Friday 08 January
The Port Authority of Antwerp accompanied by several Belgian companies from the Port of Antwerp were in Cotonou on Monday, November 25, 2019. Discussions between Beninese and Belgian companies focused on projects to develop trade between Africa and the rest of the world, each other's experiences, innovations as well as future prospects, during the B2B meetings held in the stands set up for this purpose. Several other activities furnished this event.
The port of Antwerp is a reliable partner for Benin. It demonstrates this again with the organization of an interconnection mission between the Belgian port community and that of Benin. The objective is to strengthen the economic ties between the actors of the port chain of the two countries. Thus, the Belgian hosts visited the infrastructures of the Autonomous Port of Cotonou and spoke yesterday evening with the port community of Benin. For the Managing Director of the Port of Antwerp International, Kristof Waterschoot, this mission is one of the concrete results of the partnership between the Port of Antwerp and the Port of Cotonou. "By contracting this partnership, the objective is not only to improve the performance of the Port of Cotonou but also to strengthen the partnership between private companies and the two port communities because this can change the position of the Port of Cotonou throughout the sub-region. -region, ”he added. According to the Port Authority of Antwerp, Jacques Vandermeiren, this mixing has many advantages for the two port communities which already collaborate remotely. “We can get to know each other on paper but it's always better to have direct exchanges between the parties concerned… It's the best way to build trust and increase business… It's also important to come and discover in the field what is happening, to assess the challenges and see what is possible in the short and medium term, ”he explains. This mission also presents itself as an opportunity for companies in Benin to gain partners and better discuss how to promote export products. “The partnership between the two ports involves facilitation work in international trade. This is why this mission is an opportunity, "confirms the Director General of the Autonomous Port of Cotonou, Joris Thys.
The goal is to save all the players in the chain, to grow the Beninese economy. If the Port of Cotonou becomes the focal point for the hinterland countries, it is an added value for Benin and for Beninese companies ". To believe it, despite all that remains to be done, there is already a huge progression and Belgian companies have seen it. "Belgian companies are impressed with the work done here in Cotonou and are committed to improving traffic between the two countries," he said.
Source: article published on this subject by the public service newspaper LA NATION in its publication of Tuesday, November 26, 2019.
