China is aiming to sign a comprehensive agreement with Sierra Leone this fall, with the goal of buttressing the position of Chinese vessels fishing in the West African nation.
Chinese Minister of Agriculture Yu Kangzhen traveled to Sierra Leone recently to meet Sierra Leone Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources Soccoh Kabia. The two came to a tentative accord, with the official ceremony slated to take place in Beijing in October.
Yu’s visit is noteworthy as such visits are usually undertaken by more junior officials. Currently, five Chinese companies operate 66 vessels in Sierra Leone, according to Yu via a statement from China's embassy in Freetown, Sierra Leone’s capital. None of the details of the fishing deal were provided.
Sierra Leone wants Chinese help to develop a port, processing facilities, and aquaculture, according to Kabia, who also stressed he wants to secure the sustainable development of the country’s fisheries.
Earlier this year, Kabia told national media in Sierra Leone how illegal fishing was destroying livelihoods and threatening the fate of the country’s fisheries.
Chinese vessels catch an estimated 60,000 metric tons of seafood annually in the waters of Sierra Leone. Much of that is sold and consumed locally and contributes to the country’s food security while “addressing the nutritional needs of the local people,” Yu said in his statement.
