Seminar on Governance and Sustainable Funding for Urban Public Transport in Morocco

Moroccan
cities are facing an increase in car use. It results in longer distances that contributes make public transport services less attractive for people. Paratransit systems are organized in a more or less formal way to meet the mobility needs of residents. This evolution of the urban transport system affects the attractiveness and economic competitiveness of Moroccan cities. This context directly affects the performance of the public transport services. Due to traffic conditions and highly degraded comfort, buses lose market share, and therefore essential fare revenue for their development. Public transport is thus caught in a vicious circle which must necessarily be reversed. Like the experiences of European countries or emerging countries, it is possible to implement a sustainable model to enable a sustainable operation of public transit systems serving an improved quality of life.

Given the importance of the theme, and as part of its activities, the Moroccan Association of Presidents of Municipal Councils (AMPCC), in partnership with the Moroccan Network for Public Transport (REMATP) and CODATU, is organizing a day reflection on the theme of governance and sustainable financing of urban public transport, November 4, 2014 in Rabat, Golden Tulip Farah.

This seminar follows national events that helped to define a strategy for urban mobility and begin structuring metropolitan governance of public transport. It thus echoes the National Urban Transport Days which were held on 23 and 24 September 2013 by the Ministry of the Interior, the Marseille Center for Mediterranean Integration, the French Development Agency and CODATU. During these days, an institutional model and funding mecanisms were proposed. Shortly after, the Finance Act 2014 had amended the Fund accompanying transport reform (FATR) to promote the development of mass transit systems. Given this important evolution of the national context, this event aims to make a waypoint between the members of FATR committee and representatives of local communities to bring together the perspectives of stakeholders for sustainable urban transport. They a reinvited to enrich reflection on the capacity building and funding ressources for local governements to identify areas for development.

The seminar will bring together the Chairmen of the Boards of major cities with the heads of relevant ministries (Interior, Finance, Equipment and Transport, Urbanism) for a discussion on the themes of governance system for urban public transport, sustainable funding mechanisms and articulation with planning. The presentations will discuss the importance of a comprehensive approach strategy, backed by concrete and coordinated actions and relying on a general mobilization to a significant improvement in the quality of public transportation service. The discussions will be enriched by the testimony of the structure of local governance in Morocco and by the teachings of the latest international research funding of public transport.

Programme

8:30: Welcome to participants

9:00: Opening Remarks

• Wali Secretary General of the Ministry of Interior issues of the organization and financing of urban transport
• The President of the Moroccan Association of Presidents of Municipal Councils: Prospects for Local Government

9:30 am: Coffee Break

10.00: Session 1: Lights on governance and financing PUBLIC TRANSPORT

• Moroccan Public Transport Network: Network advocacy and public transport
• Julien Allaire, Secretary General of CODATU & Thierry GOUIN, in charge of International CEREMA: International Experience: Who pays what for urban transport?
• Presidents of Urban Commons: Challenges and constraints specific
• Ministries and other national institutions: Special Perspectives
• International cooperation organizations: cooperation frameworks to improve governance

13.00: Lunch Break

14:00: Session 2: Convergence of perspectives and areas of priority action

• Debate

How effective institutional arrangements for urban transport? How to finance investments in public transport and optimize operating expenses? What contribution can we expect users? What additional resources could be mobilized? What added value can we expect a better relationship with urbanization? How to strengthen?

• Conclusions

17:00 Break – Coffee and departure of participants