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 2010• Taking into account the general proposals for all the Maghreb countries.Developing a Strategy for the <strong>Logistics</strong> IndustryLibya boasts a good level of infrastructure and the process of privatization and liberalizationhas not caused chaos. Nor are there serious problems in the road-transport or maritime andport industries. However, the country’s logistics potential is limited by a series of factors thathave been examined in this report and, above all, by the lack of an overall strategy for thecountry. Such a strategy is indispensable if the government’s explicit objectives of aidingeconomic diversification and strengthening Libya’s international position are to be met.<strong>The</strong> modernization strategy should include at least three components:A strategy to improve transport and logistics services that is not only supported by increasedlegislative control and alignment with international standards, but also by the pressures of demand,specifically public demand.A specific strategy to bring the operators in the industry up to date in order to boost internalmodernization processes and increase the size of domestic companies.<strong>The</strong> creation of a professional training system tailored specifically for the transport and logisticsindustry. As in neighbouring countries, there is a general consensus on the necessity of such asystem.As is the case with Morocco and Tunisia, this strategy should be developed in collaborationwith employers’ organizations and public and private operators.Acknowledging and Prioritizing the Requests of OperatorsAs mentioned above, the operators have the best understanding of the reality of the currentcontext and (perhaps even more important) the performance of their companies. <strong>The</strong>refore,their main demands (which are summarized below) should be acknowledged and prioritized.Increase customs working hours and decrease or lift the restriction on when freight can betransported by road.Enable traffic to pass more swiftly through the port by simplifying official procedures, eliminatingpaper documentation and setting up the PCS and LSW.Define the role of forwarding agents, introduce NVOCCs and, in general, review current legislationin order to promote greater responsibility among operators in the transport and logistics industry.Improve the quality of vocational training and consult operators in order to take their objectives,training criteria and necessary professional profiles into account. <strong>The</strong> government should act as anintermediary to obtain European assistance in this area.Improve the level of control over the Libyan coastline in order to prevent the illegal dumping thatoccurs at present.Taking Into Account the General Proposals for All the Maghreb CountriesTake into account the general proposals mentioned in section 4.1 for all the Maghrebcountries and study their application for each country, in addition to the possibilities they offerfor enhancing Maghreb-Mediterranean cooperation.CETMO 177