Report | 3rd Stakeholders Meeting - TradeMark Southern Africa

(vi)(vii)The process will then move forward expeditiously with a proposedregional vehicle overload control bill to be considered by a multisectoralcommittee meeting, including Justice, Transport, Trade, andIndustry ministries, among others. A Multi-sectoral Council ofMinisters will be convened stituted to approve the proposed Bill, forforwarding to the Sectoral Council on Legal and Judicial Affairs andultimately to the East African Legislative Assembly for debate andenactment. This process to be completed by April 2012The Secretariat to mobilize additional resources to cover conveningof meetings, a study tour to functional weighbridges where full trafficcontrol systems operate.7. Meeting ClosureThe meeting was officially closed by Mr. David S.O. Nalo, the PermanentSecretary in the Ministry of EAC Affairs Kenya. He congratulated the PartnerStates for reaching the historic decision on the harmonization of the axle loadcontrol that had been outstanding in the last 10 years. He called for expeditedimplementation of the subsequent activities to facilitate the implementation of aharmonized axle load control regulations in the EAC Region.He noted that the Common Market Protocol mandated the EAC Council ofMinisters to harmonize regulations in the transport sector within three years ofthe commencement of the Common Market Protocol. He, therefore, appreciatedthe efforts by the Partner States, Stakeholders and the Secretariat inharmonizing the axle load control regulations in the region.He thanked JICA, African Development Bank, the World Bank and DFID for theirsupport towards harmonization and development of facilitative policies in Tradeand Transport facilitation.Other closing remarks were delivered by Dr. Enos S. Bukuku, Deputy SecretaryGeneral, Planning and Infrastructure who among others confirmed theSecretariat tacit support to the development of the harmonized vehicle overloadcontrol regulations in the region.On his part, Mr. Takao Nakamura on behalf of JICA lauded the Partner States foradopting the recommendations towards harmonizing the axle overload controlregulations and indicated JICA’s support in related activities.13