Francophone African states discuss maritime decarbonization in Abidjan
IMO workshop in Abidjan drew 80 participants from 18 countries to discuss MARPOL Annex VI, port investment and a just maritime energy transition.
The story in focus
An IMO workshop in Abidjan from 6-8 October 2026 brought 80 participants from 18 countries to strengthen understanding of MARPOL Annex VI and discuss maritime decarbonization, guided by the Mombasa Roadmap's three priority areas.
- Eighty participants from 18 countries attended the three-day sub-regional workshop in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire.
- Discussions followed the Mombasa Roadmap, covering shipping governance, port infrastructure, and skills and job creation.
- Participants explored port investment needs, alternative fuel supply chains and institutional capacity.
Workshop focus and framework
French-speaking African countries met in Abidjan from 6 to 8 October for a three-day sub-regional workshop organized by the IMO with the Government of Côte d'Ivoire and the office of the IMO Regional Coordinator for West and Central Africa (Francophone). The event drew 80 participants from 18 countries.
According to the IMO, the workshop aimed to strengthen understanding of MARPOL Annex VI and ongoing efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from international shipping. Discussions were guided by the Mombasa Roadmap for maritime decarbonization and just transition in Africa, developed at a regional workshop in Mombasa, Kenya, on 6-7 February 2025. The framework sets out actions across sustainable shipping governance, shipping and port infrastructure development, and skills development and job creation.
Investment needs and regional cooperation
Participants examined investment needs in port infrastructure, alternative fuel supply chains, human capital and institutional capacities, and discussed active regional participation in developing IMO measures.
Colonel-Major Julien Yao Kouassi, Director-General of Maritime Affairs of Côte d'Ivoire, said participants indicated willingness to pursue the objectives of the 2023 IMO GHG Strategy through enhanced cooperation among French-speaking African States. Participating countries included Algeria, Benin, Cameroon, Comoros, the Republic of the Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Gabon, Guinea, Madagascar, Morocco, Mauritius, Mauritania, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Senegal, Seychelles, Togo and Tunisia. The African Union Commission was also represented, alongside contributors from the ITF, EIB, ARSTM and WIMOWCA Côte d'Ivoire.
Which framework guided the Abidjan workshop discussions?
The Mombasa Roadmap for maritime decarbonization and just transition in Africa, developed at a February 2025 regional workshop in Mombasa, Kenya, covering governance, port infrastructure and skills development.
Sources & further reading
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