Sixteen in United Republic of Tanzania awarded UNCTAD port management certificates

Sixteen middle-level managers from the Tanzania Ports Authority have successfully defended their dissertations and have been awarded UNCTAD's Modern Port Management Certificate. 07 December 2012 The candidates' presentations were made before a panel of experts  on 22 and 23 November, and were approved. The dissertations were  part of the managers' participation in the second cycle of UNCTAD's  TrainForTrade Port Training Programme in the United Republic of Tanzania.  Five of the graduates are women. The Port Training Programme supports port communities in developing  countries in establishing efficient and competitive services.  The programme lasts for 18 to 24 months, and consists of 240 hours  of in-class training, port visits, and a final dissertation. The in-class training is divided into eight modules, which examine all  aspects of managing a modern port. The port visits allow the participants to examine the inner workings of  ports and to identify opportunities for improvement. The final dissertation tests their abilities at applying what they have  learned. Candidates must analyse a concrete problem faced by a port  community, and propose feasible solutions. For example, the top  participant in the programme, Mr. Makiri M. F. Ngangaji, the Business  evelopment Officer of the Tanzania Ports Authority, analysed empirical  evidence from Dar es Salaam Port to assess the effects of crane allocation  on ship turnaround times. The Embassy of Ireland in the United Republic of Tanzania hosted the  awards ceremony, which was held at the residence of the Ambassador.  Irish Aid, Ireland's development agency, helps finance the English-speaking  network of the port training programme. Support for the programme is also  provided by the Dublin Port Company and the Port of Cork, and by Belfast  Harbour Commissioners. At the ceremony, Ms. Fionnuala Gilsenan, Ambassador of Ireland to the United Republic  of Tanzania, stressed the importance of the programme, as well as the importance of Dar es Salaam Port to the economic development of  the United Republic of Tanzania and to the economies of the landlocked  countries that depend on the port for seaborne trade. She highlighted  Irish Aid's commitment to the programme as part of its strategy for  supporting sustainable development in the United Republic of Tanzania. Ambassador Gilsenan awarding the Modern Port Management Certificate Ms. Winnie Paul Mulindwa, Assistant Port Manager of Dar es Salaam  Port, drew attention to the positive impact that the programme had  already had. A graduate of the first training cycle held in the United  Republic of Tanzania, she said that the training she had received had  been crucial in preparing her to move into her current position and to  assume greater responsibility for port operations. Mr. Mark Assaf, Officer-in-Charge of UNCTAD's Human Resources  Development/ TrainForTrade Section, congratulated the graduates,  and two representatives from the Dublin Port Company presented  individual awards to the two participants with the highest final scores.  In addition, Tanzanian-based representatives from the Delegation of  the European Union and the Embassy of the Netherlands were present. UNCTAD's Port Training Programme also operates through French- ,  Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking networks.