Latest news with #SédikoDouka
Zawya
03-07-2025
- Business
- Zawya
The Praia-Dakar maritime link should be operational by the end of 2026
The implementation of Praia-Dakar maritime link will mark an important step in regional integration within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). A workshop to evaluate and validate the various financial options for implementing the Praia-Dakar maritime link opened on Monday 30th of June 2025 in Dakar, Senegal. The aim of this workshop is to define the management and operating procedures, analyse the financial viability and the most appropriate governance models for this maritime link, anticipate the socio-economic and environmental impacts, and propose mitigation measures. It also intends to identify mixed financing mechanisms (public-private partnership, regional funds) and propose a monitoring and evaluation plan incorporating performance and sustainability indicators. Speaking on behalf of Sédiko Douka, Commissioner for Infrastructure, Energy and Digitisation of the ECOWAS Commission, Chris Appiah, Director of Transport of the ECOWAS Commission, reiterated the crucial importance of the Praia-Dakar maritime link in strengthening economic integration and increasing regional trade. 'The Praia-Dakar maritime link, once implemented, will link Cabo Verde, an island state, to the other states of West Africa' said Chris Appiah. He expressed his gratitude to the technical and financial partners supporting ECOWAS in the implementation of the Praia-Dakar-Abidjan transport corridor project. Mamoudou Alassane Camara, Senegal's Director General of Road Infrastructure and Opening-up, and Chairman of the Committee of Experts from the Member States of the Praia-Dakar maritime link, also expressed his gratitude to these partners. He stressed the need and the obligation for West Africans to work towards the realisation of the Praia-Dakar-Abidjan transport corridor project. This multimodal project, he said, should contribute to the development of West Africa. 'We must ensure that the vision of ECOWAS leaders for the implementation of this project becomes a reality. We must move forward together. Together, we can achieve a great deal. What unites us is more important than what divides us' he said. For his part, the Director General of the Senegalese Maritime Affairs Agency, Becaye Diop, informed the audience of the strategic importance of this project for his country and Cabo Verde. For him, this project has received renewed interest and attention since the visit to Praia, in Cabo Verde, on the 24th of May 2024, by the Senegalese President, Bassirou Diomaye Diakhar Faye, he made a commitment with the Cape Verdean authorities to set up the Dakar-Praia maritime link to improve trade and strengthen economic and social cooperation between Senegal and Cabo Verde. The Dakar-Praia maritime link, scheduled to be operational by the end of 2026, is a component of the Praia-Dakar-Abidjan multimodal transport corridor project. Considered strategic, it should be the subject of a specific management model proposal. As for the Praia-Dakar-Abidjan multimodal transport corridor project, it represents an essential element of the wider strategy of ECOWAS aimed at facilitating the free movement of people and goods within the Community area, strengthening trade cooperation, promoting economic development and stimulating regional trade. Considered one of the essential steps towards a more integrated and prosperous West Africa, this regional corridor, which aims to connect the capitals and port areas of eight ECOWAS member states, aims to integrate several modes of transport: road, rail and sea. These states are Cabo Verde, Côte d'Ivoire, The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Senegal and Sierra Leone. Through this project, ECOWAS intends to turn the Praia-Dakar-Abidjan corridor into a genuine West African economic hub, driving economic development and regional integration. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
Business Insider
07-05-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
West Africa's air transport still the costliest globally
Airfares within the West African sub-region remain the most expensive in the world, according to Mr Sédiko Douka, ECOWAS Commissioner for Infrastructure, Energy and Digitalisation. He also highlighted that air travel within West Africa accounts for less than 10% of the region's transport activity—making it the lowest globally. Airfares within West Africa are the most expensive globally, hindering regional integration efforts. Air travel in West Africa accounts for less than 10% of the region's transport activity, the lowest worldwide. West Africa significantly lags behind other African regions in air transport growth and infrastructure development. Speaking in Lomé on Tuesday at the opening of the ECOWAS Parliament's Sixth Legislature Delocalised Joint Committee Meeting on Infrastructure, Energy and Mines, Agriculture, Environment, and Natural Resources, Mr Douka underscored that the high cost of air transport continues to hamper regional integration efforts. ECOWAS moves to harmonise policies Mr Douka explained that the ECOWAS leadership is deeply concerned about the situation and has tasked the Commission with coordinating and harmonising air transport policies, programmes, and projects among Member States. 'Air tariffs in West Africa remain excessively high compared to other parts of the world,' he stated. 'It is often cheaper to fly to a non-ECOWAS African country than to travel between two ECOWAS countries. This situation undermines the region's future and collective airspace.' West Africa lags behind other regions Referencing recent 2024 studies by respected international bodies, Mr Douka noted that air transport growth in West Africa remains below 10%. In contrast, North Africa stands at 40.4%, Southern Africa at 21.4%, and East Africa at 20.5%. The region also trails behind in terms of domestic flights, intra-African travel, major airline presence, and airport infrastructure. 'This significant underperformance calls for urgent policy action,' he added. Past efforts and ongoing strategy Mr Douka recalled that under Article 32 of the Revised ECOWAS Treaty, the Commission has been mandated to coordinate and advance initiatives to improve air transport within the sub-region. In 2017, ECOWAS and its Member States launched a study on a common policy for air transport-related fees and charges, with a final report presented in Accra in 2018. This policy was later revised during expert and ministerial validation workshops in May 2021. Following this, a dedicated task force was formed to: Commitments made by ECOWAS leadership The ECOWAS Heads of State and Government, during their 65th Ordinary Session on 7 July 2024 in Abuja, Nigeria, acknowledged the need to make air transport more affordable. In response, a Ministerial Meeting on Air Transport was held on 8 November 2024 in Lomé. At that meeting, Ministers adopted a new legal instrument—Additional Act A/SA.2/12/24 6—concerning a common policy on fees and charges, which was submitted to the ECOWAS Heads of State and Government and endorsed on 15 December 2024. 'Our priority is to adhere to ICAO's core principles on charges, which are non-discrimination, transparency, appropriate service pricing, and user consultation,' said Mr Douka. Concrete steps for cheaper air travel Among the key recommendations made to Member States were:
