DR ‹ › An additional Exchange of Notes and Grant Agreement were signed on Tuesday in Rabat, providing extra Japanese funding for the development of a next-generation fishing port in Souiria K'dima (Safi Province). The signing reflects the strengthening cooperation between Morocco and Japan. The documents were signed by Zakia Driouich, Morocco's Secretary of State in charge of Maritime Fisheries; Japan's Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, Onishi Yohei; and the Resident Representative of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in Morocco, Kawabata Tomoyuki. The additional grant supplements the initial financing, formalized through a Notes Exchange in Safi on January 22, 2025, and a Grant Agreement in Agadir on February 6, 2025, amounting to ¥2.003 billion (around MAD 133 million). With the new contribution, total funding now reaches ¥2.505 billion, or roughly MAD 157 million. The funds will support the redevelopment of the Souiria K'dima fishing village, originally developed in 1998 under Moroccan-Japanese cooperation. Part of Japan's non-reimbursable financial cooperation, the project aims to create a modern, environmentally integrated fishing village aligned with local economic dynamics. Speaking at the ceremony, Driouich said the agreement will help transform Souiria K'dima's landing site into a modern facility fully embedded in the blue economy. Souiria K'dima has been selected as a pilot project, expected to become a durable blue-economy hub and a regional socio-economic driver. Onishi welcomed the partnership, noting that the port, built with Japanese support 27 years ago, symbolizes the depth of Moroccan-Japanese cooperation. He said the new phase will improve quality and output while strengthening the port's tourism dimension. The additional grant will ensure full delivery of all project components to high standards of quality and sustainability. The redevelopment will modernize facilities, improve fishermen's working conditions, add value to artisanal fish products, and introduce new activities linked to local port heritage, supporting Morocco's Halieutis Plan and Japan's cooperation priorities on competitiveness and infrastructure development.
