Puntland State of Somalia
Ministery of Maritime Transport, Ports and Counter Piracy
PRESS RELEASE
03 August,2013
On behalf of the Puntland Government, I want to assure the citizen of our esteemed State of Puntland that our territorial waters are under our full control. No company or foreign state has been authorised by the Puntland Government to Monitor, Survey and Protect; the EEZ (Exclusive Economic Zone); Our Natural Resources; Our Ports; Our Fishing activities and Our Trades among others.
The recent contract signed on the 30th July, 2013 between The Defence Minister of the Federal Government of Somalia Abdihakin Fiqi and the Dutch Company Atlantic Marine and Offshore Group (witnessed by President of the Federal Government of Somalia) that hands over the power of Somali Nationals to Foreign Company over our territorial waters, marine resources, Ports and Trade is unacceptable, inapplicable and unsuitable in Puntland State.
This agreement clearly undermines the Regional Somali States (Kampala Process Members) efforts of maintaining Somali Sovereignty and control over its territorial waters.
Puntland maintains its sovereignty and the development of our maritime security strategy and maritime resource protection, including the EEZ and Maritime Crimes (Illegal Fishing, Toxic Dumping and Smuggling), is documented in the Somali Maritime Resource and Security Strategy that was recently agreed upon by the Somali Regional States.
We know that this are the cunning ways used to exploit our rich Somali marine resources and Puntland Government will not honour this agreement. Our developments should be aimed at building the capacity of native Somali Human Resource, focusing on the renaissance of our fishing Industry and coastal community development.
The Sovereignty of the Somali people and our resources is not for sale. Puntland will continue to enforce authority in our waters and any acts of trespass will be regarded as criminal offense and a threat to our sovereignty, our security and our resources.
Hon. Saeed Mohamed Rageh.
Minister of Maritime Transport, Ports and Counter Piracy,
Puntland State of Somalia.
Via: http://www.garoweonline.com/
