During Confab in Freetown: PMAWCA Board of Directors Discuss Progress & Challenges 

The Ports Management Association of West and Central Africa (PMAWCA) recently concluded its annual Board of Directors meeting in Freetown, Sierra Leone. Hosted by the Sierra Leone Ports and Harbours Authority (SLPHA), the meeting saw participation from its Board members within the sub-region, including Directors-General from the Port of Gambia, Guinea, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Senegal and Nigeria. 
The meeting emphasizes the Association’s role in enhancing maritime operations and regional cooperation. 
Welcoming the PMAWCA Board of Directors, SLPHA’s Director-General, Mr. Yankuba Askia Bio, highlighted the significance of PMAWCA’s efforts in promoting seaports across West and Central Africa. Mr Bio expressed a sense of homecoming, noting that PMAWCA was founded in Freetown in October 1972, under the guidance of the Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA). He reaffirmed SLPHA’s commitment to supporting PMAWCA’s initiatives in fostering regional maritime development. Deputy Minister of Transport and Aviation, Mr. Rhex Bonapha, delivered the keynote speech, underscoring SLPHA’s crucial role in advancing President Bio’s “Big-five Game Changer agenda.” Mr. Bonapha emphasized that SLPHA is central to facilitating trade and transportation, which, in turn, bolsters trade and agricultural activities in Sierra Leone and the broader region.
PMAWCA President, Mr Martin Boguikouma, who also serves as Managing Director of Gabon’s Ports and Harbours, noted that the meeting brings together six key ports that are members of the Board: Gabon, Nigeria, Guinea, Senegal, Equatorial Guinea, and The Gambia. The Board’s agenda included assessing the outcomes of the 2023 activities of PMAWCA, reviewing the 2023 audited report, and approving the 2024 activity program and the 2025 budget. Additionally, plans for the 44th Council meeting scheduled for November 2024 in Conakry, were discussed.

The annual Board of Directors meeting in Freetown underscores PMAWCA’s enduring commitment to fostering maritime trade and cooperation within West and Central Africa. 
In bringing together key stakeholders, the Association continues to drive initiatives that enhance the efficiency and competitiveness of regional ports. This meeting not only reflected on past achievements but also charted a course for future endeavours, ensuring that the ports in this strategically vital region remain integral to global trade networks.
As PMAWCA looks forward to its next Council meeting in Conakry, the Association’s dedication to its mission of promoting and improving port management and operations across West and Central Africa remains unwavering. The collaboration and strategic planning exhibited at the Freetown meeting are a testament to the dynamic and forward-thinking approach that defines PMAWCA’s operations.