Trade Hub are collaborating closely to address the issues of delays and harassment at the borders and on the roads.”

The reporting has led to a change in addressing the problem. First, the scope has broadened: The number of countries with corridors being monitored has since doubled. More importantly, dissemination and advocacy has grown more

THE ‘BANE’ OF TRANSPORT INWEST AFRICA IS STEADILY BEING DEFEATED

emphatic and sophisticated: The Borderless advocacy campaign launched last March 2010 has recently been complemented by a private sector led Borderless Alliance to turn inspiration into action.

“Senegal became a part of the road governance initiative in 2009,” noted Drame Seck, Director of Road Transport in the Ministry of Transport. “The dysfunctional practices related to the numerous checkpoints – delays and bribes – are being addressed.”

“The Borderless campaign allowed people to denounce the practices that had been persisting for a long time,” said Gerard Delanne, Secretary General of Niger’s Union of Merchandise Transporters.

It was a common refrain during the meeting in the Togolese capital. The last year has seen new initiatives bear fruit – caravans in Ghana and Togo led to sustained declines in harassment, stakeholders said – but the primary focus was on the evolution of the initiative: Stakeholders agreed on establishing a West African Transport Observatory, which would expand the monitoring initiative to study virtually all aspects affecting the costs of moving goods and vehicles across the region.

“Certainly, such an observatory will improve regional trade by taking into account the transporters and the ports, too,” said Seydou Traore of the Malian Shippers’ Council.

Milestones reachedThe launch of the Borderless initiative in March 2010, which was carried forward by a variety of awareness raising activities led by civil society organizations in five countries, was a milestone for reducing checkpoints, delays and bribes, stakeholders agreed.

The campaign established common ground for activities from Senegal all the way to Togo – and the involvement of key partners at the Abidjan-

Page 7: Borderless Bulletin - January 2012

7Borderless Bulletin

CH

EC

KP

OIN

TS

BR

IB

ES

DE

LA

YS

Burkina Faso

Ghana

Mail

Togo

Senegal

Côte d'Ivoire

- 1 8 % - 3 9 % - 4 9 %

- 3 0 % - 6 4 % - 1 4 %

- 4 8 % - 5 7 % - 2 8 %

- 1 3 % - 2 9 % - 2 5 %

- 2 2 % - 3 % + 4 0 %

- 4 9 % - 2 3 % - 4 9 %

ROAD HARASSMENT TRENDS IN WEST AFRICA

Since 2006

Since 2006

Since 2006

Since 2006

Since 2009

Since 2010

Lagos Corridor Organization, the USAID ATP/E-ATP projects in Ghana, and leading private sector transport and logistics companies, gave the message greater reach.

“The concept of Borderless has been widely accepted and is a part of many discussions with authorities,” said Seck of Senegal. “The principal goal of all of the UEMOA and ECOWAS regulatory protocols related to trade, transport and trade facilitation is trade without borders in West Africa.”

In May, the prime ministers of Mali and Senegal met under the Borderless banner to discuss trade between their countries. Ghana’s Minister of Trade and other government offi cials across the region have also participated in the campaign.

Data collection activities strengthenedIn a one-day workshop prior to the steering committee meeting, the USAID Trade Hub trained data collection agents from each country along the corridors that identify and assist truck drivers in fi lling out surveys that serve as the basis for the reports. The truck drivers voluntarily indicate on the forms every checkpoint where they encounter delays and/or harassment for bribes.

take meThe Borderless QuizHow well do you know the realities facing transport stakeholders in West Africa? Take this short quiz to test your knowledge! Answers will be posted on the Borderless website on Nov. 30, 2011 at www.borderlesswa.com/quiz.

www.facebook.com/Borderlesswa

Page 8: Borderless Bulletin - January 2012

www.borderlesswa.com

ATPand E-ATP

ALLOMANTransport

SENEGAL

To report offenses by police offi cers dial 17 or +221 33 84 22 874.

To report offenses by customs offi cials dial800 80 44 44.

To report offenses by gendarmes dial800 00 20 20.

TOGO

To report offenses by gendarmes dial 172.

To report offenses by police offi cers dial 161 or 117.

Drivers can also call commandant Gbadagou at +228 90 05 25 67 to report offenses by either the police or gendarmes.

COMPLAINTS ARE KEY TO REDUCING HARASSMENT

BENIN

To report offenses by customs offi cials dial +229 81 00 00 01 or+229 81 00 00 02.

BURKINA FASO

To report offenses by any uniformed offi cer dial 1010.

COTE D’IVOIRE

To report offenses by police offi cers dial 100.

GHANA

To report offenses by police offi cers dial +233 (0) 30 277 6435.

To report offenses by customs offi cials dial +233 (0) 28 953 3990.

To report offenses by immigration offi cers dial +233 (0)28 955 6000.

MALI

To report offenses by gendarmes dial+223 66 71 17 12.

To report offenses by customs dial+223 79 03 20 33.

NIGER

To report offenses by any uniformed offi cer dial08 00 11 11.

BENIN

COTE D’IVOIRE

GHANA

MALI

TOGO

Uniformed services have set up hotlines that drivers can call to report road harassment. Complaints are one important way drivers can help the uniformed services weed out offi cers who use their positions for personal gain.

Drivers who feel a uniformed offi cial has harassed them can call the following numbers to report the incident:

SENEGAL

NIGER

BURKINA FASO