UNECE teamed up with the Islamic Center for the Development of Trade (ICDT) and the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) to organize a training workshop on International Road and Goods Transport Conventions for executives of the Ministries of Trade and Customs Administrations of 17 member countries of Sub-Saharan Africa.

The session, organized on 28-29 June in Rabat, Morocco, addressed the technical aspects of the implementation of the TIR/eTIR and CMR /eCMR Conventions, and the related benefits including the reduction of customs administrative procedures and the adequate allocation of resources for proper risk assessment. The workshop also touched upon simplifying transit operations and managing data related to cross-border transport.

Speakers included Mr. Mohammed Benaguid , Head of Logistics and Procedures Department at the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Morocco;  Mr. Mamoudou Sall, Assistant Director-General of the Islamic Centre for Development of Trade (ICDT); Mr. Kadir Basboga, Senior Regional Integration Economist of the Regional Cooperation and Integration Department at IsDB; and Mr. Konstantinos Alexopoulos, Chief of the Transport Facilitation and Economics Section of UNECE.

Road remains the dominant mode of transport in Sub-Saharan Africa.  The two UN conventions are therefore of particular relevance to countries in the region, opening up perspectives of integration into international trade routes.