WISTA International Welcomes Cameroon
October 29, 2020
The Women’s International Shipping & Trading Association (WISTA) welcomes Cameroon this month as the 53rd National WISTA Association (NWA). Cameroon joins Angola, Ghana, Morocco, Nigeria, and South Africa and as the 6th NWA in Africa as WISTA continues to expand on the continent.
“We’re very excited to welcome Cameroon to WISTA,” said WISTA International President Despina Panayiotou Theodosiou. “The continued strength and growth of our association across Africa speaks not only to the geographic diversity of our membership, but also to the opportunities for women across our industry.
“The prejudices against women in Maritime sector in Cameroon pushed us to look for a platform to find solutions,” said WISTA Cameroon President Linda Mabuh Mutoh. “Although the world has increasingly embraced the contribution women make to the industry, Cameroon has a long way to go. For six years we have worked hard to build WISTA Cameroon, to give Cameroon a platform for women in the industry. Joining WISTA International network is a dream come true as partnering with other women abroad gives a better chance at being heard for effective lasting and considerable change.”
The leadership team of WISTA Cameroon includes: WISTA Cameroon President Linda Mabuh Mutoh, Marine Engineer, Swire Pacific; Ntungwe Vera, Service Head in charge of the Protection of Maritime, Rivers and Lake Environments, Department of Maritime Affairs and Inland Waterways, Ministry of Transport; who will serve as First Vice President; Ekongwese Corina Mbolle, Sub Director for Operations, Cameroon National Shippers’ Council, who will serve as Second Vice President; Mbeng Elizabeth Ngala, Former Director of Assistance, Cameroon National Shippers’ Council and Part time Lecturer, University of Bamenda, serving as Matron; Keafon Aurelia Jumbam, Head of Administration, Port Authority of Limbe, who will serve as Secretary-General; Sandjo Ngomegni Christelle, Marine Mechanical Engineer, Bourbon Safe Cameroun, who will serve as Assistant Secretary-General; Tchoutue Mane Aicha, Service Head of Assistance to Shippers’ Cameroon National Shippers Council, who will serve as Vice Secretary General; Oku’na Quinta, TV Presenter and Social Entrepreneur, Petite Academy, who will serve as Public Relations Officer; Emaculate Nenchang Asafor, Navigation Department, Port Authority of Kribi, who will serve as Assistant Public Relations Officer; and Mbasse Ngatcha Marie Therese Tchuisse, Head of Finance, Port Authority of Limbe, who will serve as Treasurer.
WISTA International is an international organization for female managers in the shipping industry. It is comprised of 53 National WISTA Associations (NWA) around the world and more than 3,800 members. WISTA was approved for consultative status with the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in July 2018, providing the organization with a formal voice for supporting IMO work in a variety of areas. WISTA works with a wide variety of global maritime and governmental bodies to support professional development, opportunities and networking for female executives in the maritime industry.
WISTA welcomed several new National WISTA Associations in 2020 and 2019: WISTA Angola, WISTA Bangladesh, WISTA Chile, WISTA Colombia, WISTA Guatemala, WISTA Mexico, WISTA Romania and WISTA South Africa. National WISTA Associations are formed in individual countries in accordance with the laws and regulations of the country. To launch a National WISTA Association, the association must first contact WISTA International and follow the formation processes set forth in Protocols, which include submitting drafts of the governing documents to WISTA International, filing appropriate paperwork in the home country, having at least ten members in management positions and paying annual fees to WISTA International.
