The cross border road transport sector has cheered the appointment of Mike Fitzmaurice, chief executive officer of the Federation of East and Southern African Road Transport Associations (FESARTA), as vice president for Southern Africa for the African Union of Transport and Logistics Organizations, (UAOTL) reporting to the president in Morocco.
In this position, Fitzmaurice has a sectorial committee comprising of Zambia and Zimbabwe reporting to him. There are five vice presidents reporting to the president, one for each of the following five regions in Africa: North Africa; West Africa; Central Africa; East Africa and Southern Africa.
The African Union of Transport and Logistics Organizations is an AU (African Union) organ that is recognised as an authority with a voice in Africa and this appointment is a feather in the cap, not only for Fitzmaurice, but more so for all cross border transporters.
“This appointment puts me in a powerful position to lobby for change in the regions that affect us, namely Southern and East Africa, as I have direct contact with my fellow vice presidents and the President of the organisation. As this is an African Union organisation, it will carry a lot of clout with the national governments,” he says.
He adds that it also affords opportunities to drive home initiatives that will improve the efficiency of our ports, border posts and corridor performance across the continent of Africa.
“Hopefully, with the onset of the AfCFTA, we will be able to align and harmonize transport regulations and policies across the regions and introduce universal systems that will enhance efficiency and productivity at our ports, border posts and along our trade corridors. The collective knowledge and experience of our president and five vice presidents working together with a common goal and objective has never been achieved before in any organisation,” says Fitzmaurice.
Since his appointment as CEO of Fesarta in 2015 – and subsequent formation of the Transit Assistance Bureau (Transist) in 2018 – this great man has been the ‘go-to” for all cross border related problems. He is hugely respected, not only in South Africa but also on to African continent, for his hands-on approach.
FleetWatch has seen this man in action on many an occasion where not only does he throw his weight behind alleviating massive border congestion problems when they occur, but will get out of bed late at night to help a single cross border transporter who is experiencing a problem at some border post. And the problem is soon sorted out. Now his input is going far wider than just the FESARTA regions. “It’s now time to make a real difference for the cross-border transport industry which always been my passion,” he says.FleetWatch has always described Mike Fitzmaurice as a “national asset to South Africa’ and we wish him all the very best of success as he takes on this wider role. And may we add: “Mike, you say ‘it’s now time to make a difference”. No Sir, you have always made a difference and for this we – and all cross border transporters – salute you.
