Casa África receives a delegation of Moroccan officials responsible for security in the transport of dangerous goods

On Monday, Casa África was able to gain a detailed understanding of the Spain-Morocco collaboration and aid project “Safety in the transport of dangerous goods by road under the ADR international regulatory framework”.

The main objective of this project is to improve transport safety and reinforce the structures and activities linked to the transport of dangerous goods by road. This will be done through the implementation and application of Law 30/05 of the Kingdom of Morocco, in accordance with the European Agreement concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road (ADR) and the United Nations and European best practices.

These issues were discussed at Casa África by the two delegations which included:

• On behalf of the Kingdom of Morocco: Mr Chahidi Azeddine, Head of the Transport Division of the Ministry of Equipment, Transport, Logistics and Water; Ms Yamani Smira, Chief Engineer (Chemicals and Special Chemicals) in the Ministry of Industry; Mr Bouida Lahoucine, Chief Engineer of the Mining Department (Head of Explosives); Mr Bassou Larbi, Deputy Regional Director General for Equipment, Transport, Logistics and Water of the Department of Casablanca-Settat; Ms Sofía El Aouni, assistant to the resident Spanish advisor on the project.
• On behalf of Spain: Mr Onán Cruz, Deputy Minister for Infrastructure and Transport of the Government of the Canary Islands; Ms Eloisa Moreno, Director of the Industry and Energy Department of the Government Delegation in the Canary Islands; Mr José Eduardo Gómez, Head of the Dangerous and Perishable Goods Service of the General Directorate of Land Transport of the Ministry of Public Works; Mr Dalmacio Benítez, professionally qualified member of the General Directorate of Transport of the Government of the Canary Islands.

Casa África has formally offered to host the various co-ordination meetings at its headquarters, as well as the workshops which are part of the project and/or a feedback day on the project’s outcomes in order to explore the possibility of extending the initiative into other African countries.

This visit to Gran Canaria was made at the request of the General Directorate of Land Transport of the Ministry of Public Works and Transport because the Canary Islands, as a neighbouring territory of Morocco, is one of the autonomous communities most affected by the transport of dangerous goods which begin or end their journey in Morocco or the countries close to it.

Whilst in Gran Canaria, the delegation’s agenda included visits by leading petrochemical companies that may be interested in commercial expansion in Morocco. 

These agreements on the international transport of dangerous goods are extremely important, as a transport operation is not only the transport itself, but also the loading, unloading and storage of this type of goods.