Abuja: The European Union (EU) and its partners have committed 12 million euros to strengthen the safety, security, and performance of seaports in Lagos and other West and Central African countries.
According to a statement by Mr Modestus Chukwulaka, the Press and Information Officer of the EU bloc to Nigeria and ECOWAS on Friday, this is under the
Securing Corridors, Ports and Exchanges (SCOPE) Africa project.
Chukwulaka said that more than 100 participants from Togolese institutions, beneficiary ports in West and Central Africa, regional organisations, technical partners, and the private sector met for two days in Lomé to launch a seminar.
According to him, the project is financed by the EU to the tune of 12 million euros over four years and implemented by Expertise France and Enabel.
He said that SCOPE Africa is a significant step in strengthening the safety, security and performance of the beneficiary ports.
Chukwulaka said that the beneficiary ports were all part of the land and sea corridors defined as priorities by the African Union, regional organisations and the EU’s Global Gateway strategy, are as follows.
He listed them as including Lomé, Togo; Douala and Kribi, Cameroon; Praia, Cape Verde; and Pointe-Noire, the Republic of Congo.
Others are Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire; Libreville, Gabon; Monrovia, Liberia; Lagos, Nigeria; and Dakar, Senegal.
“The kick-off seminar, organised into general sessions, thematic panels and debates around practical examples, enabled the various stakeholders to understand the operationalisation of the project’s structuring axes.
“We are taking into account the specific requirements and needs of each partner port: Strengthening compliance with international standards; improving response and crisis management capacities; professionalising and training of port stakeholders.
“The delegations took part in a technical visit to the Autonomous Port of Lomé, which made it possible to illustrate in concrete terms the aspects of port safety and security discussed during the exchanges,” he said.
“He said that the seminar was also marked by the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between SCOPE Africa and the Regional Maritime University of Accra.
According to him, the MoU was aimed at strengthening cooperation in the training and professionalisation of the maritime and port sector.
“At the end of the event, participants reaffirmed their interest and commitment to work jointly within the framework of SCOPE Africa, to increase safety at the ports,” he said.