Liberia is stepping up its push to transform its fisheries sector, as the Director General of the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority (NaFAA), J. Cyrus Saygbe Sr., concludes a strategic visit to Morocco aimed at unlocking investment, expertise, and regional cooperation.
The week-long trip focused on building partnerships that could modernize Liberia’s fisheries industry, improve safety standards, and expand economic opportunities within the blue economy.
While in Tangier, Saygbe participated in a continental workshop on sea safety organized by ATLAFCO, where he called for stronger collaboration among African coastal states to better protect fishermen and improve maritime operations.
The visit then shifted to high-level engagements in Rabat and Casablanca. Discussions with Morocco’s Minister of State for Fisheries, Zakia Driouch, centered on technical cooperation, including fisheries stock assessment, workforce training, value addition, and the development of landing sites in Liberia. Both sides are expected to formalize these commitments in a cooperation agreement scheduled for July 2026.
Engagements with the private sector added a commercial dimension to the trip. Talks with the Association of Moroccan Exporters explored financing opportunities for major projects, including Liberia’s first industrial fishing port and the development of an industrial fishing fleet, beginning with two shrimp vessels.
In a further boost to market prospects, representatives of Green Table signaled interest in purchasing Liberian fish products, opening potential export channels for the country’s fisheries output.
Saygbe also visited Morocco’s National Fishing Vessel Monitoring Center, gaining exposure to advanced surveillance technologies used to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing—an area of growing concern for Liberia.
The visit aligns with Liberia’s broader strategy to implement outcomes from the March 2026 Fisheries and Aquaculture Investment Conference, with a focus on sustainable resource management, food security, job creation, and long-term economic growth.
Taken together, the engagements signal a shift from dialogue to action, as Liberia positions its fisheries sector as a key driver of development through international partnerships and targeted investment.
