Somali Puntland Minister to AWP: We Are Ready to Deter Piracy Off Our Coast
(AWP) - Mohamud Aidid Dirir, the Minister of Information in Somalia’s state of Puntland, confirmed that state authorities have the ability to secure its more than 1000-kilometer-long coasts against piracy through continuous patrols.
In an interview with AWP, Aidid Dirir said that no piracy operations will take place off the coast of the semi-autonomous state.
He said, “We can affirm that there will be no piracy operations targeting foreign ships passing off the state’s coast, and we will not allow pirates to use Puntland areas to detain ships and boats carrying foreign goods. If they make this mistake, we will track and chase them wherever they are.”
The minister added, “Our forces along the coasts of Puntland are ready to deter piracy, which will prevent the seizure of foreign ships by pirates off the coasts of Puntland. Coast Guards are authorised to arrest pirates. Piracy is an international crime, and our forces are on constant alert to prevent pirate operations along the state’s coasts.”
Aidid Dirir believes the threats facing ships could have global repercussions.
He said, “The new developments taking place in the Red Sea area may affect the movement of global trade, especially trade passing between the Red Sea and the Suez Canal.”
However, the minister downplayed the effects of such developments on trade in Puntland:
“Our trade is abundant in the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea, but there is great concern for countries whose ships depend on these waterways such as the Bab al-Mandab Strait, the Gulf of Aden and the Suez Canal. However, the impact of these developments on our local trade is currently not significant.”
On President Said Abdullahi Deni’s re-election in January for a second term, Aidid Dirir stated, “This allows for the birth of a good government, which is useful in terms of political and security stability in Puntland.”
He continued, “A new term has begun for the elected president, lasting an additional five years, to complete his achievements, add new vision and continue developing the state’s sectors and institutions. This was a positive point for the stability of Puntland.”