Geneva, 11 December 2008 - UNCTAD Secretary-General Supachai Panitchpakdi signed a memorandum of understanding today with the Dublin Port Company (DPC) that will provide funding and expertise for the training of officials in Africa and Asia in the efficient operation of seaports. The aid will amount to 150,000 Euros in direct financial support, and 150,000 Euros´ worth of expenses assumed for training and expertise.
The partnership will set the stage for financial contributions from the DPC to UNCTAD, and for practical assistance from the port firm as UNCTAD expands its activities for seaport communities in English-speaking developing countries. The agreement will complement UNCTAD´s work in this field now supported by the Irish Development Agency (Irish Aid).
Under the new memorandum, "train-the-trainers" workshops will be carried out in Dublin, and joint technical-assistance missions featuring UNCTAD and Dublin Port Company staff will travel to developing countries. Additional training materials also will be worked up for UNCTAD´s course on Modern Port Management.
A first trainers´ workshop was held in Dublin from 22 September to 10 October for modules 1 to 4 of the Modern Port Management course. That activity was part of a series of efforts funded by the Dublin Port Company and by a grant of 475,000 Euros from Irish Aid. The basis of these efforts was the "Dublin Declaration" adopted in June 2007 by 60 representatives from Benin, Cape Verde, Gambia, Ghana, Namibia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and Tanzania in Africa; from Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Sri Lanka in Asia; as well as by UNCTAD port partners from France, Ireland, Portugal, and Spain.
Fact-finding missions subsequently were carried out by UNCTAD and the DPC to selected ports in Ghana, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Maldives, Sri Lanka, and Tanzania to determine what is needed for to improve operations.
UNCTAD´s port-training programme is part of TrainForTrade, which helps developing countries acquire the skills needed to participate more effectively in the global economy.
