SecTrans NAS organises regional workshops on the transport of dangerous goods

SecTransNAS project for the safe transport of dangerous goods in North Africa and the Sahel (NAS) is coming to an end with the organisation of regional workshops aimed at incorporating and enhancing the regional vision of such transport.

For a week, representatives from the NAS region shared experiences and knowledge on various topics such as the procedures for the creation of a regional legal space for the transport of biological and chemical materials; the minimum standards to be set and the steps to be followed for full integration into international regulations; the directives relating to operational safety protocols; the available technologies and equipment used for the management of accidents caused by the transport of dangerous goods; the awareness of professionals and the population; and, finally, full-scale exercises with specific chemical substances and victims.

In the dialogue facilitated by the workshops, the willingness of countries not only to strengthen national regulations but also to align with the regulations of other countries in the sub-region and the region has become apparent. The NAS region is not uniform with regard to the transport of dangerous goods. There are two distinct areas of regulation and practice. On the one hand, North Africa, where two of the participating countries have already signed the Agreement on the Transport of Dangerous Goods by Road (ADR), the European agreement that regulates the transport of dangerous goods, and a third aspires to do so in the near future; and, on the other hand, the Sahel, where the countries are firmly committed to the path of good safety and security practices that will lead them to full compliance with international regulations in the future.