Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1697753810211.pdf (Gambia)
REPORT OF THE JOINT COMMITTEE ON THE RATIFICATION OF THE TREATY FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE DAKAR-ABIDJAN CORRIDOR ACKNOWLEDGEMENT The Joint Committee on Trade Industry, Regional Integration and Employment and Monitoring the Implementation of Government Projects wishes to acknowledge and express appreciation of the invaluable support of all stakeholders who participated in the processes of making this trip a success.
In the same vein the Joint Committee extend its gratitude to the Ministry of Trade, Industry, Regional Integration and Employment and the Ministry of Transport, Works and Infrastructure for providing the financing.

Gratitude is also extended to the National Assembly Authority through the office of the Clerk for providing the necessary logistics required for the Joint Committee to undertake these tasks.
Special thanks to our sister parliament in the Republic of Senegal (Assembly Nationale) for the warm welcome and support accorded to us.

Finally, the Committee wishes to commend all the Honourable Members of the Joint Committees in demonstrating a high sense of maturity and dedication during the course of the work.

Special appreciation is also extended to the Committee Clerk, Subject Matter Specialist as well as the Driver.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION It could be recalled that during the 3rd ordinary session of the National Assembly in September 2019, the Hon Minister of Transport, Works and Infrastructure tabled a motion for ratification of the Treaty on the Establishment of the Dakar-Abidjan Corridor Project.
The Dakar- Abidjan Corridor is a Treaty signed among the Republics of The Gambia, Cote D’Ivoire, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Senegal with the intent of facilitating the easy and fast movement of people, goods and services between and among countries along the Corridor.

Also, the Corridor will improve transportation and infrastructure with a view to stimulating economies and social development of the contracting parties.
In this regard, the Treaty was considered and referred to the Joint Committee of Trade, Regional Integration and Monitoring the Implementation of Government Projects for review and report back to the plenary.

During this process the Joint Committee engaged all relevant stakeholders such as Ministry of Transport, Works and Infrastructure, Ministry of Trade, Employment and Regional Integration, the Gambia Revenue Authority, and the Department of Immigration.
At the same time the various ECOWAS Protocols, Articles, Decisions, Resolutions and Conventions cited in Treaty were considered.

During the discussions that ensued in the review process, Honourable Members raised among other things, the following concerns: • The level of preparedness of the country and status of implementing part 1 (i.e.

to construct a 6-lane Dual Carriage Multinational highway) of the Corridor.

• The level of preparedness on the development of the Optic Fibre Networks and Gas Pipeline.
• The amount of money involved as contribution from Individual Contracting Parties and whether there is provision for compensation in the event there is need to displace certain household to accommodate 2X3 or 6 (six) lane dual carriage highway.

• The Committee raised concerns about the agreement of the contracting parties in terms of funding, development, operation and management.
In order to understand the full economic benefits of the Corridor and to learn from experiences of other Contracting parties, the Committee deemed it necessary to embark on a Study Tour.

After consideration of different options of Countries to visit, the Committee decided to visit Senegal.

The Republic of Senegal is an implementing partner of the Treaty and all our transit goods pass through Senegal.
It is against this backdrop that the Joint Committee embarked on the study tour to the Republic of Senegal from 26th February to 1st March 2020.
According to Article 3 of the Treaty: The objectives and scope of the Corridor are; •Facilitate safe and efficient movement of persons and goods, regional and international trade and transport by improving on the road infrastructure, simplifying and harmonizing the requirements and controls that govern the movement of goods and persons with a view to reducing transportation costs and transit times.
•Stimulate economic and social development in the territories of the contracting parties and the partnership between public and private sectors.

•Transform the Corridor into a Development Corridor which, in addition to offering safe, fast and competitive transport and transit services that secure regional trade, will also stimulate investment, encourage sustainable economic development, poverty reduction and guarantee security on the Corridor.
•Implement strategies for accelerating economic and social growth along the Corridor while ensuring environmental sustainability.

CONSULTATION WITH THE SENEGALESE PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORT After presenting the purpose of the study tour to the Senegalese colleagues, the Joint Committee were informed that such a Treaty was not yet tabled before its Parliament, but they were hoping to table it during their next ordinary session.
They commended the delegation for the initiative and the commitment they demonstrated in ratifying the Treaty and further recommended that the two Parliament should continue such consultations MEETING WITH AGENCE DES TRAVAUX ET DE GESTION DES ROUTES (AGEROUTE) In welcoming the Joint Committee, the Head of the AGEROUTE applauded the initiative of such consultations.
During the ensuing discussions, the delegation was informed that Senegal has already started work on the Corridor and Dakar- Mbour is already completed, Kaolack – Kerr Ayoub is also completed and Mbour – Fatique will commence soon.

However, the Corridor will connect the Dakar- Bamako Corridor which traverses the North of Mali.

About 51% of Mali’s international trade passes through Senegal with traffic estimated at 700 trucks per day along the Corridor.
This brought the need to improve transport infrastructure to facilitate movement between Senegal and Mali.

The Joint Committee was also informed that Corridor Project seeks to provide radio communication system along the Corridor to make it easier for operators to communicate, equip border crossing times, make available axles scales along the Corridor, using a single log book rather than multiple books and joint- border post.
Meeting with the Ministry of Infrastructure of the Republic of Senegal According to the Director of Route at the Ministry, the Treaty is in the process of being finalised and sent to Parliament for ratification.

The project covers 3,164km in total according to the Treaty but subject to increment at any time.

The estimated cost of the project is $13billion and the feasibility study is estimated at 90miliion Euros of which ADB is committed to provide 40million Euros.
He further stressed that counterpart contributions are integral part of the project.

In light of the aforesaid, the Joint Committee recommends as follows: 1.

The ratification of the Treaty which will facilitate the implementation of the ECOWAS protocol on free movement of people, goods and services.

2.

The Joint Committee expresses the desire of both Parliaments to establish a collaborative relationship in monitoring the implementation of the project.

3.
3.

Transport unions of both countries should resolve problems through dialogue.

4.

In other to facilitate free movement of people, goods and services, the Joint Committee further recommends the reduction of check points along the corridor.

5.

The Joint Committee also recommends strict observance of laws on transportation of banned commodities by Member States along the corridor.

6.

The Joint Committee recommends for the establishment of a friendship committee between the two parliaments.
The delegation includes the following Hon.

Members and Technical Staff: 1.

Hon.

Muhammed Mahanera -Chairperson (Committee on Trade) 2.

Hon.

Sulayman Saho-Chairperson (Committee on Monitoring Projects) 3.

Hon.

Kebba Jallow -Member (Trade Committee) 4.

Hon.

Alhagie Drammeh 5.

Hon.

Amadou Camara 6.

Hon.

Alfusainey Ceesay 7.

Hon.

Lamin F.M.

Conta 8.

Hon.

Abdoulie Ceesay 9.

Mr. Bai Ibrahim Jobe 10.


Mr. Modou Sillah -Member (monitoring Committee) -Member (Monitoring Committee) -Member (monitoring Committee) -Member (Trade Committee) -Member (Trade Committee) – SMS (Both Committees) – Committee Clerk (Both Committees) Other Honourable Members of the Joint Committee: 1.

Hon.

Kebba K. Barrow 2.

Hon.

Samba Jallow 3.

Hon.

Sidia Jatta 4.

Hon.

Majanko Samusa 5.

Hon.

Omar Ceesay 6.

Hon.

Billay G. Tunkara 7.

Hon.

Ya Kumba Jaiteh 8.

Hon.


Momodou S. Ceesay 9.

Hon.

Alhagie SB.

Sillah 10.

Hon.

Alhagie H. Sowe Finally, the Joint Committee begs the indulgence of this August Assembly to consider and adopt this report.

Thank you.