Renewed partnership between Enabel and Port of Antwerp-Bruges International: stronger positioning in Africa

Brussels, 18 December 2024 – Enabel and Port of Antwerp-Bruges International announce the renewal of their strategic partnership for a period of five years, aimed at strengthening their joint commitment to Africa.

For several years now, Enabel and Port of Antwerp-Bruges International have been working closely together to support structuring projects in Africa. Together, they have improved the governance, autonomy and efficiency of ports, particularly in Benin, Senegal and Guinea, thereby promoting local and regional economic development. This exemplary partnership contributes to green industrialisation and the strengthening of transport infrastructure, which are essential for sustainable growth on the African continent and are in line with the European Union’s Global Gateway strategy.

Kristof Waterschoot, Managing Director of Port of Antwerp-Bruges International: “We are delighted to renew our partnership with Enabel. Together, we have completed significant projects that have had a lasting impact on Africa’s economic and industrial development. This continent has always been an important market for the Port of Antwerp-Bruges International, as Europe’s leading port for trade with Africa. Given the challenges Europe faces in maintaining its industrial activities, developing partnerships with Africa will become even more important in connecting markets for critical raw materials and renewable energy and developing attractive port platforms for investment in Africa generating added value and catalysing green industrialisation in Africa. This partnership with Enabel gives us a stronger position to promote Belgian port expertise on the African continent.”

Jean Van Wetter, CEO of Enabel, added: “This partnership with the Port of Antwerp-Bruges International must be viewed in a geopolitical context in which the role and place of Africa are more important than in the past. Belgium has an important role to play on this continent in the common interest. This partnership is an opportunity to promote Belgian expertise and strengthen Belgium’s economic ties with this growing continent.”

 
Faced with increasing competition from China, Russia, Türkiye and the Gulf States, Europe and Africa are seeking to forge partnerships based on mutual interests. Africa, which is essential to the energy and environmental transition, needs Europe just as much as Europe needs Africa. The Global Gateway stands for a new partnership offer from Europe to Africa, aimed at strengthening the resilience of our partners while guaranteeing the interests of the EU.

The Global Gateway focuses on self-reliance, green industrialisation and socio-economic development in Africa, while strengthening Europe’s connectivity with the rest of the world, with a particular emphasis on Africa. One of the key dimensions of this initiative is transport and strategic corridors.

The structuring projects supported by this partnership include the green corridor in the DRC, energy transition and green hydrogen in Namibia and Morocco, transport on Lake Tanganyika, and transport via the Dakar-Abidjan corridor.