Panelists
Kpongama
DAY ONE - MONDAY, MARCH 30, 2026
HIGH-LEVEL PLENARY SESSION I
Theme: Fisheries and the Blue Economy as Drivers of Economic Transformation
PANELIST
Madam Jeanine M. Cooper
Chief Executive Officer, Carbon Markets Authority of Liberia
PANELIST
Mr. Austin Saye Wehye
Director, Research and Statistics, National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority
PANELIST
Mr. Koffi Bernard
Director of Environmental Department, ECOWAS
PANELIST
Mr. Garad Abdullahi Ali
Head of Marine Section and Terrestrial Ecosystem, Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, Somalia
TECHNICAL SESSION I
Theme: Sustainable Fisheries Management and Governance
PANELIST
Dr. Alvin S. Jueseah
Chairman, Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture Sciences (DoFAS), University of Liberia
PANELIST
Mr. Sirgio Amorim
EFCA, Monitoring, Control and Surveillance (MCS) Specialist
PANELIST
Dr. N’Guessan Kouadio Benjamin
Researcher, Research Center Institute, Côte d’ Ivoire
PANELIST
Mr. Pierre Murekezi
Fisheries Officer, Fisheries and Aquaculture Division (UNFAO), Italy
TECHNICAL SESSION II
Theme: Investment Opportunities in Aquaculture and Inland Fisheries
PANELIST
Ade Freeman
Consultant, World Bank Group
PANELIST
Dr. Ruth Garcia Gomez
Consultant, World Bank Group
PANELIST
Cristina Stefani
CHAINT AFRIQUE
PANELIST
Mr. Pierre Murekezi
Fisheries Officer, Fisheries and Aquaculture Division (UNFAO), Italy
PANELIST
Mr. Alfred Borbor
CEO, Sustainable Fish and Farming Enterprise, Liberia
PANELIST
Mr. Richard Kwaku Ofori-Mante
Director, Agricultural Finance and Rural Development Department
SPECIAL ROUNDTABLE
Theme: Financing the Blue Economy in Liberia
PANELIST
Mr. Rajie Raouf Adnan
Deputy Director, Monetary Policy, Research, Central Bank of Liberia
PANELIST
Mr. Ougfaly Badji
Global Lead Management Food Security Specialist, Islamic Development Bank
PANELIST
Mr. George Agyekum Donkor
President/Chairman, ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development
PANELIST
Mr. Shujaa Alossaimi
Director of Partnerships, Saudi Fund for Development
DAY TWO - TUESDAY, MARCH 31, 2026
HIGH-LEVEL PLENARY SESSION II
Theme: Climate Resilience and Environmental Sustainability
PANELIST
Mr. John F. Kanneh
NDC’s Expert, Biodiversity and Climate Change
PANELIST
Mr. Solomon P. Wright
President, Environment and Marine Biodiversity Union of Certified Environmental Professional of Liberia
PANELIST
Dr. Mohamed Seisay
Senior Fisheries Officer, African Union Interafrican Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR)
PANELIST
Mr. S. Ahmed Sherif
Director, Environment and Climate Change, National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority
PANELIST
Mr. Joel Mokenye
Aquatic Biodiversity Specialist, African Union InterAfrican Bureau for
Animal Resources (AU-IBAR)
PANELIST
Cllr. Neto Zarzar Lighe, Sr.
Commissioner/CEO, Liberia Maritime Authority
PARALLEL TECHNICAL SESSIONS
Session A: Value Addition, Trade, and Market Access
PANELIST
Mr. Marcus Brown Zarway
Project Coordinator (Consultant)- PIU of YEIB, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Liberia
PANELIST
Mr. Ing Eric Casimir Akaffou Atse
Director, INFOPECHE
PANELIST
Dr. Moustapha Gnankambary
Senior Expert, GIZ/ECOWAS
PANELIST
Dr. Djiga Thiao
Programme Officer, ECOWAS
PANELIST
Mr. Michael Anderson
Managing Partner, Blueline Fisheries
PARALLEL TECHNICAL SESSIONS
Session B: Technology, Innovation, and Skills Development
PANELIST
Mr. Qurban Rouhani
Professor, Rhodes University, South Africa
PANELIST
M. Abdelkrim MRABTI
ATLAFCO, Digital solutions for Fisheries Management
PANELIST
Mr. Mannie Oyewole
Managing Director, Igata Consulting Technologies
PANELIST
Mr. Zaza Mulbah
Senior Manager, Orange Digital Center
PANELIST
Mr. Zlatko Mastnak
Director, EMA
SPECIAL SESSION
Theme: Community Development, Livelihoods, and Social Inclusion in Fisheries and Aquaculture
PANELIST
Mr. Gaoussou Gueye
President, CAOPA
PANELIST
Cephas Asare
Director, West Africa Regional, Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF)
PANELIST
Roger Emmou
Senior Regional Programme Officer, Conservation International
PANELIST
Uzma Quresh
Social Development Specialist, World Bank Liberia Country Office
PANELIST
Aissata Daouda DIA
Head of Advocacy for West and Central Africa
PANELIST
Abue Williams
Chief Executive Officer, Blueline Fisheries
HIGH-LEVEL POLICY DIALOGUE
Theme: Strengthening Partnerships for Blue Economy Development
PANELIST
J. Cyrus Saygbe Sr
Director General, National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority (NaFAA)
PANELIST
Ngao Mubanga
Social Development Specialist, World Bank Liberia Country Office
PANELIST
Yuting Huang
Portfolio Manager, OPEC Fund for International Development
PANELIST
O. Natty B. Davis II
President, Liberia Chamber of Commerce