Maritime Security Conference Opens In Hargeisa

The breakaway Somaliland is  hosting a conference on maritime security and counter piracy strategy.

The three day-conference which takes place in the administrative capital, Hargeisa will bring together Somaliland officials and representatives from the international community to discuss the importance of maritime security in the Horn of Africa and ways to further strengthen Somaliland’s counter­ piracy strategy.

Mahboub Maalim, IGAD executive secretary, told the reporters before the conference started that maritime security is important for the region as a whole.

Somaliland’s CPC Executive Director, Mohamed Osman Ahmed, who will be leading the coordination meeting, also spoke to the press, briefly outlining the agenda of the conference.

“We will be sitting here for the next three days, and we will be discussing pressing maritime issues and ways to strengthen our national counter piracy strategy” said Ahmed.

Ahmed has done a commendable job leading anti piracy efforts in Somaliland since taking office as the inaugural holder in 2012.Ahmed has coordinated diverse counter piracy activities since 2012 and has represented Somaliland at several international counter piracy summits.

Somaliland’s Attorney General, Hassan Ahmed Hassan, also spoke to reporters, briefly stating that “they will also be discussing the activities of the Somaliland Coast Guard and strategies to prevent maritime crime”.

Somaliland has gone virtually untouched by piracy over the years, but the threat of piracy still lingers in neighbouring Somalia.

Despite a sharp decrease in piracy attacks, Somalia’s government has publicly warn that ‘piracy is still at threat of revival’ in late 2015. And as recent as three months ago, anti­piracy experts have warned that ‘there is still a potential threat that piracy could come back’