Mission report: to collect data on port statistics for preparation of a report on guidelines for harmonization on statistics for PMAESA ports

Abstract

The development of transport statistics at national, sub-regional and regional levels covering various transport modes has been the concern of many transport agencies and institutions in Africa as a result of the data bank project which the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and the World Bank embarked upon in 1991 within the framework of implementation of UNTACDA II and SSATP programmes. In the field of maritime ports the Port Management Association of Eastern and Southern Africa (PMAESA) approached ECA in 1997 to draw up the terms of reference for a survey on the establishment of a data base at PMAESA Headquarters for all PMAESA ports. The terms of reference were prepared as requested, presented to PMAESA Council Meeting in 1998 and were approved. ECA was again requested by the 1999 Council to spearhead a pilot study. The ports of Djibouti were selected for data collection but later it was proposed that one or two ports should be added.