In a bid to boost maritime trade in the Gulf of Guinea, the Maritime Organisation of West and Central Africa and the African Development Bank have said that they will be diverting vessels from the conflict-prone Red Sea, where prevalent armed tensions continue to disrupt global shipping routes.
This is even as the institutions said they have also finalised arrangements to jointly support dry dock development across West and Central Africa.
The Secretary-General of MOWCA, Dr Paul Adalikwu, stated this recently during his maiden meeting with the newly appointed Congolese Minister of Transport, Civil Aviation and Merchant Marine, Ingrid Olga Ebouka-Babakas.
He added that the organisation remains committed to ensuring safe and cost-effective shipping within the maritime jurisdictions of its member states.
“The institution would also position the Gulf of Guinea as a viable alternative trade corridor,” he said.
He noted that MOWCA has been in regular contact with governments and multinational corporations operating within the West and Central African maritime domain.
According to Adalikwu, these efforts are aimed at suppressing piracy and other threats to the safety of crew members, cargo, and vessels.
Adalikwu said these strides are being made with the active support of the AfDB, “to strengthen the blue economy drive across Africa.”
The MOWCA boss added that the dry dock initiative is designed to deepen maritime trade beyond coastal areas and to enhance logistical connectivity between seaports and the hinterlands.
Adalikwu reiterated MOWCA’s commitment to making inland waterways more viable in member countries and highlighted the economic significance of safe and efficient ferry services on inland waterways.
He further stressed the need for stronger regulations and stricter enforcement of safety protocols, particularly in Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
In her remarks, the Congolese Minister commended Adalikwu’s unwavering dedication to encouraging African nations to fully leverage their maritime resources.
Ebouka-Babakas pledged Congo’s support toward the realisation of MOWCA’s strategic goals and praised Adalikwu’s commitment to actualising the vision of the organisation’s founding fathers, 50 years after its establishment.
