CLOSING OF THE 10th EDITION OF AFRICAN AND SPANISH PORT WOMAN DAYS IN LAS PALMAS

Activités portuaires Thursday 14 December 2023

The 10th edition of African and Spanish Port Women Days opened on 02 October 2023, in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, in Spain and closed on Friday 05 October 2023 after a tour on Fuerteventura Island. During the tour, the delegation of the Network of Women Maritime and Port professionals of west and Central Africa, was welcomed by the city council of the Port City of Puerto Del Rosario, capital of the Island.

During the gathering, Mr. David De VERA, Mayor of Puerto Del Rosario was accompanied by Mrs. Lola GARCIA, Chairwoman of the City Hall and by Mrs Carmen ALONSO, Council member in charge of Innovation and technology. He expressed his thanks to the women Network, for having chosen his city to host the closing of the days. Expressing his views about the importance of port activities in the Municipality, he pointed out that the involvement of men and women in the development of the Port industry, reinforced the position of Fuerteventura in the economic growth of Canary Island. However, he expressed the desire to see cooperative links be strengthened between Puerto Del Rosario and the other African capitals in order to achieve a joint development, precisely trough the opening of maritime lines between Fuerteventura Island and the African continent.

Mrs Florentine GUIHARD-KOIDIO, General coordinator of NWMPP-WCA, and also Head of Department at the Direction of Digital Information System in Abidjan Port Authority (PAA) thanked the officials of the city for their hospitality and warm welcome. After she had made a presentation of the Network through its missions and objectives, she said that she was open to any collaboration with Fuerteventura’s Port sector, which may lead to the capacity building of women in the said sector-one of the major objectives of the Network.

This great international meeting gathered 80 participants originating from 17 different countries. Côte d’Ivoire was represented by 06 women comprising 3 from Abidjan Port Authority (PAA), as member of the local NWMPP in Côte d’Ivoire.

Let’s recall that Dr Titi PALE, Commercial Marketing and Communication Director at PAA is the new Chairwoman of the National Network.

The sister Association for Women in Maritime in Eastern and southern Africa (WOMESA) was also represented, on that occasion, by Mrs Rosmary Auma OILE.

This major annual gathering of women in the Port and maritime sector gave way to a fruitful sharing of experience through round tables, panels covering various topical themes. The women who were mostly Heads of Services and Department, Directors Generals of Port Authorities and Shipping Companies, Ministers of Transports, Governors and Ambassadors shared their experiences as women pioneers of NWMPP-WC.

Several presentations were made, among others, on the evolution of port and maritime professions in the digital age, female leadership in national and international port institutions, the organization of women dockworkers in Eastern Africa and the role of training institutions for the development of Ports. An emphasis was also put on corporate responsibilities of ports through successful examples of creation of port foundations.

This 10th edition allowed to give thought to the future of the Network which has been consolidating year after year, and to pay tribute to the women pioneers who have laid the foundation of NWMPP.

Thus the following women have been honoured: Her Excellency Mrs Batoura KANE from Senegal, Mrs TOURE Aissata ARIBOT from Guinea Conakry, Mrs NESSE Nicole from Cameroon, Mrs MFOUMOU Ondo Flavienne, Minister from Gabon, Mrs BIAOU, Angèle from Benin, Mrs BA NIANG Nafissatou from Senegal, Mrs AZZARIA Naomi from Bénin, Mrs TANOH ADIKO Clementine from Côte d’Ivoire, Mrs IOHNSON Dope from Togo, and posthumously, Mrs Mireille BACKO from Cameroon.