Thirty-two managers from ports in ten African and Asian countries completed a training of trainers workshop for UNCTAD's port management programme, held from 24 May to 3 June 2016 in Dublin, Ireland.
The managers were from ports in Bangladesh, Cambodia, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Malaysia, Maldives, Nigeria and the Philippines.
As certified trainers, they now join the team of local instructors for the programme in their ports, organized in 8 training modules delivered over a one- to two-year period. They will work hand-in-hand with UNCTAD staff and managers from European ports that support the programme.
The Irish minister of state for financial services, eGovernment and public procurement, Eoghan Murphy TD, awarded the certificates to the successful graduates. The ceremony was also attended by Dublin Port Company's head of corporate services, Pat Ward, and Immaculate N. Wambua, the interim chargé d'affaires at the Embassy of Kenya.
In his message, Mr. Murphy reiterated Irish Aid's deep commitment to supporting the programme's key role in contributing to the overall economic development of a country.
Irish Aid and Dublin Port Company representatives
Following the workshop, the port managers met to assess the programme results in Ghana, Indonesia, Nigeria and the Philippines. The discussions focused on what had gone well in each port and the different challenges they had faced.
Taking into account the lessons learned and best practices identified during the meeting, the port managers offered recommendations for strengthening the programme, including the following:
Continued increase in the number of female participants to promote gender balance
More participation of private sector in the programme
Improved data collection to measure impact (e.g. career growth of past participants)
Continued exchange of instructors between ports to promote South-South cooperation
Shared workshop delivery between international and local trainers to strengthen programme sustainability
Increased pool of graduates, trained tutors and mentors to support new participants
The event was organized in cooperation with the Irish Government, represented by Irish Aid, and with the support of the programme's "port partners" in Ireland (Dublin Port Company, Port of Cork Company, Belfast Harbours Commissioners, Shannon Foynes Port Corporation and Drogheda Port Company).
