China, Sierra Leone sign MOU on fisheries cooperation
Vice Minister Yu Kangzhen met Ms. Elizabeth Mans, Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources of Sierra Leone, in Beijing on 30 Oct. 2017. The two sides signed the Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Agriculture of the People's Republic of China and the Ministry of Marine Resources and Fisheries of the Republic of Sierra Leone on Fisheries Cooperation.
Sierra Leone is one of the first countries targeted by China's efforts of outward fisheries investment and cooperation. So far, 5 Chinese enterprises of pelagic fishing have been authorized for operation in Sierra Leone with a fleet of 68 vessels and a combined annual fishery output of 40,000 tons.
Preliminary statistics shows that Chinese investment has registered over US$10 million, employing nearly 1,000 local people annually and with 90% fishing products sold locally. Such fisheries investment and cooperation has not only enriched the market supply of aquatic products in both countries, promoted friendly communication and mutual understanding between the two peoples, but also played an important role in promoting employment, raising living standard and driving economic and social progress in Sierra Leone.
The signing of the MOU, while incorporating traditional bilateral fisheries cooperation into the framework of intergovernmental cooperation, has laid a solid foundation for furthering wider, sound and sustainable bilateral fisheries cooperation.