Nine years after its
founding, the Maputo
Corridor Logistics
Initiative (MCLI)
is being realigned to ensure
that it continues to contribute
to regional integration and
economic development in the
region, according to the MCLI
chief executive officer Barbara
Mommen.
In order to build on the
achievements of the past nine
years it is necessary to formalise
the public private partnership
between the private sector and
the governments of South Africa,
Mozambique and Swaziland, she
says.
This will enable “greater
accountability to both the public
and private sectors,” she says.
Up to now there has been no
mechanism to hold governments
accountable to deliver on their
promises. An example is the
introduction of a one-stop-border
post and 24-hour operation at
Lebombo, which was agreed to in
2006.
Neither has materialised.
“Just operating the border
post 24 hours a day as promised
would already reduce congestion,
and increase the efficiency of the
corridor,” she says.
Mommen believes that corridor
organisations play a vital role
in facilitating development, as
they serve as a meeting place
for business and the authorities.
“We want to maintain a good
platform of engagement,” she
says.
Formalisation of the structure
will also help with the funding.
“It gives us the opportunity to f ix
the financial model. The private
sector has
been funding
the MCLI for
the past 10
years, and they
believe that the
governments of
Mozambique
and Swaziland
should take the
lead from the
South African
government and also contribute
because the countries are the
greatest beneficiaries from the
success of the corridor in terms
of economic growth,” she says.
Technical advisors from the
Southern African Development
Community (SADC) are
“supporting the process”
towards the realignment of the
MCLI “because the ministers
of transport are all signatories
of the SADC protocol which
recognises
the centrality
of corridors
in driving
economic
growth”.
SADC has
established
corridor
planning
committees,
which are
described as “cross-border
entities comprised of both public
and private stakeholders from
transport and infrastructure
authorities, customs authorities,
trade and industry bodies,
and users of the development
corridors”.
Negotiations are continuing,
and the MCLI is working with all
parties to facilitate the proposed
changes to the structure of the
organisation.
INSERT & CAPTION
We want to maintain
a good platform of
engagement.
– Barbara Mommen
