The Nigerian Shippers Council in collaboration with Union of African Shippers’ Councils (UASC) is holding its 9th edition of African Shippers’ Day in Lagos.
The workshop which began on Monday is expected to end today, Wednesday.
The programme, with the theme ‘‘African Continental Free Trade Agreement: A Veritable Platform for African Shippers to Mainstream into Global Trade’’, was declared open by President Muhammadu Buhari while the Minister of Transportation, Mu’Azu Sambo, is the Chief host.
The celebration aims to provide a forum for sub-regional cooperation as well as fostering closer interactions between subscribers and providers of shipping services.
The event is being attended by member countries of UASC as well as other countries maintaining associate status with the union, shippers and maritime stakeholders.
Considering the theme ‘African Continental Free Trade Agreement, a veritable platform for African shippers to mainstream into global trade, participants agree that effective strategies will be necessary to stimulate economic growth.
Speaking, Honourable Minister of State for Transportation, Ademola Adegoroye said it is an obvious facts that making the AFCTA a reality will require creating National institutions for implementing the agreements in addition to institutional coordination mechanisms for execution between the public sector, the private sector and gamers
Emmanuel Jime, Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers Council, stated that the reorientation and reorganisation of intra-african trade should begin with our sub-region; once we get it right in West and Central Africa, it will be much easier to connect and freely trade with the rest of the continent.
With the market estimated to be worth 29 trillion dollars in Africa, participants underscore the need to fix excess tariffs and transportation challenges that are impeding legitimate trade in the region.
Mr Ejime added that when adequate measures are put in place to reduce tariff and non-tariff barriers that harmper trading between countries and the continent, then we will be on our way to achieving greater economic development for the continent.
A growing realisation ahs emerged that sub regional cooperation can be very effective.
Based on this, the Union of Africa’s Shippers’ Council is reviweing its objectives to maximise the sub-region trade competitiveness.
The African Shippers’ Day is primarily aimed at creating a forum for the exchange of ideas and experiences amongst shippers’ organizations in the West and Central African Sub-regions, discussions on issues that will improve maritime trade and disseminating information on the role of Shippers’ Councils and UASC.
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