He said: “The main objective is to be able to demonstrate that a successful Conference Week can be held outside Europe and still be able to attract auto clubs from elsewhere in the world. We think that our Conference Week will help other auto clubs to get a perspective of the automobile movement in developing countries. If we can attract 250 delegates, like last year in Cologne, we’ll be very pleased.”

With 150 delegates having already signed up this has become a tangible target. Amongst those are delegates from clubs across Africa such as Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya and Zimbabwe, who are all members of the Sub Saharan Africa Touring and Automobile Clubs (SATAC) association.

SATAC, which was formed 12 years ago with help from the FIA Region One Development Fund, has been central to the promotion of this year’s Conference Week and has helped to attract other clubs that are not usually part of the network.

Kok said: “At our SATAC Forum in Nairobi last year we attracted Rwanda, Botswana and Ghana. Through the SATAC Forum we are promoting Conference Week. It will be very rewarding for these clubs, many of which have never been to this event, to sit through as many sessions as possible.”

The presence of these clubs will also help to bring a unique perspective to Conference Week which Kok believes will benefit all of those involved. He said: “Another objective is for clubs to return with an African/third-world perspective. To make them think about how, as a global movement, we can help other clubs in future.”

After all, the biggest challenges facing mobility in Africa are not necessarily the same as those in the rest of the world. So it becomes even more important for all of the clubs to use Conference Week as a forum to exchange experiences and information.

Kok says: “The big challenge in the region is that road safety is pretty low down on the agenda of most governments in Africa. That is becoming a serious issue.

“Another issue is that many African countries do not recognize that a good road and transport infrastructure can help domestic economic growth. In most African countries, including South Africa, our road infrastructures are way below the requirements to help economic development.”

Conference Week offers the opportunity for all of the clubs to meet together to exchange information which will enhance services to their members. In some cases the collective experience is used to assist in lobbying international organisations for change.

The annual forum hosts numerous commissions, which meet to discuss contemporary automotive issues such as legal and consumer topics, road service technologies, travel and tourism products, marketing techniques, and a range of cooperative activities. It also includes meetings of the working groups of the FIA Foundation, which campaigns for road safety worldwide.

Having previously hosted the 1997 AIT General Assembly, the AA is well equipped to handle this event. It is the biggest automobile club in Africa with 290 000 personal members and provides roadside assistance and helpline solutions to 1.5 million passenger vehicles.

Kok said: “We’ve got the infrastructure and the experience to do it. Hopefully our conference will set a shining example. If it is a success it will certainly be a catalyst for other countries outside Europe to say ‘we want to be next’.