IRU opens Permanent Delegation for Africa

The IRU has established a Permanent Delegation and Regional Committee for Africa in Casablanca, Morocco, and appointed Adil Gaoui as the IRU's General Delegate for the continent. This historic development unites road transport associations from 20 African countries, which expressed a willingness to promote inter-African trade and international road transport by implementing the key UN multilateral facilitation Conventions.

Geneva – The International Road Transport Union (IRU) is pleased to announce the creation of an IRU Permanent Delegation in Casablanca, Morocco, and a Regional Committee for Africa in response to the collective demand of the governments and road transport associations of 20 African countries, which expressed their strong will to promote and facilitate inter-African trade by road transport, to interconnect African countries and link their trade to the global economy.

Adil Gaoui has been appointed the IRU's new General Delegate for Africa. He brings a wealth of experience from the Superior Institute of Transport and Logistics in Casablanca, with a special expertise in the road transport sector and in the development of regional transport and logistics training centres.

IRU Secretary General, Martin Marmy, stated, “This is an historic step in the development of the IRU's scope of activities. African governments, trade and transport industries have strategically recognised that promoting and facilitating international road transport can genuinely expedite economic growth and development by driving trade, progress and prosperity everywhere.”

Members of the IRU Regional Committee for Africa formalised their commitment to work together by signing a Resolution on the need for African States to accede to and implement the key UN international Conventions on the facilitation of trade and international road transport. The Resolution calls upon the governments and competent authorities of African countries to:

· Work in close cooperation with associations representing transport and logistics in a constructive spirit of public-private partnership;

· Implement at national level the necessary procedures to ratify the key UN international conventions to facilitate trade and international road transport including, as a priority, the UN Harmonization and TIR Conventions;

Mr Marmy concluded, “The IRU today is proud to offer its more than 60 years of experience and expertise in facilitating and securing trade to assist and contribute to driving economic development in Africa, by “working together for a better future”.