The Federal Government has urged West and Central African countries to collaborate for the success of the African Continental Free Trade Area.
Speaking during the closing ceremony of the 43rd Council and 18th Managing Directors’ Roundtable of the Port Management Association of West & Central Africa in Lagos, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Transportation, Dr Magdalene Ajani, called for a collective action for the success of AfCFTA.
Ajani emphasised the need for a united Africa, stating that one Africa is possible if all participating countries decided to work together.
“One Africa certainly is possible, and I urge us all to be active participants in that journey. We can only make collective progress when we work together to continue sharing experiences and best practices among ourselves. If you want to go fast, go alone; but if you want to go far, go together,” she averred.
She encouraged participants to turn discussions into actionable plans, assuring them that Nigeria, under the administration of President Bola Tinubu, would prioritise the development of the maritime sector.
“In the interest of Nigeria’s strategic interests and our common economic goals as a region with similar challenges and aspirations, the administration will continue to prioritise the development of the maritime sector,” she affirmed.
Speaking earlier, the Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority, Mr Mohammed Bello-Koko, highlighted the interconnectedness of West and Central African countries.
He said, “Our geographical reality of interconnectedness and interdependence makes cooperation a necessary precondition for the collective advancement of our Ports.”
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