The Logistics Sector on the Southern Shores of the Western ... - cetmo

<strong>The</strong> <strong>Logistics</strong> <strong>Sector</strong>on the Southern Shores of the Western Mediterranean October 2010A study on the blueprint for logistics hubs, also currently under way, was also launched in thecontext of the National Urban and Regional Planning Programme (Schéma Nationald'Aménagement du Territoire, SNAT), by direct order of the President's office.In the case of Libya and Mauritania, the situation is the following:In Libya, the government's main strategic focus is the development and modernization of alltransport modes.Over the next three years, it will invest €5.81 billion to create or improve three major northsouthroad corridors and three more going from east to west. In the rail sector, projects areunder way to provide a first network of over 3,100 km of track with two branch lines: onealong the coast and the other travelling inland. In the port sector, there is a governmentinvestment plan (2010-2012) with the goals of increasing wharf length, storage capacity anddraught.<strong>The</strong> government is also planning to build three logistics zones in the east, the centre and thewest of the country. Apart from infrastructure, the government is looking at improvingregulation and incorporating ICTs into the port sector.To date, there is no programme for the modernization of transport companies, nor are thereany mechanisms for relations between government departments and operators apart fromindividual contacts.In Mauritania, there is no programme for modernizing the transport and logistics sector. <strong>The</strong>Ministry of Equipment and Transport (MET) needs to increase its responsibilities but isswamped by urgent, everyday business, which has precedence over strategy and planning.<strong>The</strong> MET's current scope of work includes:Attempting to increase regulation and controls on road transport. <strong>The</strong> government hasdefined a road-safety strategy and created a new inter-Ministerial structure for its application.A regulating body for road transport has thus been created to coordinate different sectors.For reasons of funding, the programme of measures to support the liberalization of roadtransport has yet to be applied.In the port sector, there is a project for enlarging the port of Nouakchott, with the constructionof a container terminal under consideration; enlargement of the mineral terminal at the port ofNouadhibou will be carried out soon.As far as taxation is concerned, the objective is to implement a system of taxes in thetransport sector to enable funding of infrastructure and other costs incurred.<strong>The</strong> Perspective of Public and Private OperatorsHaving lost their monopoly, the majority of the public companies in the five countries aredeveloping and implementing strategies in order to retain or improve their current marketposition. <strong>The</strong> rail sector is, however, the exception to the rule, because in the three centralMaghreb countries, it faces very strong competition from private road transport companies.<strong>The</strong> public operators' strategies have two other characteristics in common: first, they areextending their services to offer through transport, a reorientation which may even imply afirst step toward the provision of logistics services; second, they are potentially concludingalliances with foreign, private operators to extend their network of services and acquire thenecessary know-how.CETMO 129