Signing of two Financing Agreements between the Government of Congo and the French Development Agency (AFD)
19 billion FCFA to modernise PAPN infrastructure and support the management of fisheries resources
15 May, 2019
Granted by the European Union (EU) through AFD, the total amount of 29,3 million euros (or 19 billion FCFA), is part of the programme to extend and modernise the infrastructure of the Pointe-Noire Port Authority (PAPN) and support for fischeries resources management for a period of 4 years. They complement AFD's financing of the PAPN to the tune of 70 million euros.
The first agreement on the financing of the PAPN modernisation infrastructure was signed by the Director General of the Pointe-Noire Port Authority (PAPN), Séraphin Balhat and the Director of the French Development Agency (AFD), Lionel Cafferini.
The second agreement on the management of fischeries resources was initialled by the Ministry of Finance and Budget, Calixte Nganongo, representing the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, Henri Djombo, and the Director of the French Development Agency (AFD), Lionel Cafferini. The ceremony took place on Wednesday 15 May 2019 in Brazzaville, in the presence of the Minister of Transports and Civil Aviation, Fidel Dimou and French ambassador to Congo, Bertrand Cochery.
The programme has four objectives: extending and modernising the port infrastructure for the transport of bulk and conventional goods with the construction of three new platforms of approximately 1000 linear meters; improving fisheries conditions with the construction of a new industrial fishing port; protection of the landing zone for artisanal fishing, as well as supports to the teams of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries to better carry out their tracking, monitoring and surveillance functions essential to the sustainable management of fisheries resources; speeding up port procedures and the processing time for goods, and finally to strengthen the environmental management of the PAPN, in order to bring it into the line with the international standards, in particular as regards waste management, hazardous materials and oil pollution.
Through this programme, the PAPN will regain a capacity to accommodate bulk and conventional traffic in line with its traffic prospects, and will become more competitive thanks to shorter harbour and dockside residence times and increased handling production.
Thus, the environmental management of the Port will be strengthened, in order to get closer with to international standards.
Finally, the creation of the new industrial fishing port and the concomitant establisment of rigorous monitoring and control measures of fisheries will contribute to a more sustainable management of fisheries resources.
