NATIONAL NEWS
MONROVIA – The Director General of the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority (NaFAA), J. Cyrus Saygbe Sr., has concluded a week-long official working visit to the Kingdom of Morocco, securing a series of commitments aimed at strengthening Liberia’s fisheries sector through investment, technical cooperation, training, and infrastructure development.
By: Trokon S. Wrepue – trokon1992seokin@gmail.com
The visit, which took place in Tangier, Rabat and Casablanca, forms part of Liberia’s broader strategy to attract international partnerships and investments that will support sustainable fisheries management, boost food security, create jobs, and advance the country’s blue economy agenda. It also follows commitments emerging from the Liberia Fisheries and Aquaculture Investment Conference held in March this year.
During the trip, Director General Saygbe participated in the Sea Safety for Fisheries Workshop organized by the Ministerial Conference on Fisheries Cooperation Among African States Bordering the Atlantic Ocean (ATLAFCO) in the city of Tangier.
Addressing participants at the opening of the workshop, he stressed the importance of stronger regional collaboration and a unified African approach to improving safety standards for fishermen and women operating at sea.
Following the workshop, Saygbe traveled to Rabat and Casablanca, where he held a series of high-level meetings with Moroccan government officials and private sector leaders.
Among those he met were Morocco’s Minister of State for Fisheries, Zakia Driouch, and Hassan Sentissi El Idrissi, President of the Association of Moroccan Exporters (ASMEX). Discussions centered on expanding bilateral cooperation in fisheries stock assessment, technical and vocational training for Liberian fisheries and aquaculture professionals, fisheries value addition, and the development of modern fisheries landing sites across Liberia.
According to NaFAA, both governments have agreed in principle to formalize these areas of cooperation through an official agreement expected to be signed in July 2026.
The proposed agreement is expected to provide a framework for technical assistance, knowledge sharing, and institutional collaboration between the two countries’ fisheries sectors.
A key outcome of the visit was engagement with Moroccan private sector representatives regarding potential investments in Liberia’s fisheries industry. Discussions explored avenues for mobilizing financing for the construction of Liberia’s first industrial fishing port, a project viewed as critical to modernizing the country’s fishing industry and expanding its capacity to process and export seafood products. Talks also focused on the development of an industrial fishing fleet, beginning with two shrimp fishing vessels, as well as investments in aquaculture and inland fisheries development.
In another significant development, the NaFAA Director General met with representatives of Green Table, whose Chief Executive Officer expressed interest in serving as a potential off-taker for fisheries products harvested in Liberia. The arrangement could create new export opportunities for Liberian fisheries products while helping to expand access to international markets.
The visit also provided an opportunity for Liberia to learn from Morocco’s experience in fisheries monitoring and enforcement.
Director General Saygbe toured Morocco’s National Fishing Vessel Monitoring Center, where he was introduced to advanced vessel tracking technologies and fisheries surveillance systems designed to combat Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing.
Such systems are considered essential tools for protecting marine resources and ensuring compliance with fisheries regulations.
NaFAA officials say the Morocco mission represents an important step in Liberia’s efforts to transform its fisheries and aquaculture sector into a major contributor to economic growth and employment.
By pursuing strategic partnerships, attracting investment, and strengthening technical capacity, the government hopes to unlock the sector’s potential while ensuring the sustainable management of the country’s marine and inland fisheries resources.
The visit underscores Liberia’s commitment to deepening international cooperation and leveraging global expertise to accelerate development within the fisheries sector, a key component of the nation’s broader economic diversification and food security objectives.
