The
African Union Commission has named the African Shipowners Association (ASA) its official partner for driving the implementation of the Africa’s Integrated Maritime Strategy (AIMS) for the advancement of maritime interest in the continent.
This occurred at the just concluded celebration of the African Day of Seas and Oceans which held last week at the AU Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Speaking at the event, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma said that because 90% of Africa’s imports and exports are shipped, the seas and oceans remain major assets for the development of the African economy.
She stressed the need for member states to look towards the ocean so as to fully harness and control the maritime sector.
She commended the efforts of ASA in this direction and urged the association to work hand in hand with African Federation of Freight Forwarders (AFFF) to ensure full implementation of the details of AIMS.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed and ASA authorized to drive AIM-Strategy from the private sector perspective.
2015-2025 was declared by the 22nd Ordinary Assembly of the African Union (AU) Assembly as the Decade of African Seas and Oceans, and 25 July specifically as African Day of Seas and Oceans.
Meanwhile, the President of AFFF, Chief Lexzy Nwangwu told MMS Plus that AFFF had already met with ASA to develop a blueprint on how to develop the maritime industry in Africa.
The freight forwarding don however lamented that Nigeria was yet to fully understand the potentials in its maritime as he wondered why no there was no Nigerian representation at the event.
“There was nobody representing Nigeria at the conference and it is not the first time such programmes would be held with Nigerian delegates absent. I was there as the President of African Federation of Freight Forwarders and few other Nigerians were there only in the capacity of African leaders” Chief Lexzy stressed.
