Paschal

Paschal is a seasoned professional in transportation innovation, focusing on e-mobility policy research, public transport mapping, digitization, and transport data analysis. He worked as a researcher with the Africa E-Mobility Alliance to develop the first UNEP EV Readiness Index for Africa in 2023. On the national level, he contributed to Tanzania's e-mobility transition; collaborating with transport agencies and companies to pilot different electric vehicle use cases in Dar es Salaam under the EU-funded SOLUTIONSPlus project. Currently, he is member of a working group under the Ministry of Transport responsible for developing the national e-mobility framework policy. Trained as a civil engineer at New York University Abu Dhabi but active as a researcher and software developer, Paschal brings a multidisciplinary perspective to sustainable transport in Tanzania and Africa.

Short interview
 

What project are you working on – and what goals do you want to achieve with it?

I am currently a member of a working group advising the Ministry of Transport on the development of a national e-mobility policy framework. This framework is expected to guide the Tanzanian government on how to better transition to sustainable transport. I hope to use the knowledge I learned about e-mobility policies firsthand during the Agora fellowship with Tanzanian policy makers as we develop our own e-mobility policies.

What is the most important takeaway you gained during the fellowship for your work?

"We need operations, not just projects," Christian Hochfeld emphasised at our fellowship closing ceremony, and I fully agree. While pilot projects and start-ups in Tanzania are valuable for raising awareness about e-mobility, achieving the country's emission reduction targets of 30-35% requires government-led operations and policies that promote low-carbon transport, which currently accounts for 60% of CO2 emissions from fuel.

What was the most surprising insight for you?

One surprising insight for me was learning that, in Germany, public transport is operated as a social service rather than a business, unlike in many African countries where private companies dominate, leading to disorganised operations. Adopting mass transport will not only benefit the environment but will also boost the economy by facilitating easy movement. African governments could adopt this approach, considering subsidized public transport and consider subsidising public transport, as well as non-fare revenue sources to improve service quality.