RABAT, MOROCCO: Morocco’s ports management firm, Marsa Maroc, has signed an agreement with the National Port Authority (NPA)of Liberia, aimed at transforming the Liberian port infrastructure into a regional hub.
The strategic partnership, signed on Tuesday, November 14, 2024, seeks to modernize and develop the West African country’s port infrastructure.
It marks an important step in the cooperation between the two parties and strengthens Marsa Maroc’s presence in the West African market, following its contract to operate the Port of Cotonou in Benin.
This partnership is also part of Liberia’s efforts to revitalize its port facilities, a key sector for the country’s economic development.
In recent years, regulatory and institutional reforms have been implemented to improve the efficiency of Liberia’s ports.
The agreement, which includes concession and operation projects, mainly concerns the ports of Monrovia and Buchanan.
It also includes the development of a new multi-purpose terminal to meet the growing needs of international trade and boost activities at these strategic hubs.
In addition to infrastructure upgrades, major institutional reforms are on the agenda with the creation of a Seaport Regulatory Authority and the decentralization of port hub management.
These measures are aimed at improving port governance and restoring Liberia’s ports to their central role in the country’s economy.
The critical situation of Liberia’s southeastern ports was also a cause for concern.
According to reports, these ports have been completely abandoned over the past six years, with infrastructure in ruins and operational capacity at an all-time low.
This partnership with Marsa Maroc, therefore, represents an opportunity for Liberia to turn around its port sector and attract new investments, while being part of a broader framework of South-South cooperation, a driving force for development in West Africa; SOURCE APA.
