ABIDJAN PORT AUTHORITY HOSTED THE ANNUAL SEMINAR OF THE NETWORK OF WOMEN MARITIME AND PORT PROFESSIONALS OF WEST AND CENTRAL AFRICA (NWMPP)

Activités portuaires Friday 27 September 2024

From 30 July to 01 August 2024, Abidjan Port Authority hosted the 2024 Annual seminar of the Network of Women Maritime and Port Professionals of West and Central Africa (NWMPP) organized under the theme " Blue Economy and Climate change: Challenges and opportunities for the African Maritime and Port women".

The opening Ceremony took place on 30 July 2024 in the presence of Mr. Amadou KONÉ, Minister of Transport of Côte d'Ivoire; Mr. Honoré SAYI, Minister of Civil Aviation and Merchant Navy of Congo Brazzaville and also President of the Maritime Organization for the West and Central Africa (MOWCA); of the Director of Environment, representing the Ivorian Minister of Environment, Mr. ASSAHORÉ Konan Jacques; Mr Serey DOH, Special Advisor, Technical Advisor Responsible for Political Cells, representing the Ivorian Minister of Maritime and Port Affairs; Mr. Jean Marie KOFFI, Secretary General of the Port Management Association of West and Central Africa (PMAWCA); Mr. Hien Yacouba SIÉ, Managing Director of Abidjan Port Authority; Several actors of the Ivorian Port and Maritime Industry and many women maritime and Port professionals from fifteen (15) countries.

The main objective of the seminar organized around several panels was to enable the different member experts of the network to contribute significantly to an emerging sustainable blue economy through the mitigation of the effects of climate change. More specifically, to help build knowledge of African women maritime and Port professionals of the challenges of climate change and sustainable blue economy, to raise awareness of rulers about the need to invest in projects aimed at preserving the oceans, seas, and rivers, and above all, raise the awareness of African women maritime and Port professionals about the employment and investment opportunities provided by blue economy.

Mr Hien Yacouba SIÉ, Managing Director of Abidjan Port Authority, in his address, highlighted the relevance and urgency of the initiative of the experts network, as the maritime industry plays a major role in climate change. He revealed that the maritime industry accounts for about 3% to greenhouse gas emissions and this negative impact will become increasingly important with a rate of emission expected to reach 17% by 2050 if nothing is done to deal with it.

 According to him, it is imperative that each player in the sector, particularly, women play a role in fighting climate change. The Port Authority recalled the efforts made by his institution to preserve the environment, which led today to the ISO 14001 environment Certification.

For her part, Mrs Florentine KOUADIO GUIHARD, the Ivorian Coordinator General of (NWMPP-WCA) who welcomed the holding of the seminar in Abidjan, called for the active participation of her sisters so that women could make strong recommendations, not only for reducing greenhouse gases, but also to increase the competitiveness of the ports of the West and Central African Region.

 Mr. Amadou KONÉ, Minister of Transports in his turn, pointed out the necessity for adapting activities to the effect of climate change so as to create opportunities for women in all the port and maritime sectors. Moreover, he hoped that at the end of the seminar, the trained attendees be well prepared to deal with issues on blue economy.

This technical seminar will be followed on 01 August 2024, by the 5th General Assembly of NWMPP-WCA during which the governing body will be renewed.

Note that the Network of Women Maritime and Port Professionals of West and Central Africa (NWMPP-WCA) gathers 18 member countries: Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Cameroon, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea Conakry, Guinea Bissau, Equatorial Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Sénégal, Sierra Leone and Togo.