The General Assembly, which brought together more than 20 ministers and senior maritime officials from member states, focused on strengthening maritime safety, enhancing regulatory harmonisation, and mobilising sustainable financing for infrastructure development across the region.
Addressing the gathering, Minister Sillah reaffirmed his commitment to advancing regional cooperation, improving port efficiency, and promoting maritime safety and security.
He highlighted the importance of unity among member states to be able to ensure that the maritime sector becomes a strong driver of economic growth and trade facilitation.
Further, the session also reviewed progress made by MOWCA over the past four years under its current leadership.
The Secretary General, Paul Adalikwu talked about the reforms aimed at revitalising the organisation, while strengthening staff capacity and restoring confidence among member states and international partners.
Thus, he highlighted key priorities discussed at the forum, which he said, included the proposed establishment of a regional maritime development bank to finance port modernisation, logistics corridors, and maritime security infrastructure. underscoring that, the need for transparency, accountability, and strong governance structures to ensure the sustainability of the initiative is extremely crucial.
“Maritime safety and capacity building also featured prominently, with continued collaboration between MOWCA and global bodies such as the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to enhance regulatory standards and technical training within the region,” he said.
Adalikwu observed that with over 90% of Africa’s trade being transported by sea, strengthening maritime institutions remains critical to regional integration and economic resilience.
Outgoing Chairperson of MOWCA, Ingrid Olga Ebouka-Babakas, outlined major strides made in regional maritime cooperation, including the creation of the Regional Maritime Fund and progress toward a Regional Maritime Development Bank.
She praised the Secretary General and the Secretariat for their work, further expressing hope on the country’s leadership to reforms.
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