Dakar — The Guinea-Bissau and Senegal governments have renewed their commitment to deepen maritime transport and blue economy cooperation during a high-level forum in Dakar. The event, focused on sustainable maritime development and logistics, brought together policymakers, maritime authorities, experts, and development partners to address challenges in maritime governance, port logistics, and regional integration.
The Bissau-Guinean delegation, led by Minister of Transport, Telecommunications and Digital Economy Florentino Mendes Pereira, joined the forum to explore pathways for accelerating maritime sector growth. The gathering underscored the strategic importance of West African nations uniting to strengthen port infrastructure, enhance maritime safety in the Gulf of Guinea, and expand regional partnerships for sustainable economic development.
Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, who inaugurated the event, praised Guinea-Bissau’s participation as a “fraternal nation,” emphasizing the need for stronger collaboration to overcome maritime sector challenges and position blue economy initiatives as key drivers of long-term prosperity across the region.
Over two days of discussions, participants identified critical priorities including upgrades to coastal shipping services, port modernization, shipbuilding industry growth, and the ecological transition of maritime transport. Digital transformation in the sector, workforce training, scientific research, innovation, and funding mobilization—particularly through public-private partnerships—were also central topics of conversation.
Complementing the forum were an international exhibition and business networking sessions, providing public and private stakeholders with opportunities to forge new alliances and investment ventures in maritime logistics and related industries.
The Bissau-Guinean delegation included Gualdino Afonso Té, President of the Maritime and Port Institute of Guinea-Bissau, and Félix Nandungue, Director-General of the Port Administration of Guinea-Bissau. The event was organized by the Senegalese government as part of the Vision Senegal 2050 initiative and the 2025–2029 National Development Strategy, which aim to establish Senegal as a leading maritime and logistics hub in West Africa while fostering broader regional cooperation through blue economy initiatives.
