Organisers say African Maritime Conference to address prospects, challenges of Cabotage

The African
Shipowners Association (ASA) on Wednesday in Lagos said that the prospects and
challenges of Cabotage would be discussed at its forthcoming African Maritime
Conference.
A statement
by the association’s Secretary, Ms Funmi Folorunso, said the conference would
hold from Sept. 28 to Sept. 30, at Victoria Crown Plaza, Victoria Island,
Lagos.

She said the
conference, tagged “African Cargo for African Ships’’, would address issues of
national, regional and continental Cabotage as contained in Article 11 of the
African Maritime Transport Charter of African Union (AU).

The statement
said the event would identify the prospects and challenges of Cabotage and
serve as a “guide for the Road Map for the Implementation of the 2050
AIM-Strategy (2016-2018)’’ of the AU.

It said the
meeting would leverage on Nigeria’s experience with Cabotage in the last
10years.
The statement
said that recommendations from the conference would form “the call for action
of the AU’s Heads of State Meeting in Lome, Togo’’ later in 2015.

It added that
the Chairperson of African Union Commission, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma was
expected at the three-day conference.

Others
include Heads of Governments of AU member states; the President, African
Shipowners Association (ASA) Mr Temisan Omatseye and the President, African
Federation of Freight Forwarders (AFFF) Chief Lexzy Nwangwu.

Also expected
are the President, African Development Bank (ADB) Dr Akinwunmi Adesina; heads
of various government institutions, Shipowners from across Africa, maritime
experts, maritime lawyers and stakeholders.

The
statement, however advised that interested participants to register before the event.