SCOPE Africa: The European Union Injects 12 Million Euros to Secure Corridors and Ports in West and Central Africa
The European Union (EU) has officially launched in Lomé the regional program SCOPE Africa – Securing Corridors, Ports and Exchanges in Western and Central Africa. With funding of 12 million euros (approximately 7.87 billion CFA francs) and implemented by Expertise France and Enabel, this initiative aims to raise standards of safety, security, and performance in ten ports across nine countries in West and Central Africa.
Integrated into the Global Gateway strategy, SCOPE Africa addresses a crucial challenge: supporting the rise of African port infrastructures that are both safe and resilient.
SCOPE Africa: Addressing the Vulnerabilities of Maritime Trade
Africa is increasingly becoming a rising maritime power. With an annual maritime trade growth estimated at 7% and nearly 90% of the continent’s trade transiting through its waters and ports, the performance of these platforms is vital for regional economic development.
However, this momentum faces growing and complex challenges:
• Criminal and terrorist threats: Ports are strategic nodes exploited by criminal organizations for illicit trafficking (goods, drugs, weapons). Regional instability also increases the risk of terrorist attacks.
• Major industrial risks: Catastrophic events, such as the 2020 Beirut port explosion, highlight the vulnerability of port infrastructures to industrial accidents.
• Environmental and climate pressure: Ports are on the front lines of climate change impacts, requiring increased resilience.
To address these challenges and ensure the fluidity of transport corridors that supply the hinterland and serve landlocked countries, strengthening port governance and establishing a sustainable safety culture have become an absolute imperative.
SCOPE Africa: A Response Built Around 3 Objectives and 5 Strategic Pillars
The SCOPE Africa project is structured around three major goals: strengthening compliance with international safety and security standards while integrating environmental resilience; increasing the capacity of target ports to prevent and respond effectively to safety and security incidents; and consolidating regional structures and dialogue to support the development of transport corridors.
To ensure the achievement of these goals, five main action pillars have been defined:
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Compliance with international standards: Strengthening adherence to safety and security standards to optimize trade fluidity.
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Improved risk management: Strengthening crisis response and management capacities to prevent and address incidents.
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Training and inclusion: Professionalizing port personnel, with a particular focus on inclusion and gender.
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Enhanced regional cooperation: Boosting dialogue and exchanges between port authorities and States.
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Support to regional platforms: Strengthening regional structures, such as the Port Management Association of West and Central Africa (PMAWCA).
SCOPE Africa: Establishing a Sustainable Port Security Culture for Stronger Economic Integration
SCOPE Africa positions itself as a strategic complement to existing maritime security initiatives in the region (such as SEACOP, GoGIN, SAFE SEAS, and EnMAR). Its main ambition goes beyond training or deploying procedures: it aims to install a sustainable and shared culture of security, deeply rooted in the daily practices of port actors, ensuring resilience to institutional changes and evolving threats.
Ultimately, SCOPE Africa is expected to contribute to a more fluid, secure, and competitive intra-African logistics integration. This is an essential prerequisite for the emergence of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and for strengthening the continent’s sovereignty.
By Carlos KPODIEFIN
