The annual Training Session on Training on Safety and Track Maintenance took place in Rabat, at the ONCF Centre of Railway Training, from 19 – 29 November 2019 organised by UIC and ONCF – under the patronage of the UIC Africa Region Presidency.

The training session was attended by over 20 experts from 11 north and central African countries including Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Chad, Gabon, Djibouti, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Togo, Senegal, among others.

During the two-week period, the programme included 14 theoretical and pedagogical sessions and technical visits led by the technical experts of ONCF as well as a conference commemorating the one-year anniversary of the high-speed line Al Boraq.

UIC was represented by Theodore Gradinariu, Rail System Department, for the training on Track Maintenance, and Bernard Penners, Infrabel, Safety Expert for the Safety Session. The safety session included a presentation on the safety management system: the principles of risk-based management, such as the difference between the reliability of the technical components and operational risk as well as safety culture and risk analysis.

During the closing session Mr Said Chandid, ONCF, the representative of Mr Khlie, DG ONCF and UIC Africa Region President, thanked participants for their participation which made the training a success allowing the experts to exchange practice and knowledge capitalisation.

Thierry Béra, UIC CFO and UIC Africa Region Coordinator, noted the success of biannual training sessions and raised the possibility of their development, underlining the importance of efficient collaboration between UIC and ONCF within the framework of the UIC African Region.