Republic of Congo Trade Facilitation Intervention Trade Facilitation between Congo and its Neighbors: Public Disclosure Authorized Addressing the Bottlenecks Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized (TF-P149800) Republic of Congo Trade Facilitation Intervention Trade Facilitation between Congo and its Neighbors: Addressing the Bottlenecks May 2015 Republic of Congo Government Fiscal Year January 1–December 31 Currency Equivalents Exchange Rate Effective as of May 15, 2015 Currency Unit = CFA Franc US$1.00 = 573.34 XAF Weights and Measurements Metric System Vice President Makhtar Diop Country Director Eustache Ouayoro/ Jan Walliser/ A. Moustapha Ndiaye Practice Manager Albert G. Zeufack/ John F. Speakman Task Team Leader Fulbert Tchana Tchana Table of Contents Preface ........................................................................................................................................................... ix Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................................................ xi Abbreviations and Acronyms ....................................................................................................................... xiii Executive Summary ........................................................................................................................................xv Rationales and Objectives....................................................................................................................................... xv Main Findings on Key Policy Issues under Investigation ....................................................................................... xvi Main Policy Recommendations .......................................................................................................................... xxiii Matrix of Key Policy Recommendations ............................................................................................................ xxviii Introduction ................................................................................................................................................... 1 CHAPTER 1: Assessment of the Logistics and Transportation Industry of Congo’s Key Trade Corridors ...... 7 1.1 Background and Objectives ..............................................................................................................................7 1.2 Transport Infrastructure and Trade ...................................................................................................................9 1.2.1 The Brazzaville – Douala Corridor ........................................................................................................9 1.2.2 Pointe Noire – Cabinda Corridor ......................................................................................................11 1.2.3 Brazzaville – Kinshasa Corridor ..........................................................................................................12 1.2.4 Cross-Border Comparison ..................................................................................................................13 1.3 Regulatory and Institutional Framework .........................................................................................................14 1.3.1 The Brazzaville – Douala Corridor ......................................................................................................14 1.3.2 Pointe Noire – Cabinda Corridor .......................................................................................................17 1.3.3 Brazzaville – Kinshasa Corridor ..........................................................................................................19 1.4 Transport and Logistics Services ......................................................................................................................20 1.4.1 The Brazzaville – Douala Corridor ......................................................................................................20 1.4.2 Pointe Noire – Cabinda Corridor ......................................................................................................20 1.4.3 Brazzaville – Kinshasa Corridor ..........................................................................................................21 1.5 Regional Integration .......................................................................................................................................22 1.5.1 Transport Infrastructure and Logistics Services ...................................................................................24 1.5.2 Institutional and Regulatory Framework .............................................................................................25 1.6 Challenges ......................................................................................................................................................26 1.7 Reform Implementation and Way Forward .....................................................................................................27 iii iv Republic of Congo – Trade Facilitation Intervention CHAPTER 2: Strengthening the Transport Sector in Congo: Review and Action Plan .................................33 2.1 Background and Objectives ............................................................................................................................33 2.2 Regulatory and institutional framework ..........................................................................................................34 2.2.1 Institutional Framework .....................................................................................................................34 2.2.2 Legal and Regulatory Framework ........................................................................................................35 2.3 Structure of the Road Transport Industry .......................................................................................................36 2.3.1 Transport Actors and Auxiliaries .........................................................................................................36 2.3.2 Congo’s Road Transportation Industry Business Practice .....................................................................38 2.4 State of the Transport Sector ............................................................................................................................40 2.5 Road Transport Services and Infrastructure ......................................................................................................42 2.5.1 Congo’s Truck Fleet ............................................................................................................................42 2.5.2 Road Safety in Congo .........................................................................................................................43 2.5.3 Freight Management in Congo ...........................................................................................................45 2.5.4 Internal Road Infrastructures System ..................................................................................................47 2.6 Regulatory Policies and Enforcement on Freight Transport Services .................................................................48 2.7 Recommendations ...........................................................................................................................................50 CHAPTER 3: Rehabilitating the Brazzaville Port – Assessing Port Performance and Port Connectivity ...... 53 3.1 Introduction ....................................................................................................................................................53 3.1.1 Brazzaville and the River Network ......................................................................................................55 3.1.2 Objectives ...........................................................................................................................................55 3.2 Institutional and Regulatory Framework .........................................................................................................55 3.3 Freight and Passenger Traffic at the Brazzaville Port .........................................................................................57 3.3.1 Freight Traffic .....................................................................................................................................57 3.3.2 Passenger Traffic ..................................................................................................................................57 3.4 Entry Procedures and Duties at Brazzaville Port ..............................................................................................57 3.5 Current Port Rehabilitation Projects ................................................................................................................60 3.6 Assessing Brazzaville Port Performance and Port Connectivity .........................................................................60 3.6.1 The Current State of the Port ..............................................................................................................60 3.6.2 The Organizational Plan .....................................................................................................................64 3.6.3 The Functional Plan and Activity ........................................................................................................64