provides courses for railway managers. This objective has been achieved.
(i) Greater attention should be paid to the effects of railways on the
environment.
No information is available.
a. Railway safety should be increased by at least 10%
In Zambia, the number of derailments have reduced by 50% and this seems to indicate that the
objective could be attained.
b. Manufacturing capacity building should be accelerated.
This activity was not implemented.
1.3 Air Transport
313. Twelve objectives were defined for air transport.
(a) Implementation of phases I, II and III of the Yamoussoukro Declaration
Progress has been achieved in the implementation of certain aspects of phases I and II (see Chapter IV, section 6). Lastly, the adoption of the Yamoussoukro Decision on liberalizing access to air transport markets in Africa in 1999 as well as various initiatives taken at the subrgional level could be considered as important measures for the realization of this objective which
seems to be attained.
(b) The level of operating expenses of African airlines should as much as possible be around the worid average and not exceed it by more than 10 per
cent.
The unit operating cost of airlines is currently almost 15% higher than the average unit cost of the world air transport industry. This results from the higher costs of procuring such goods and services as spare parts, fuel, insurance and maintenance. The objective has therefore not been achieved in spite of measures taken to rationalize staff, abandon unprofitable routes, improve management, control costs by shedding ancillary activities, and introduce a better information and management
system to help reduce unit costs.
(c) Increase the number of profitable airlines through mergers and implemenation of
measures recommended under the Decade programme;
This objective has not been attained.
(d) Increase the number of autonomous airport authorities as well as those of
joint airspace management authorities.
Several countries have announced the implementation of reforms aimed at establishing autonomous airport and airspace management authorities. It should be stressed that the incresase in the number of autonomous airport authorities stems more from the constraints of structural adjustment programmes. This objective has therefore been attained.
(e) Improvement of networks through increase in frequencies between twinned destinations, reduction of travel time, coordination and rationalisation of
schedules.
A study conducted by ECA in 16 African airports showed that between 1992 and 1998 frequencies increased by nearly 23%. It may therefore be considered that the objective could be attained in as much as AFRAA and ECOWAS have, as an additional measure, each set up a schedule-coordination committee to accompany both the increase in frequencies and reduction in travel time through better coordination. According to ECOWAS, however, the schedule-coordination committee has not yet started functioning effectively thereby delaying the realisation of the objective.
(f) Renewal of fleet of aircraft through existing or envisaged financing mechanisms.
African airlines have made considerable efforts to renew their fleet. In the case of AFRAA members, over 70% of their fleet was at the end of the Decade made up of 110 Boeing 737 jet planes i e. nearly 27% of the fleet and 38% of other jet aircraft. Jet planes continue to be the preferred aircraft. This objective therefore seems to be achieved at least as far as fleet
renewal is concerned.
(g) Improvement of air traffic services to increase crew efficiency and passenger safety The objective has been attained through improved airspace management.
(h) Better implementation of the AFI Plan within the context of ICAO air navigation Objective has been attained (see Chapter V section 6)
(i) Improvement of airport infrastructures by reducing the number of accidents/incidents related to inadequate airport infrastructures, installations
and services
Several air transport projects under the Decade programme which are either completed or about to be, deal with the improvement and modernisation of airport infrastructures (new terminals, extension and strengthening of runways, installation of new landing aids, modernisation or installation of fire safety equipment, opening of new airports to international traffic, etc.). All this helps to consider the objective as having been attained in spite of lack of statistical data on accidents/incidents.
(j) Improvement and strengthening of African civil aviation training centres.
Only ASECNA has reported on capacity building at the [Ecole africaine et malgache de I'aviation civile (EAMAC)j, to take into account, among others, the training obligation under the AFI and AVSEC Plans on air security and safety. This is a factor aimed at achieving the set objective.
(k) improvements in facilitation and drawing up of relevant regulatory texts This objective is a permanent mission of the facilitation committee which exists compulsorily in every airport open to international traffic and is signatory to the Chicago Convention The
objective is attained.
(I) Reduction in the number of unlawful acts committed against civil aviation With regard to air safety and security, the implementation of AVSEC mechanism under ICAO has been completed. This seems to satisfy the objective in spite of the lack of specific statistics
on the issue.
1.4 Maritime Transport
314. Four objectives were determined for maritime transport.
(a) Ensure equitable participation in maritime trade on the basis of the provisions of the United Nations Code of Conduct for Liner Conferences.
Chapter III section 1 pointed out handicaps of the African fleet: its quite small size, the average age of its vessels (over 20 years), its distribution between several countries ; these are three
factors that explain its low competitiveness. These factors have not enabled the objective to be attained. During the Decade we have rather seen a reduction in Africa's share of maritime transport given the reduction in its fleet (see Tables 3.5 and 3.6).
(b) Significant increase in the share of national fleets in maritime trade within the framework of UNCTAD resolution 120 (v).
Since 1990, it seems that «dry bulk » and liquid cargoes from Africa are on the increase while oil tankers and bulk vessels are declining. Moreover, the productivity of these vessels which was 5.95 tonnes and 3.29 tonnes per DWT respectively was at the end of 1999 only 6.65 tonnes and 3.03 tonnes per DWT respectively. The result was that Africa's share in the transport of crude oil dropped from 4% in 1990 to 2.3% in 2000 and that of the transport of petroleum products rose from eight per cent in 1990 to 10% in 2000. Thus, it is obvious that the improvement in national fleet participation in maritime transport was not significant within the context of UNCTAD resolution 120 (v). The objective has not been achieved.
(c) Increasing the competitiveness of national fleets through modernisation adaptation of tonnage to commercial requirements and adaptation of management techniques with a view to reducing unit costs :
There are no reliable statistical data indicating that a major modernization or an adaptation process took place in the entire region during the Decade period. Consequently, on the basis of general data, it may be concluded that no modernization or adaptation took place. For that matter, there was no reduction in unit cost. The objective has therefore not been attained.
(d) Increasing significantly the tonnage owned and controlled by African countries based on the demands of African trade :
Table 3.6 shows a decline In competitiveness of Africa's fleet. Certain countries like Algeria, Egypt, Ethiopia, and Mauritius significantly increased the level of ownership of the competitive fleet.
However, this fleet is still too small, less than 0.5% of the world fleet, to represent a level of ownership and control by African countries. The objective has therefore not been achieved.
Moreover, it is worth noting that most national fleets have been privatized or are in liquidation, a factor which did not facilitate the achievement of the objectives.
1.5 Maritime Ports :
315. Five objectives were determined for maritime ports.
a) Increasing the productivity of maritime ports :
The outcome of restructuring and marketing reforms initiated at the beginning of the Decade was a marked improvement in productivity. At Port Sudan, productivity rose from 21.5 tonnes to 23.5 tonnes per team between 1998 and 1999. In Mombassa, crane movements increased from 10 to 15 per hour, which represent over 330 movements in 24 hours. In Mauritius, crane movements per hour went up from 10 in January 1999 to 15 in June 2000. The improvement in port productivity also stems from other factors such as the acceleration of customs formalities in ports, acquisition of cargo handling equipment, improvement in policies and frequencies of repair of equipment. All this helps to conclude that the objective has been attained.
b) Reduce the time spent by vessels and cargoes in ports :
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c) Reduce cargo losses due to deterioration and pilferage: