ECA side event spotlights the future of African trade through improved Port Operations

Tangier, Morocco, 31 March 2026 - The Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), in partnership with the International Telecommunication Union and the Government of the Kingdom of Morocco, organized a side event titled "Enhancing Africa's trade flows through improved port infrastructure and operations" during the fifty-eighth session of the ECA Conference of African Ministers of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development.

The side event brought together representatives from various government ministries, ports and corridor management authorities, financial institutions, regulatory authorities, and private sector experts to discuss crucial issues surrounding port infrastructure and its impact on trade.

Participants of this high-level platform explored how port infrastructure affects transport costs and trade, and shared experiences and insights on the transformative potential of frontier technologies in port management. The event also served to disseminate findings from ECA's research on the relationship between ports, maritime transport costs, and trade in Africa.

In her opening remarks, Ms. Mama Keita, Deputy Executive Secretary (Programme Support) of ECA, emphasized that Africa's trade competitiveness is significantly hindered by inefficient and costly port and transport systems. She underscored the urgent need to "modernize and digitize Africa's ports and strengthen their connectivity with the hinterland through railways", adding that achieving this would require "the mobilization of investment at scale".

Setting the scene, Robert Lisinge, Director at ECA's Technology, Innovation, Connectivity, and Infrastructure Development Division, presented the findings from ECA's research. The study identified port efficiency, infrastructure quality, and rail connectivity as key drivers of international trade. Intra-African trade, he noted, is more dependent on the physical capacity of ports, such as the maximum length of vessels that can accommodate, as well as the presence of bulk cargo and oil terminals.

Speakers from the National Ports Agency of Morocco, the port of Tangier Med, Corridor Management Institutions, the Port Management Association of Eastern and Southern Africa (PMAESA) and World Bank, emphasized the significant role of digitalization in enhancing port performance. Mr. Hicham Kharoufi, Director of Container Terminals of Tangier Med Ports Authority, highlighted the port's success as a result of a long-term national vision, strategic location, strong public-private partnerships, and a relentless focus on operational efficiency. He also noted that advancements in high connectivity, digitalization, and green energy transitions-such as a commitment to 100% renewable energy supply for port operations- have transformed Tangier Med into a global logistics hub where efficiency, reliability, and sustainability reinforce one another.

Mr. Jan Hoffmann, Global Lead, Maritime Transport and Ports at the World Bank Group and Mr. Lesli Mpofu, Executive Director at Trans Kalahari Corridor Secretariat (TKCS), both underscored the importance of adopting a "one-stop service" approach. This involves digitalizing and centralizing all port-related administrative, logistical, and regulatory processes into a single coordinated system, streamlining operations and significantly reducing delays for maritime and trade stakeholders. "Multimodal transport modernization and digitalization have immense potential to enhance corridor efficiency, reduce transit times, and harmonize customs systems" Mr. Mpofu said.

The meeting concluded with the following recommendations, including:

• A unified and efficient digital system to synergize the complete port operations chain.

• The establishment of a high-performing road and rail transport network to ensure port efficiency.

• Recognizing the while increasing the number of ports can improve performance, collaboration among ports in various countries is equally essential.

• Concrete actions to support countries and broader dissemination of the ECA study.

Key Messages from ECA Report

• Global shipping favors ports with reliable, well-connected intermodal links, while intra-Africa trade is influenced more by physical characteristics of ports, such as the maximum length of vessels they can accommodate.

• Efficiency, infrastructure quality, and rail connectivity are critical drivers of international trade.

• Port size alone isn't enough; a high-quality gateway to the hinterland is essential for global competitiveness.

• Ro-Ro facilities and rail connections can lower transport costs by 17-38%.

• Port competition matters: Multiple ports within a country can reduce costs per ton-km by 24%.

• A 1% decrease in transport costs leads to approximately 0.24% increase in trade.