Anti-COVID-19 equipment delivered to partner ports
Since the month of March, the WeCAPS project has been upscaling its actions by providing responses to the health and economic emergency linked to the COVID-19 pandemic. These activities have translated into action via the commitment of the European Union to supporting the project’s West and Central African partner ports. Given the risks and possible disruptions caused by the novel Coronavirus on port networks, WeCAPS has decided to support the efforts made by its partner ports to help manage and mitigate the impact of the pandemic, namely by donating protective equipment and providing access to an e-learning tool on biological risks, with an emphasis on the COVID-19 disease, as well as to a good practices guide, which has enabled port stakeholders to receive basic knowledge of the disease, how it spreads, and how to protect against it.
Other activities
Port-by-port delivery of equipment
Between 2 and 26 June, WeCAPS delivered COVID-19 protection equipment to seven different ports in West and Central Africa. Donation ceremonies were held at the ports of Dakar, Lomé, San Pedro, Abidjan, Douala, Pointe Noire and Tema, where representatives of the EUDs, on behalf of WeCAPS, delivered protective equipment (collective, individual protection, as well as disinfection equipment) which serves to protect employees and port stakeholders as they continue their activities. The total value of the equipment amounted to more than 350K EUR (approximately 40K EUR per port).
Support to the ARSTM/ISMI in Abidjan and the RMU in Accra
To support the reopening of the ARSTM (Académie Régionale des Sciences et Techniques de la Mer) in Cote d’Ivoire, and the RMU (Regional Maritime University) in Ghana put in place adequate sanitary measures to protect students and teachers, WeCAPS, supported by GoGIN, has designed a specific COVID-19 kit (5000 masks, 600 or 1000 litres of hydroalcoholic gel and 3 thermometers) to be delivered to the two academies. The RMU kit was delivered on 26th June.
Through the e-learning platform of the CBRN Centre of Excellence, WeCAPS made available a series of e-learning courses on how to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic at ports. Fifty trainees from the ports of Abidjan, San Pedro, Dakar, Lomé, Brazzaville, Pointe Noire and Douala have completed the course. A collection of ports’ good practices regarding management of the COVID-19 pandemic has been prepared and sent to the ports’ directorates.