The Maritime Organisation of West and Central Africa(MOWCA) and African Development Bank(AfDB) have concluded arrangements to partner on dry dock development in West and Central Africa
Secretary General of MOWCA , Dr. Paul Adalikwu disclosed this in Brazzaville at his maiden meeting with the newly appointed Congolese Minister of Transport, Civil Aviation and Merchant Marine, Madam Ingrid Olga Ebouka-Babakas .
Adalikwu said the initiative is aimed at driving maritime trade deeper beyond littoral areas and achieve greater logistical connectivity between seaports and hinterlands
He added that MOWCA has commenced strategic moves to achieve greater maritime trade in the Gulf of Guinea by negotiating diversion of ships from the Red Sea where there is prevalence of armed conflicts
Dr Adalikwu told the Minister who also doubles as Chairperson of the MOWCA Council of Ministers that the feat is being achieved with the active support of the African Development Bank(AfDB) to strengthen the blue economy drive across Africa
MOWCA, according to Dr Adalikwu is committed to safe and cost effective shipping in member countries maritime jurisdictions and has been in touch with governments and multinationals operating in the West and Central African maritime domain. This is to suppress piracy and other acts capable of undermining safety of crew, cargo and vessel.
He briefed Ebouka-Babakas on the various partnerships MOWCA has entered with other international organisations like the International Maritime Organisation (IMO),
International Hydrographic Organization (IHO),ICC Yaoundé in Cameroun and others adding that the pacts contributed in reviving the the organisation which went almost moribund for a decade before he was elected.
He reiterated MOWCA’s commitment to achieving viability of inland waterways in member countries while briefing her on the capacity building efforts the organisation is making including the regional workshop on inland waterway safety and ferry accidents in Libreville, Gabon, in 2024.
The workshop, according to Adalikwu focused on addressing issues around frequent accidents on inland waterways and the role of meteorological information in ensuring safe navigation.
The MOWCA Secretary General Dr. Paul Adalikwu highlighted the economic importance of safe inland waterway ferry services. The workshop also emphasized the need for strengthened regulations and enforcement of safety protocols on inland waterways, particularly in Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Gabon also expressed support for the workshop, which was aimed at preventing accidents.
On the planned transformation of MOWCA to African Maritime Organization (AMO), Adalikwu said the organisation is working with IMO, African Union, Association of African Maritime Administrations to achieve this goal
The MOWCA SG delivered a statement on the transformation during the AAMA Conference in Tanzania last year,which led to participants resolving to hold a meeting of experts in collaboration with AfDB in June 2025 to further push the Agenda forward. He further promised to brief the Minister on the outcome of the meeting and the role she will play afterwards
Madam Ebouka-Babakas commended Adalikwu for his tenacity and commitment to making MOWCA live up to the dreams of its founding fathers, fifty years after it was created.
She lauded his unrelenting disposition to encourage African countries to harness the benefits of their maritime endowments and pledged supporting Adalikwu to realise the yet to be attained goals of the organisation
The minister also urged Adalikwu to pursue the goal of transforming MOWCA to AMO to enable Africa speak as one on maritime issues considering all supports gotten so far from various partners like AFDB, AUC, AAMA amongst others.
