THE ABIDJAN PORT AUTHORITY HOSTS THE 4th EDITION OF THE AFRICAN PORTS FORUM "African ports at a crossroads: between trade facilitation, digitization, decarbonation, investment and financing."

Activités portuaires Thursday 17 August 2023

It is around this theme that the 4th edition of the African Ports Forum was  held on 25 and 26 May 2023, under the patronage of the Abidjan Port Authority (PAA).

The opening ceremony of this continental event, organized by One Africa Forums in partnership with the Tanger Med Group, official partner, took place on Thursday 25 May 2023 at the Noom Hôtel in Abidjan, in the presence of several port authorities, including the Managing Director of the PAA.

Speaking at the ceremony, Hassan Alaoui, Chairman of One Africa Forums, said that the aim of this exchange platform was not only to promote South-South cooperation, but also to enable the ports to share their experience and expertise. He also took the opportunity to congratulate the Managing Director of  PAA, Mr. Hien Yacouba SIÉ, whose institution is hosting the 2023 edition, for his vision of developing the Abidjan Port and for his commitment to promoting South-South cooperation.

Mr. Ahmed Bennis, Secretary General of the Africa Ports Task Force, pointed out in his speech that the African port sector is living through an unprecedented context characterized by the global inflationary crisis, security crises, economic recovery efforts, the growing importance of environmental requirements and continental integration ambitions through the implementation of the Intercontinental Free Trade Area (ZLECAF).

This environment, he continued, is forcing the African port industry to readapt and review its strategies to better support these changes and meet evolving requirements, at the risk of losing its assets in terms of competitiveness and attractiveness.

The PAA hosted a panel discussion on the theme of "Africa's place in global value chains: it’s time to act."

Mr. KOUADIO Jules, Director of Economic Studies, Strategy and Planning (DEESP), representing the Managing Director of PAA, presented the Abidjan Port's development projects and emphasized the port's commitment to sustainable development, particularly on the issue of decarbonation.

Since its inception, the African Ports Forum has served as a platform for debate and exchange between African and international port ecosystems, to better understand current and future challenges, soak up best practices and identify innovative approaches.

This fourth edition, which has attracted more than 220 professionals and major players in the port ecosystem from 21 countries, is focusing on four major areas of discussion: the role of ports in facilitating trade between countries, innovative approaches to encouraging investment and financing, the strategic challenges of decarbonation, and the gradual digitization of the port industry.