Recognising

Realising

the importance of maritime trade to their foreign trade, and the impact of the costs of the transport system as a whole on their respective economies,

that economic development is sine qua non,

Recalling

the African Maritime Transport Charter adopted by the Member States of the Organisation of African Unity on December 15th 1993,

the need to strengthen co-operation at sub-regional level in the field of transport in general and shipping in particular, taking account of the increasing relaxation of restrictions on transport services internationally,

that it is in the interest of all countries of the sub-region of West and Central Africa to define and implement a common sector-based policy in this field,

that it is important for States parties to optimise their maritime services and to improve the growth of the transport market with a view to strengthening their external trade,

the operators in the states parties to the Charter to initiate negotiations with their foreign partners in the context of conferences on regular lines or otherwise,

the States parties to the Charter to improve the flow of traffic by simplifying the procedures applicable to ships and goods, as a matter of priority in the context of the multimodal transport,

1)

2)

3)

4


5

to adopt and implement concerted policies to increase productivity and reduce costs, and to improve the quality of maritime services.

to promote co-operation between MOWCA and sub-regional, regional and international institutions involved in the maritime transport sector.

as a result, to revise the Convention of February 26th 1977, institutionalising MINCONMAR, as amended by its protocol of November 28th 1992.

to encourage the Member States to ratify the African Maritime Transport Charter of December 15th 1993.

to strengthen co-operation between the maritime administrations, shipping lines, shippers’ councils and ports authorities

B.

National structures of the shipping sector

6)

to render the maritime sector of each member State competitive while preserving their economic strategies and interests

7)

to create a network of national observatories monitoring the transport market involving shipping.

8)

to create or develop structures likely to enable the national operators to provide shipping into or out of their country under the best possible conditions for the economy of those countries

9)

to promote the auxiliary maritime transport services.

10)

to create, reconstitute or develop their Merchant Shipping under satisfactory conditions of competition.

11)

to reinforce the national administrative structures responsible for ensuring the safety of navigation and marine, river and lagoon environment protection, in line with the international conventions in force, and generally the organisations responsible for  Port State Control

12)

to encourage the creation or rapid expansion of marine insurance companies at national level.

C.

Maritime legislation

13))

to harmonise their legislation relating to multi-modal transport,  shipping and port regulations, bringing their national provisions into line with those of the pertinent international conventions

14)

to improve the operating conditions of the entire transport chain, so as to reduce delivery times and transport costs.

15)

D.

Safety of Navigation

16)

to promote the safety of navigation and the marine, river and lagoon environment  protection

17)

E.

Ports

18)

to set up the required structures to ensure smooth traffic flow, whether this relates to ships ("FAL Committees") or goods (simplifying port and customs formalities, as a matter of priority for goods in transit);

19)

to improve the competitiveness of ports by adapting them to the requirements of modern port management .

20)

to develop and facilitate port activities with a view mainly to achieving cost-effective and rapid ship turnaround times

21)

To create special berths and conditions for landlocked countries, coastal shipping/maritime transport hub services in the ports of the sub-region.

F.    Landlocked countries

22)

to encourage the participation of landlocked countries in consultative organs established in transit ports with a view to ensuring the smooth flow of goods and the competitiveness of port services as well as transit corridors.

23)

to ensure the granting and  application of the most favourable port tariffs and other non-tariff conditions regarding goods coming from or to the landlocked countries of the sub-region 

to avoid all levies, taxes and other charges on transit traffic, with the exception of service taxes. Where these taxes are collected, they must be proportionate to the service rendered.

1.  Training and social matters

 26)

27)

28)

to strengthen the Regional Maritime Academies to enable them to provide training at all levels of the maritime industry, fisheries and petroleum, including the exchange of lecturers, supervision of students and provision of facilities

to adjust the training of the sea-going personnel to the actual opportunities and short term prospects of employing them on ships sailing under the national flag.

as a matter of priority, to use the opportunities offered by the Regional Maritime Academies, unless there is a  training institute in the country concerned which provides identical opportunities.

to harmonise between member States and in compliance with the international conventions in force, the working and living conditions on vessels and in  ports under their respective authorities. 

1. Final provisions

29)

Any State belonging to/or subsequently joining – the Maritime Organisation of  West and Central Africa shall be bound by right by the principles of this Charter, called “Abidjan Maritime Charter”,  which shall replace the Charter adopted on May 7th 1975.