NATIONAL NEWS
TANZANIA – Liberia and Tanzania formalized a new maritime partnership on February 13, 2026, with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Liberia Maritime Authority (LiMA) and the Tanzania Shipping Agencies Corporation (TASAC).
Liberia’s Permanent Representative to the International Maritime Organization Robert Wilmot Kpadeh represented LiMA at the ceremony on behalf of Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer Neto Zarzar Lighe Sr., who was unable to attend due to international commitments.
Addressing TASAC Director General Mohamad Malik Salum, along with other officials, diplomats, and maritime stakeholders, Amb. Kpadeh described the agreement as “historic,” noting that it could leave a lasting legacy for both nations.
By: Kabina S. Kabah – kabinaskabah98@gmail.com
“This is not a mere signing ceremony; it is the making of history by our two countries,” Amb. Kpadeh said, adding that Liberia and Tanzania were making a “clear and decisive choice to deepen cooperation and strengthen the structures and systems of maritime governance.”
The MoU is designed to benefit both countries and the wider global maritime sector, which handles an estimated 85 percent of world trade. It establishes a framework for collaboration on programs, strategies, research, and innovation aimed at improving maritime infrastructure, safety standards, and marine environmental sustainability.
Under the agreement, the two agencies will promote professional exchanges through seminars, training programs, information sharing, joint research, and cadetship initiatives, Amb. Kpadeh explained.
He emphasized the importance of skills development and capacity building, noting that the partnership coincides with global concerns over a projected shortage of 90,000 maritime officers by 2026.
Amb. Kpadeh also highlighted troubling regional statistics, stating that Africa supplies only about four percent of the world’s 1.9 million seafarers despite its vast and expanding coastline.
“We must change this narrative,” he urged, calling on African states to expand maritime education, strengthen training systems, and remove recruitment barriers for young people.
He added that through the MoU, Liberia and Tanzania are demonstrating that collaboration is the most effective path forward for Africa’s maritime future, stressing that Liberia—“as a global maritime leader”—remains ready to work with other African nations to advance the continent’s blue economy.
The signing ceremony brought together policymakers, private-sector representatives, and marine experts.
“It gives us immense joy and assurance to see a room full of key national stakeholders,” Kpadeh said, invoking the spirit of “One Africa Solidarity” and urging both countries to move “full steam ahead in our pursuit of sustainable maritime governance and results-based capacity-building initiatives.”
Officials from both LiMA and TASAC expressed optimism that the partnership will strengthen their maritime industries, expand professional exchanges, and contribute to broader socioeconomic growth across the region.
