The National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority (NaFAA), in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has held its first high-level strategic meeting aimed at strengthening coordination for the successful hosting of Liberia’s maiden National Fisheries Investment Conference (NFIC 2026), scheduled for March 30–31, 2026, at the Farmington Hotel, Margibi County.
The meeting, held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs over the weekend, brought together the Acting Director General of NaFAA, J. Cyrus Saygbe, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sara Beysolow Nyanti, to explore collaborative mechanisms for mobilizing international participation and facilitating transnational and bilateral engagements with foreign governments, development partners, and investment institutions.
The discussions between the NaFAA Acting Director General and the Minister of Foreign Affairs focused on leveraging Liberia’s diplomatic missions and international partnerships to formally invite foreign governments, international investors, and financial institutions to participate in the conference, which is expected to serve as a global platform for promoting investment opportunities in Liberia’s fisheries and aquaculture sector. The conference will be accessible through its official platform.
During the engagement, the Liberian Fisheries and Aquaculture Sector Acting Director General Saygbe expressed appreciation to Minister Nyanti for her prompt response and demonstrated interest in the success of the conference. He further requested the ministry’s support in diplomatic facilitation, including coordination for foreign delegations and international stakeholders traveling to Liberia to attend the event.
In response, Minister Nyanti assured NaFAA of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ full commitment to ensuring the conference’s success. She disclosed plans for sustained engagement with the National Steering Committee, comprising the Ministries of Finance & Development Planning, Foreign Affairs, Commerce & Industry, and the National Investment Commission, to provide coordinated support throughout the planning and implementation process.
As part of concrete outcomes from the meeting, Minister Nyanti announced the establishment of a Technical Support Team from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, headed by Dr. Ibrahim Al-Bakri Nyei, Deputy Minister for International Cooperation and Economic Integration. The team will work closely with NaFAA and Golden Touch Corporation, the official event planning firm, to accelerate diplomatic outreach, strengthen bilateral engagements, and secure high-level international participation.
The National Fisheries Investment Conference 2026 will focus on advancing Liberia’s national vision for a sustainable and profitable blue economy. Key thematic areas include fostering dialogue among policymakers, donors, academia, and the industry actors; showcasing innovations in fishery monitoring, aquaculture development, processing, and climate resilience; promoting youth and women’s inclusion across fishery value chains; and strengthening partnerships for investment, technology transfer, regulatory compliance, and sustainable resource management.
Additional focus streams will cover Sustainable Marine Fisheries Management, Aquaculture and Post-Harvest Technology, Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing Control, Blue Finance and Investment Partnerships, Ocean Conservation and Climate Resilience, as well as the critical role of Women and Youth in Fisheries Development.
The conference is expected to position Liberia as a competitive destination for fisheries and aquaculture investment while reinforcing regional and international collaboration toward sustainable ocean governance.
