Transport and meteorology concerns are a prerequisite for the promotion of economic growth and development for regional and global integration.

They also have a potential to improve quality of life and social interaction of all the citizens within the region, continentally and internationally.

This was said by the Principal Secretary for the Ministry of Public Works and Transport Mr. Lebohang Phooko at the meeting of SADC senior officials for transport and meteorology at the National Convention Centre on Tuesday.

“Transport and meteorology issues contribute substantially to the development of the economies and reduction of poverty in our countries,” he said.

He noted that over the years, there has been much emphasis to prioritize these issues in the countries development plans where some notable achievements have been made.

However, Governments are still confronted with many challenges, he said, adding that meetings such as this one attempt to take stock of what has been accomplished and chart the way forward in an effort to find sustainable solutions to these challenges.

He expressed hope that initiatives such as the New Partnership for Africa's Development, the SADC Protocol on Transport Communications and Meteorology will help the countries achieve the objectives they have set for themselves.

He noted that the meeting will enable countries to plan and implement projects in line with targeted economic growth and interventions within them and the region as a whole.

The three-day meeting whose theme is 'Transport and Meteorology: Accelerating Infrastructure Provision for Regional Integration' will discuss among others, harmonisation of road user charges, vehicles overload control, vehicle equipment and dimensions as well as the third party motor vehicle insurance.

It will also discuss multilateral agreement on cross border road transport, liberalisation of air transport markets, aviation security, introduction of machine readable travel documents within the region and the meteorology sector priorities for 2009/10.

This meeting precedes the SADC Ministers of transport and meteorology meeting on Thursday.

It will be officiated by the Prime Minister Mr. Pakalitha Mosisili.

Source: LENA 08/07/2008