ADMINISTRATORS OF THE PORT AUTHORITY OF POINTE-NOIRE APPROVE AN AMBITIONARY BUDGET

Convened on December 28, 2023 for a budget session to examine and adopt the items on the agenda, the Board of Directors of the Port Autonome de Pointe-Noire, led by its Chairman Jean Louis OSSO, approved a budget in line with PAPN’s ambitions for 2024.

This budget session, the nth of its kind to be held seven months after the balance sheet session, is not an insignificant event. It is simply the expression of the managerial commitment of Séraphin BHALAT, Managing Director of the Port Autonome de Pointe-Noire, to bring his structure up to the standards of modern ports, with a view to results-based management.

The main purpose of this conclave of PAPN directors, held as usual behind closed doors, was to examine the budget presented by the Port’s General Management for projected investments and operations in 2024. The budget was drawn up against a backdrop of fierce port competition, and required in-depth, uncompromising analysis on the part of the directors.

Approximately five hours of energy were required to adopt the budget, harmonizing the points of view of all concerned around the Port Autonome de Pointe-Noire’s management strategy, which consists of consolidating the company’s achievements and planning sustainable development actions to face up to competition from neighboring ports. Hence the importance of the PAPN strategic plan, which is currently being implemented as a reference roadmap that clearly indicates the allocation and formal implementation of PAPN’s efforts to formulate and acquire quality tangible and intangible capital.

The debates that took place were easy and courteous, as they did not require much arbitration on the part of the Chairman of the Board. On the contrary, they showed a perfect understanding by all directors of the challenges and prospects for the development of the Port of Pointe-Noire.

At the end of these fruitful exchanges, PAPN’s general management obtained the adoption of a provisional budget of several billion CFA francs, dedicated to investments and operations. This budget will enable the Port of Pointe-Noire to meet new challenges, forge new assets to maintain its influence at sub-regional level, and safeguard its status as an important link in the national economy and as the gateway to Central Africa.

By Antoine Dustell Mbama, Maritimafrica Correspondent in the Republic of Congo