Colonel Andre Ciseau appointed acting SG of regional port body |11 June 2018
Colonel Andre Ciseau has been appointed as the acting secretary general of the Port Management Association of Eastern and Southern Africa (PMAESA) board of directors.
This was during a special board meeting held in Johannesburg on May 14, 2018.
His appointment follows the resignation of Nozipho Mdawe of South Africa on April 16, 2018.
PMAESA is a non-profit, inter-governmental organisation made up of port operators, government line ministries, logistics and maritime service providers and other port and shipping stakeholders from the eastern, western and southern African and Indian Ocean regions.
Members are represented in relevant organisations involved in shaping the global policy patterns and enacting new requirements in maritime transport and trade.
During a briefing session with the secretariat staff on his first day in office on Monday June 4, 2018 at the PMAESA head office in Mombasa, Kenya, Col. Ciseau said that he was honoured to serve the association in this capacity.
He said: “I have been given the opportunity to work for PMAESA by the board on an interim basis. However, I am confident that during this tenure I will ensure that I maximise on the opportunities available and aggressively pursue new avenues to propel this organisation forward and achieve new heights, in particular the aspect of value addition to members.”
Speaking on the need to make relevant the activities of the association to members and related stakeholders, Col. Ciseau said: “It is vital to ensure that key action points derived from PMAESA fora are taken to the highest level so as to achieve maximum buy in from the membership and from strategic partners.”
He further acknowledged that the challenges the secretariat faces are huge but not insurmountable.
He will also be taking on the role of executive secretary of the Pan African Association for Port Cooperation (PAPC).
With this new role, Col. Ciseau has taken temporary leave as chief executive (CEO) of the Seychelles Ports Authority (SPA). However, he remains a board member of the SPA.
As CEO of the SPA, Col. Ciseau has been laying great emphasis on the modernisation and continued growth of activities in Port Victoria in the context of the Blue Economy of Seychelles.
His role at the SPA has been instrumental in helping to secure a grant and favourable loan conditions from the country’s European development partners for the expansion and upgrade of the commercial port.
Col. Ciseau has previously held a seat on the PMAESA board as 2nd vice- chairman.
He is also a member of the Seychelles People’s Defence Forces (SPDF) with a strategic role in the Seychelles Coast Guard.