The ceremony which began with the presentation of delegations from more than 20 coastal countries of West and Central Africa as well as those of the landlocked countries particularly Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso and Chad, without forgetting partners and observer members, was followed by a cultural performance.
The officials’ speeches were preceded by the screening of a short film which not only retraced the history of the Port of Conakry, but also the performances achieved over the last three years which have earned it three consecutive rankings as best West African container Port by the World Bank Group S&P (2021, 2022, 2023).
The Director General of the PAC, taking the floor, first welcomed all the delegates. In his speech, the Director General emphasized the need to develop modern infrastructure to ensure connectivity and fluidity of the port logistics chain, because as he puts it, ports are real levers of economic growth in our countries. Finally, he strongly urged ports to integrate innovative technologies into port management and operations.
Following the speech by the Director General of the PAC, the Director General of OPRAG and current President of PMAWCA thanked the President of the Republic, his Government and the people of Guinea for the hospitality and generosity which was shown to delegations. He went on to congratulate the Director General of the PAC and his staff for the quality of the organization of the meeting. At the end of his speech, he offered the officials art objects symbolizing the different facets of Gabonese culture.
Sister organizations, through the Secretary General of Abuja MOU, expressed their solidarity with PMAWCA activities.
The Secretary General of the Ministry of Transport, representing the Minister of Transport, welcomed the delegates and emphasized the relevance of the Council theme. recalling the challenges of international trade for the landlocked countries, he expressed the commitment of the Ministry to provide all the institutional support through public policies in maritime transport which aim to maintain the dynamics of performance of the Port of Conakry.
In the name of the President of the Republic of Guinea, the Prime Minister welcomed the delegations present and wished them a pleasant stay. He also underlined the desire of the Republic of Guinea to strengthen connectivity between the port of Conakry and the hinterland countries. To this end, he invited PMAWCA Port Managers and experts to formulate strong recommendations which will permit the states of member Ports to optimize service to the hinterland. Thereupon, he declared open the work of the 44th Annual Council of the PMAWCA and the 19th Round Table of Director Generals.
At the end of these various opening ceremony speeches, the Prime Minister proceeded to cut the ribbon marking the opening of the exhibition booths in the presence of all the delegates and guests.
It is important to remember that the exhibition is a boon for companies to publicize the solutions they offer to meet the challenges faced by ports in the sub-region. It is also an opportunity for the ports to promote their achievements and share experiences.
