Mrs. Zakia Driouch: A Visionary Leader in Advancing Sustainability and Innovation in the Fisheries Sector
Mrs. Zakia Driouch, Secretary of State to the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Rural Development, Water, and Forests in charge of Fisheries, continues to hold a series of parliamentary meetings to present the sectoral budget for the State Secretariat for the upcoming fiscal year. These meetings, organized to reinforce transparency and coordination among various stakeholders, are of significant importance in setting priorities for the fisheries sector and associated sustainable development projects.
On Thursday, November 7, a prominent meeting took place with members of the Committee on Productive Sectors in the House of Representatives, presided over by Mr. Abdelaziz Lchheb, with the presence of Mr. Ahmed Al-Bouari, the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Rural Development, Water, and Forests. During this meeting, the proposed budget for the fisheries sector for 2025, amounting to approximately 947 million dirhams, was presented, with 359 million allocated for investments and 588 million for operational expenses, reflecting the state’s commitment to advancing this vital sector.
In this context, Mrs. Zakia Driouch, Secretary of State in charge of Fisheries, presented a comprehensive overview of the projects planned within the investment budget, which includes a range of strategic initiatives under the Fisheries Development Fund. Notable projects among these include strengthening exploratory campaigns and maintaining research vessels, establishing an operational ocean technology unit, and providing enhanced circular nets for shipowners in northern regions. Additionally, the focus was placed on maintaining the information system that tracks fishery products, and enhancing sector-specific cybersecurity systems.
Mrs. Driouch also highlighted the key indicators achieved by the fisheries sector during 2024, outlining progress in aquaculture development, maritime training, marine rescue, as well as in the fishing industry and the marketing of fish products. These achievements reflect the significant progress seen in the sector and position it for the next phase of sustainable growth.
The fisheries sector is now undergoing a strategic transformation, illustrating the state’s serious commitment to elevating this sector within public policies and embodying efforts to ensure its sustainable development. Consequently, stakeholders in the sector see the need for increased budget allocations, recognizing the importance of ongoing support to achieve sustainable development goals.
The “State Secretariat” represents an essential step towards realizing the sector’s strategic objectives and underscores ongoing efforts to provide the financial and human resources needed to support the fisheries sector and propel it towards new horizons of growth and innovation.
We can only express our deepest appreciation to Mrs. Zakia Driouch for her dedication and pioneering contributions to the advancement of the fisheries sector. She leads this sector with a bold strategic vision toward new horizons of sustainability and innovation, diligently overseeing vital projects that bolster the sector’s ambitions and elevate its standing in global markets. Her unwavering commitment to developing this crucial sector underscores her determination to enhance its competitiveness both locally and internationally, contributing to raising the standards of the fisheries sector and establishing it as a fundamental pillar of the national economy.
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