Cario, Egypt- The Director General of the National Fisheries and Aquaculture
Authority of Liberia, Hon. Emma Metieh Glassco Monday, November 25, 2024,
signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Technical Cooperation in Cario, Egypt
with, Major General AlHussein Farahat Mohamed, Executive Director of Lakes and
Fish Resources Protection and Development Agency of the Arab Republic of Egypt.
The MoU focuses on aquaculture development, enhancing fisheries' governance
through monitoring, control, and surveillance (MCS), and strengthening cooperation
to conduct scientific research programs.
According to a dispatch from Cairo, the primary aim of the MoU is to strengthen
technical cooperation between Liberia and Egypt for mutual benefit and facilitate
trade thereby increasing private sector participation with a major goal to transition
from a dominated subsistence Fish Farming sector to full scale commercially viable
Aquaculture Sector of Liberia.
To achieve this goal, the MoU will promote capacity-building opportunities for local
farmers, students, researchers, and experts exchange program for the Fisheries
Department at the University of Liberia and other tertiary institutions, a scientific
fishery research program amongst others.
Moreover, a key objective of the MoU is to engage in trade facilitation and link the
private sectors of Egypt to Liberia and also collaborate on monitoring control and
surveillance services while at the same time sharing technical knowledge and
expertise and building institutional capacity in aquaculture.
In the area of cooperation according to the MoU, Liberia and Egypt shall within their
competence and by their respective relevant laws and regulations and also follow
relevant international laws to encourage and promote cooperation in the areas of
Fisheries Governance.
Executive Director signing the Technical Cooperation MoU in Cairo, Egypt.
Moreover, under Monitoring, Control, and Surveillance, Liberia and Egypt shall
develop, adopt, disseminate, and implement the appropriate international plan of
action to prevent, deter, and eliminate illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IPOA-
IUU) fishing and also coordinate activities and cooperate directly and through
relevant Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMOs) in preventing,
deterring, and eliminating IUU fishing activities. This will be implemented through
the exchange of data or information in a standardized form from records of vessels
authorized by both countries to fish in a manner consistent with any applicable
confidentiality requirement.
In addition, the MoU will allow and enable Liberia and Egypt's respective
Monitoring, Control, and Surveillance practitioners or enforcement personnel to
cooperate in the investigation of Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated fishing
activities and collect, maintain, and share data and information relating to such
fishing. The two countries will cooperate in transferring expertise and technology and
cooperate to make policies and measures compatible, and develop cooperative
mechanisms that allow inter agencies to respond to IUU fishing.
Meanwhile, in the area of Aquaculture development, the MoU states that there will be
technological skills transfer in tilapia farming and the development of native fish
species for commercial aquaculture operation, Expert exchange, and information
sharing on Aquaculture technological development, Best Management Practices
(BMP), disease control and management and study and monitoring of the parameters
of the rivers, coastal, and marine environment.
Also, the MoU in the area of Aquaculture will look at the quality of fishery and
aquaculture products, and the organization of working groups for the joint analysis of
data.
Signed…………………………………………………………………
Lewis E.B Konoe
Director, Communications and Media Services
National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority, NaFAA
Freeport, Bushrod Island
Monrovia Liberia
lkonoe@nafaa.gov.lr
231-770039589/888631529
