The Port Authority of Abidjan (PAA) has Wednesday decided to re-conquer the market shares it had lost following the September 19 2002 crisis
Posted by africanpress on May 17, 2007
Grand Bassam (Côte d’Ivoire) The Port Authority of Abidjan (PAA) has Wednesday decided to re-conquer the market shares it had lost following the September 19 2002 crisis by consolidating its services, APA has learnt.
“The crisis had hampered our sub-regional position through the emergence of competitive ports that took over our traffic”, Marcel Gossio, the Managing Director of the Port Authority of Abidjan disclosed.
The traffic, he added, is meant to neighbouring countries with no seashore or countries with weak port capacities.
“Many of our citizens do not understand the real importance of the port of Abidjan. They must understand that it is an irreplaceable economic instrument for Cote-d’Ivoire”, President Gbagbo said, adding that it is a cooperation instrument because “the Port of Abidjan is also the natural port of Mali, Burkina-Faso and Niger”.
“It has been the natural port from its primary design until now. This port is the entry and exit port of about 90% of our export and import products”, the Ivorian president said.
“The Port of Abidjan represents 90% of Cote-d’Ivoire’s foreign trade and harbours 60% of the most important industrial plants of the country while generating 85% of the national custom incomes.
The traffic of goods has slightly increased in 2006 (+1%), reaching 18.85 million tons after a reduction in 2002 – 2003, the Managing Director said.
Despite its image being strongly tarnished by the issue of toxic waste, it is still the first West African port, with a berthing capacity of 30 cargos, hiring 35,000 people, including 4,500 stevedores.
Following the September 19 2002 crisis, hinterland countries, including Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger had resorted to the ports of Lome and Cotonou.
Published by Korir, African Press in Norway, apn, africanpress@chello.no tel +47 932 99 739 or +47 6300 2525 source.apa
