MEETING OF THE NETWORK OF PROFESSIONAL WOMEN IN THE MARITIME AND PORT SECTORS FOR WEST AND CENTRAL AFRICA: REVIEW AND OUTLOOK FOR 2025

Activités portuaires Thursday 09 January 2025

On November 20, 2024, during the 44th Annual PMAWCA Council, the members of the Network of Professional Women in the Maritime and Port Sector for West and Central Africa (NPWMP-WCA) convened to review past initiatives and plan future actions.

The meeting brought together women from PMAWCA member ports and various professional backgrounds in the maritime and port sectors. It was attended by Mrs. THADESS Magali Line Victoire, General Coordinator of NPWMP-WCA; Dr. Titi PALÉ, Director of Marketing, Communication, and Commercial Affairs at the Abidjan Port Authority (PAA) and also Côte d’Ivoire’s National Coordinator for the network; and Mrs. Florentine GUIHARD-KOIDIO, President of the NPWMP-WCA Strategic Watch Committee.

Mrs. THADESS Magali Line Victoire opened the session by thanking the network members for their strong participation, highlighting the growing interest in promoting women within the sector. She emphasized that the meeting aimed to evaluate actions undertaken and set the groundwork for upcoming projects for 2025–2026.

Discussions included a review of reports from previous events, such as the combined seminar and general election assembly in Abidjan (July 30–August 1, 2024), the joint WIMA-IMO conference in São Tomé and Príncipe (September 2–4, 2024), and the conference in San Pedro, Côte d’Ivoire (October 29–30, 2024).

The meeting was an opportunity to review the strengths and weaknesses of the network:

Strengths of the network included the promotion of women to senior positions, enthusiasm for network activities, and strong support from leaders like Mr. Michael LUGUJE, Managing Director of Ghana Ports, and Mr. Jean-Marie KOFFI, Secretary-General of PMAWCA.

However as regards weakness, challenges remain, such as poorly functioning national networks, unpaid membership dues, and lack of support from some port directors.

Looking ahead, the participants outlined prospects for 2025–2026, including establishing local networks in member countries, increasing visibility by participating in major events, forming partnerships with local and international entities to enhance innovative knowledge-sharing, and securing funding mechanisms to enable women’s participation in training programs.

Another important issue for the network is the organization of rotating general meeting.

The meeting concluded with a positive outlook identifying challenges, with targeted actions, suitable training and plans not only for further strengthening women’s roles in the sector, but also for achieving great success by 2026. Note that the next NPWMP-WCA meeting is scheduled to take place in Guinea-Bissau.