The commitment reinforces Equatorial Guinea’s active participation in MOWCA programs and decision-making processes.
by Blue Africa News
The Maritime Organisation for West and Central Africa’s inroads in the region have gained fresh momentum, following the government of Equatorial Guinea’s commitment to the outfit’s objectives and programs.
Established in 1975, MOWCA represents over 20 countries and serves as the leading voice for maritime development in the region, with the new commitment from Equatorial Guinea seeking to strengthen regional maritime cooperation, besides advancing the organisation’s reform and implementation agenda.
The commitment was reaffirmed during MOWCA Secretary General Dr. Paul Adalikwu’s courtesy and working visit to the Minister of Transport of Equatorial Guinea Evito Oma on January 28, 2026, with their engagement centering on strengthening regional maritime cooperation.
According to a press statement shared by MOWCA, the engagement also sought to reinforce Equatorial Guinea’s active participation in MOWCA programs and decision-making processes, pegged on aligning national maritime and transport priorities with regional and continental maritime frameworks.
The two leaders discussed priority areas for technical cooperation, capacity building, and maritime governance support and parameters for strengthening collaboration on maritime safety, security, and sustainable blue economy development in the Gulf of Guinea.
During the engagement, enhancing coordination on maritime domain awareness, port and flag state implementation, and regional security initiatives under the Yaoundé Architecture, support for training, human capital development, and institutional strengthening of maritime administrations, Equatorial Guinea’s role in advancing harmonised maritime policies, regional transport connectivity, and trade facilitation within West and Central Africa and positioning member states to engage more effectively within the International Maritime Organization (IMO) framework and supporting Africa’s aspiration for a stronger unified maritime voice, were among the issues given prominence.
Going forward, there will be continued high-level engagement between MOWCA and Equatorial Guinea’s transport and maritime authorities, development of concrete cooperation activities aligned with national priorities and MOWCA’s strategic plan and sustained collaboration to advance maritime safety, security, and sustainable maritime transport across the sub-region.
The minister commended Dr. Adalikwu’s visionary leadership of MOWCA, expressing support for enhanced technical collaboration between MOWCA and his Ministry for the benefit of his country.
Dr Adalikwu described Equatorial Guinea as a strategic country, naturally endowed to be a key player in the African maritime space, hailing the government for its robust performance in the oil and gas sector and commercial shipping.
“Equatorial Guinea remains a significant offshore hydrocarbon producer in Sub Saharan Africa whose participation in maritime trade is a significant contribution to Africa’s blue economy activities and development,” said the MOWCA SG, as per the momentng.com.
In recognition of the central role of the maritime sector in unlocking Africa’s blue economy, the Blue Africa Conference & Exhibition (BACE) in September 2025 signed a landmark five-year strategic partnership with MOWCA. The partnership agreement was signed in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, by Dr Adalikwu and Mudzithe Phiri, event Director of Blue Africa Conference & Exhibition.
“Our oceans connect us to each other first, unlocking the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) opportunity, and they also connect us to the rest of the world, with strategic access to global markets,” said Phiri.
“This positions us perfectly as we lean towards becoming producers and refining our vast raw materials, creating products that we can trade amongst ourselves and to the rest of the world. Our oceans open that opportunity. This collaboration also demonstrates the power of African unity,” she added.
Africa being a young market, Phiri noted, the “jobs our youth need are in the blue economy,” ranging from maritime logistics to coastal tourism, “where our best recreational moments happen, on the beach; we’re creating pathways for young entrepreneurs to build sustainable careers in these growing sectors.”
“We at MOWCA are thrilled for this opportunity to partner with such a formidable entity to draw attention and publicize the enormous potential of the Blue Economy in Africa,” said the MOWCA SG.
The partnership is founded on unlocking Africa’s maritime gateway, driving youth employment and entrepreneurship, building Africa’s blue economy future and leadership excellence in maritime development.
Oliver Ochieng, Blue Africa News
