The Northern Corridor Stakeholders' Consutlative Forum to be Institutionalized

The revised Northern Corridor Agreement, which was signed in Nairobi in October, 2007 provides for the institutionalization of the Northern Corridor Stakeholders Forum as one of the organs of NCTTCA. Although the Northern Corridor Stakeholders Consultative Forum has been in existence since 1999, it has no formal structure to coordinate its activities.

The rationale behind the institutionalization of the Forum is the need to form private and public sector partnerships in the implementation of NCTTCA programmes. In addition, there is need to enhance the participation of the private sector in national and regional economic development initiatives. The engagement with the private sector is crucial in the delivery of services along the corridor and the development of the necessary infrastructure. Furthermore, NCTTCA recognises the invaluable input of the private sector in trade and transport facilitation along the corridor, which entails dealing with the operational issues, as well as the removal of non-tariff barriers.

In pursuit of this noble objective, the NCTTCA has retained the services of a Consultant (The Management Centre Limited) to undertake the necessary review and to come up with concrete proposals that would lead to the institutionalization of the Northern Corridor Stakeholders' Forum. The assignment is to be carried out over a period of six weeks form the beginning of April, 2008.

The main objective of this assignment is to develop a charter for the Institutionalization of the Stakeholders Consultative Forum . In order to create a virtuous cycle of policy reform and operational efficiency, the charter will address among others issues membership, governing structure, rules and procedures, reporting flows, financing etc.

The Consultant will also be required to articulate the role of the Forum and to identify its key priority activities, as well as to design a strategy and action plan to implement the identified activities.

The following is a summary of the scope of work of the Consultant;

(i) Using the SWOT analysis methodology, assess the performance of the current set-up of the Northern Corridor Stakeholders Forum, with a view to recommending an appropriate structure, functions and activities, as a self reliant entity;

(ii) Draft a charter ( Memorandum and Articles of Association) for the Stakeholders Forum, proposing an appropriate name in the process;

(iii) Design an initial Action Plan and Sensitization Programme in order to effect the functional structure; and

(iv) Present the Report of findings and recommendations as well as the Draft Charter to a meeting of the Stakeholders Forum to be convened for that purpose;

(v) Prepare the Final Report and the Final Charter, incorporating the recommendations of the said meeting of the Stakeholders.

In carrying out the assignment, the Consultant will undertake both desk review and hold discussions with public and private sector stakeholders . Field missions to member States will also be undertaken by the Consultant to facilitate a wider consultation with stakeholders. The Consultant shall also endeavour to draw lessons from similar stakeholder institutions in existence on other Corridors such as the Maputo and Trans-Kalahari Corridors.

The Permanent Secretariat of the NCTTCA wishes to take this opportunity to appeal to all the stakeholders to grant to the Consultant maximum cooperation and guidance, to enable the latter to come out with the most suitable Charter and institutional framework.

The Report of the Consultant, as well as the Draft Charter will be tabled at the next meeting of the Stakeholders' Forum to be held in Mombasa towards the end of May this year. The actual date of the meeting will be communicated, after the receipt of the Consultant's Draft Report.