1 August 2024

The start of Women’s Month saw some 150 women leaders from across Africa gather in Cape Town to discuss critical issues related to the blue economy, from boosting regional cooperation for sustainable development to building and diversifying the maritime industries across the continent, from training and education to legal rights at sea.

The delegates, representing leadership and management in different sectors of the blue economy, were taking part in the 7th WISTA Africa Conference, held at the University of Cape Town’s School of Business Conference Centre from 31 July to 2 August 2024.

With the world becoming ever smaller and more interconnected due to technological advances, the theme of the conference was fittingly entitled “Turning the tide: Towards effective regional co-operation to optimise economic growth” – placing an emphasis on several of the United Nations’ Development Goals, including Goals 1, 2 and 14, which refer to the eradication of poverty; working towards a world with zero hunger; and conserving our oceans, ensuring they are sustainably utilised.

Set up 50 years ago, in 1974, WISTA – Women’s International Shipping & Trading Association – is a global networking association for women in leadership and management roles in the maritime industry, with the vision of promoting diversity in the maritime, trading and logistics sectors, empowering women to lead through their unique perspective and competencies, with the conviction that gender diversity is key in providing a sustainable future for the shipping industry internationally.

It currently has more than 4 000 members representing maritime authorities, port authorities, shippers, agents, business owners, maritime lawyers, maritime media, government authorities and other leaders in the sector in 56 countries and holds consultative status with the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) and has observer status at the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).

The Cape Town conference, hosted by WISTA South Africa, saw representatives of various WISTA associations from across Africa, alongside industry players and other key participants, meet to discuss strategies to promote diversity, equality.

Panel discussions covered:

  • Where to from here? Strategies to progress diversity, equity, and inclusion in the maritime industry
  • Promoting maritime education and training through collaborative innovation ecosystems: A regional perspective
  • Navigating legal waters: Seafarers’ rights and crew issues
  • Regional cooperation for sustained development of Africa’s blue economy

TASEZ looks to regional cooperation

As a key sponsor of the conference, the Tshwane Automotive Special Economic Zone (TASEZ) was particularly interested in the panel on regional cooperation, where CFO Rebecca Hlabatau was one of the panellists.

As a representative of one of South Africa’s special economic zones, the sustainability and success of our ports’ infrastructure and operations are particularly important; with the bulk of manufactured goods produced in South Africa being exported on ocean-going vessels.

SEZs can serve as hubs for regional trade, facilitating the flow of goods and services across borders. And by harmonising policies and regulations within the SEZs, African nations can create a more cohesive economic bloc, enhancing competitiveness in the global market.

Of particular interest to transforming and building South Africa’s economy is ease of doing business, particularly in exports, Hlabatau told the gathering.

In the case of TASEZ, this includes exporting cars, trucks and automotive components manufactured locally. According to figures from naamsa published in May 2024, the automotive industry outperformed the rest of the manufacturing sector in 2023 due to “record high vehicle exports”.

Naamsa noted that “the export value of vehicles and automotive components increased by R43.5-billion, or 19,1%, from the R227.3-billion in 2022 to a record R270.8-billion in 2023, comprising 14,7% of total South African exports” – linking to South Africa and the region’s blue economy.

“Key to South Africa’s growth is the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA),” Hlabatau added. The AfCFTA aims to fast-track intra-African trade and has the potential to grow our economies as well as improve the lives of people across the continent by opening up markets to Africa’s more than 1.3 billion people.

It has the potential to lead to diversification of exports, acceleration of growth and an increase in investment as well as employment opportunities for South Africans and the rest of the continent, she noted.

By eliminating barriers to trade in Africa, the objective of the AfCFTA is to boost intra-Africa trade, particularly trade in value-added production and trade across all services sectors of Africa’s economy.

Exports to AfCFTA countries already account for nearly a quarter of South Africa’s global exports.