What do successful, well-run ports and female empowerment have in common? Both can make a significant contribution to sustainable economic development.
International Maritime Organization (IMO) provided support to eight female officials from developing countries, with an emphasis on Pacific Small Island Developing States, attended a Port Senior Management Program held at the Galilee International Management Institute (GIMI) in Nahalal, Israel, (6-19 November).
The two-week course provides participants with key information and updates on innovations in the port industry. The participants are from: Cabo Verde, Fiji, Kiribati, Mongolia, Papua New Guinea, Seychelles and Solomon Islands
Subjects covered include global trends and advances in port development, management and operations; port security and efficiency in container terminals; and international law concerning ports and ships.
Organized visits to the Israeli Maritime Training Authority in Akko and the Port of Haifa, as well as practical simulator exercises, enabled participants to experience for themselves the day-to-day operations of a port, with a view to applying this knowledge back in their respective countries.
The event was delivered through IMO's gender and capacity-building program, in collaboration with GIMI. It comes as part of IMO's continuous efforts to support the UN Sustainable Development Goal 5 to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.