TRANSPORT POLICY ISSUES IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA: REPORT ON A SERIES OF ROUNDTABLES HELD IN ROME, ITALY, APRIL 1-18, 1986

This EDI Policy Seminar Report reports on three meetings (roundtables) held in Rome, Italy, in April 1986 to discuss important transport policy issues in sub-Saharan Africa. Four particularly important subjects were the foci of discussions in the the roundtables: (1) Economic prospects and transport sector resource allocation and utilization; (2) Road maintenance; (3) The management of transport parastatal enterprises; and (4) Institutional development, training, and technical assistance. The objective of this series of roundtables was to bring together ministers and senior officials responsible for, and intimately connected with, transport in sub-Saharan Africa, to discuss ways to confront these issues and to exchange views with each other and with World Bank staff. The agenda was essentially the same for the three roundtables. While the meetings were not primarily intended to lead to formal conclusions or recommendations, the discussions nevertheless indicated areas of general agreement. This report attempts to capture the essence of the discussions and of the areas of consensus. Chapters 2 through 5 cover the four main themes. Each chapter contains the essence of the presentation of the main issues given by Bank staff or consultants, followed by a summary of the discussions, and points of consensus.