The programme is primarily aligned to the following strategic objectives:

SO1 : Development of opportunities and incentives for increased private sector investments and participation in the northern corridor

S02 : Harmonization of policy and legal frameworks on transport and trade among member states.

SO3 : Improved ports rail, road, pipeline and communication infrastructure and services

TTCA's Strategic objective is to transform the Northern Corridor into an economic development corridor with investment opportunities in transport infrastructure and services, as well as investment in other economic sectors, such as mining, manufacturing, agriculture and tourism.

In this regard, the TTCA Secretariat's strategic planning is currently focused on the following areas:

The strategic planning focusing on the above areas is intended to result harmonised transportation policies, reduction of transportation costs along the corridor and hence enhance the competitiveness of sub-region in the global market. Ultimately, this will lead to increased trade flow and attract investment into the Corridor.

Transport Policy Development

• To achieve uniform transport policies in all the member States.
• Harmonise transport regulations.
• Transform the Northern Corridor into an economic development corridor.
• Encourage private sector participation to invest in the provision of transport infrastructure and services.
• To make the Northern Corridor the most cost effective and competitive corridor in East and Central Africa.
• Establishment of a transport database/observatory to facilitate monitoring performance.
• Establishment of a TTCA Website to facilitate dissemination of information.
• Establishment of a mechani sm for policy harmonization with other sub-regional organizations with similar mandates.
• Assist member States to adopt common policies relating to restructuring of public enterprises.
• To develop training policies for various players in the transport industry.
• Promote establishment of regio nal training institutions for skilled manpower development in all the relevant fields.
• Adopt common policies and regulations on inland waterways transport.

Trade and Transport Facilitation

• Harmonised customs documentation.
• Streamlining of procedures.
• Develop a standard road transport contract document (consignment note).
• Harmonisation of legitimate transit charges and elimination of unjustified charges.
• Establishment of one-stop border posts and improvement of border post facilities.
• Establish a regional customs guarantee scheme.
• Removal of all bottlenecks and hindrances to the free flow of trade and traffic.
• Adoption of common policies and regulations for licensing of means of transport used in transit transport operations as well as transit operations.
• Implementation of the agreement on free movement of private cars (non-commercial vehicles).
• Adoption of standardized customs seals.
• Harmonisation of working hours at border posts and terminals.
• Encourage close cooperation among customs administrations.
• Promotion of international instruments for the facilitation of transit trade and transport.
• Development of code of conduct and ethics for persons involved in the provision and management of transit transport operations.
• Dissemination of Information.
• Establishment of vehicle and cargo tracking systems.
• Computerisation of customs operations and transit monitoring as well as establishing a mechanism for exchange of information.

Infrastructure Development

Road Infrastructure

• Promote the improvement, upgrading and expansion of the Northern Corridor Highway network.
• Adopt a common standard for road design, construction and maintenance.
• Adopt harmonized road financing policy and management structures.
• Ensure enforcement of harmonized axle load limits and vehicle weights and dimensions.
• Promote the development of the local private sector capacity for design, construction and maintenance of the road network.
• Promote the improvement of road safety.
• Promote close co-operation and collaboration between road agencies of the member States.
• Dissemination of information with regard to road sector development.
• Adopt common classification of roads.
• Encourage private sector participation in the provision of road infrastructure through concessions.
• Promote joint planning and soliciting of funds for regional projects.
• Promote research in utilization and improvement of local construction materials.
• Enhance awareness of HIV/AIDS and other STDs among truck drivers and contact population along the Corridor.
• Promote establishment of regional training institutions for skilled manpower development.

Railways

• Promote the rehabilitation and improvement of the existing rail infrastructure.
• Promote the construction of missing links and the extension of the rail network to cover Rwanda, Burundi and DR Congo.
• Encourage institutional reforms in the management of the railways.
• Encourage modernization of equipment and the use of ICT by railways.
• Adopt common standards for construction of rail tracks.
• Encourage close cooperation between the railway organizations.

Oil Pipeline

• Promote the improvement of the existing oil pipeline and its extension to Kampala.
• Promote further extension of the oil pipeline to Burundi, D R Congo and Rwanda.

Ports and Inland Waterways Transport

• Promote the improvement and expansion of the Mombasa port infrastructure and handling equipment.
• Encourage the expansion of the Mombasa port container terminal.
• Encourage institutional reforms in the management of Ports and Inland Container Depots.
• Promote the establishment of Inland Dry Ports, where necessary.
• Improve the relevant infrastructure to enhance the navigability and safety of the inland waterways.
• Promote the improvement of inland ports.
• Promote the use of ICT in port management and the establishment of port community systems to facilitate exchange of information among the users.

Telecommunications

• Promote the development of telecommunications infrastructure to support the monitoring of traffic along the corridor.
• Encourage the installation of telecommunications facilities along the Northern Corridor route.
• To encourage the establishment of direct cross-border telecommunications links.
• To encourage the establishment of a radio communications system for dissemination of traffic and weather related information along the corridor.
• To promote the establishment of a radio communication network to facilitate navigation, search and rescue on the inland waterways.

Performance Monitoring

The transport observatory and databank will provide the performance indicators that will be used in assessing performance of the corridor. These include:

• Mombasa Port Performance Indicators;
• Railway Performance Indicators;
• Transit Times by transport mode and by route;
• Optimum Clearance time/delay at border posts;
• Road transport performance indicators;
• Transport costs and other related costs per mode of transport, applied on the various routes

In order to facilitate performance monitoring, TTCA Secretariat is establishing a transport observatory and data bank with the assistance of the ECA Hub and the World Bank-managed SSTP programme. This will entail carrying out a base line survey and the design of the database. The baseline survey will also determine the most appropriate ways of collecting data on a sustainable basis.

New Themes

New emerging themes which the TTCA is beginning to address in its strategic planning include: HIV/AIDS, Environmental Protection and Gender.