Background – My Blog

Historical Background

The African Shippers’ Day was initiated in 1999 with the aim of refocusing the missions of National Shippers’ Councils in various African countries. Over the years, the event has grown to become a platform for reflection and cross fertilization of ideas on issues bearing on maritime trade and transport.
Previous editions were held as follows:

Accra (Ghana) in 1999: “Maritime transport facing the challenges of the third millennium”
Dakar (Senegal) in 2002: “Maritime transport and new technologies”
Lagos (Nigeria) in 2004: “Maritime Transport and sustainable development”
Kinshasa (DRC) in 2008: “Shippers’ Councils and the stakes of globalization”
Luanda (Angola) in 2010: “Freight rates and surcharges : the impact on the economies of African countries”
Libreville (Gabon) in 2012: “Repositioning African Shippers’ Councils to face the challenges of the 21st”
Brazzaville (Congo) in 2014: “National Shippers’ Councils, main actors of trade facilitation”
Accra (Ghana) in 2017” Trade Liberalization and its Impacts on Africa’s Industrialization’
The ninth (9th) edition of the African Shippers’ Day will be hosted by the Nigerian Shippers’ Council in Abuja from 19th-21st September 2022. The theme for the event is ‘African Continental Free Trade Agreement: a Veritable Platform for African Shippers to Mainstream into Global Trade.

Objectives of African Shippers’ Day

The African Shippers’ Day is primarily aimed at:

Creating a forum for the exchange of ideas and experiences between shippers and shippers’ organizations in the sub region, discuss topical issues for both shippers and member Councils.
Provide an excellent vehicle for publicizing the relevant roles of Shippers’ Councils and UASC as a Sub-regional body for maritime policy formulation and implementation.
The African Shippers’ Day (ASD) is a high-level event that helps to foster unity of purpose and solidarity of action among UASC member councils.

Benefits of African Shippers’ Day

Hosting of 9th African Shippers’ Day by Nigeria will further promote the relevance of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council in trade facilitation matters thereby enhancing the socio-economic development of Nigeria through international trade.
The trade exhibition that would be held in the course of the event will provide an opportunity for businesses to exhibit their products, while also providing an avenue for business-business interactions that will lead to lucrative business deals for businesses engaged in production of goods and services.
Furthermore, the African Shippers’ Day presents an excellent opportunity for shippers in West and Central African region to express their views in uniformity on their expectations concerning quality and cost of shipping services from service providers.

Participants.

Participants are expected from the West and Central African sub region – Shippers (importers and exporters), National Shippers’ Councils; Chambers of Commerce; Port communities; Customs, and the entire transport and logistics sector,

Resource Persons.

Wakele Mene, Secretary General, African Continental Free Trade Agreement Secretariat
Dabney Shall-Holma, Chairperson , Sealink Project
Olubunmi Oshuntuyi, Secretary-General, Nigeria International Chambers of Commerce (ICC)
Emeka Uzomba, Senior Advisor AFREXIM Bank .

Venue and Date

5^th– 7^thDecember 2022 at Sheraton Hotel, Abuja