Togolese authorities, leaders of ten major ports in West and Central Africa, representatives of regional organizations, and international partners will convene in Lomé on December 2–3, 2025, for the launch seminar of the SCOPE Africa regional project, “Securing Corridors, Ports, and Exchanges in West and Central Africa.” Funded by the European Union with over €12 million, this four-year initiative aims to enhance the safety, security, and operational performance of ten strategic ports across the region.
Implemented by a consortium led by Expertise France in partnership with Enabel, SCOPE Africa seeks to reinforce intra-African connectivity to facilitate trade and transport, contributing to sustainable economic development. The targeted ports include Lomé in Togo; Douala and Kribi in Cameroon; Praia in Cape Verde; Pointe-Noire in the Republic of Congo; Abidjan in Côte d’Ivoire; Libreville in Gabon; Monrovia in Liberia; Lagos in Nigeria; and Dakar in Senegal.
With maritime trade in Africa growing at an annual rate of 7%, these ports face increasing operational and security challenges. Rising trade volumes have heightened risks such as industrial accidents, criminal and terrorist threats, illicit trafficking, and environmental pressures. SCOPE Africa is designed to address these challenges through strengthening compliance with international standards, improving crisis response and management, professionalizing and training port stakeholders with a focus on inclusion and gender, enhancing regional cooperation, and reinforcing regional platforms.
The Lomé seminar will host around 100 participants, including government ministries, port authorities, regional organizations, technical and financial partners, and private sector stakeholders. The program will include plenary sessions, thematic panels on issues like cybersecurity, dangerous goods management, and environmental sustainability, a technical visit to the Autonomous Port of Lomé, and discussions aimed at fostering stronger regional collaboration.
By the end of the seminar, organizers aim to establish a shared vision that aligns national and regional port priorities with the EU’s Global Gateway strategy, reinforcing a collective commitment to improving the safety, security, competitiveness, and sustainability of ports in sub-Saharan Africa.
