The Gambia Hosts 15th Session of the ISMWG of the Abuja MoU

The Gambia Hosts 15^th Session of the ISMWG of the Abuja MoU

The Republic of The Gambia successfully hosted the 15^th Session of the Intersessional Management Working Group (ISMWG15) of the Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control for the West and Central African Region (Abuja MoU). The session took place from 9^th to 10^th April 2025 at the International Conference Centre in Banjul, The Gambia.

The meeting brought together representatives from Angola, Benin, Gabon (online), The Gambia, and Nigeria — members of the ISMWG.

During the two-day session, the Group deliberated on key strategic issues aimed at enhancing cooperation and coordination of Port State Control (PSC) activities across the Abuja MoU region.

Key recommendations from the Meeting included:

• Launching a quarterly Webinar Series to support the professional development of Port State Control Officers (PSCOs)
• Issuing regular safety bulletins to disseminate safety guidelines, inspection findings and regulatory updates
• Endorsement of the Focused Inspection Campaign (FIC) model proposed by the Secretariat to complement existing Concentrated Inspection Campaigns (CICs).

The Abuja MoU Secretariat extends its sincere appreciation to The Gambia’s Maritime Administration and the Ministry of Transport, Works and Infrastructure for their warm hospitality and excellent organisation. Gratitude is also extended to all the ISMWG Members for their continued commitment to Port State Control, maritime safety, environmental protection, and regional cooperation.