Lakhasly

4.4.3 Strategy and Priorities
The strategies employed and priorities established for the TAH network of highways amounts to a combination of strategies and priorities established at both national and REC levels.However, the developments seem to be of the "two step forward, one step backward" kind. Although, the number of standard documents have been reduced and new are introduced, for instance the one Road Customs Transit Document now in use replaces 13 old ones. The reason given for this is that as traders and transporters try to avoid paying custom duties by utilising loopholes in existing regulations or outright fraud the customs authorities tend to counter such attempts with the help of new documents and/or control procedures, complicating the clearing process. There are also major unresolved problems in this field. One has to do with the handling of customs bonds that at present functions as a fragmented system. Now each country through which transit goods pass, requires each their own bond. Work is now in progress to establish a Regional Customs Bond Guarantee that would be accepted by all corridor countries. One simple measure, which would considerably reduce the waiting time at borders, would be to increase the number of hours the border post is open. Such extended opening hours have been temporarily introduced in e.g. Zambia in conjunction with the import of emergency food, with very good results. The experience gained under the SADC pilot project "Transit System on the Trans- Kalahari" and described in some detailed in the presentation of Highway 3 above (Tripoli-Windhoek Highway) could be applied to at least some of the non-physical barriers experienced along the Cairo-Gaborone Highway.4.5.2 Sources of Financing
In the countries of the Cairo-Gaborone Highway the funding of road sector activities is arranged along the following main lines:

a) External assistance sources for road construction, rehabilitation (and to some degree also for period maintenance purposes);
b) Central government financing of counterpart funds and the construction, rehabilitation and period maintenance work not covered under the different external assistance programmes;
c) Road Fund for road maintenance in general and a routine maintenance in particular.The road sector activities in Kenya are highly depending on locally generated funds, with the Road Fund playing an important role for the upkeep of the Kenyan road network (the level of external assistance to improvement and rehabilitation projects is far below requirements).4.5 FUNDING

4.5.1 Corridor Programming
The Cairo-Gaborone Highway is included in the sub-regional network of high priority roads as defined by COMESA, SADC and EAC .The overall picture is one of shortage of funds and a considerable dependence on external assistance particular in the fields of rehabilitation and periodic maintenance.Tanzania
A rehabilitation project for the road section from Arusha in Tanzania to Ashi river in Kenya is under preparation, as a regional project with the active support of ECA and the African Development Bank.One of the potential BOOT road links is a project from Fayoum to Assuit, consisting of a 260 km road running parallel to the existing Cairo-Gaborone Highway, but further away from the Nile river.Second Priority: Nile route from Wadi Halfa via Khartoum, Rabak to

Nimule at Uganda frontier.In addition to the ongoing rehabilitation and improvement programme which at present does not cover any section of the Cairo-Gaborone Highway a Road Maintenance Management System (RMMS) is under implementation.A common condition in all countries is the fact that the funds made available to the road sector is inadequate to meet maintenance and rehabilitation requirements, although the situation varies considerably from country to country.The general objectives of ongoing improvements to regional transport links are:
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