Friday, March 28, 2014
President of the federal state of Puntland Abdiweli Mohamed Ali and members of his cabinet met with European Union ambassadors Thursday (March 27th) on board the French EU Naval Force flagship FS Siroco to discuss key issues related to political, security and development co-operation, and to participate in a special session on maritime security.
Ambassadors from France, the United Kingdom, Spain, the Netherlands, Italy and Denmark, as well EU Special Envoy to Somalia Michele Cervone d'Urso, attended the meeting.
"Puntland's role in Somalia's path towards peace and stability is crucial. Crucial for Somalia's development, but also crucial for Somalia's security which includes maritime security," d'Urso said in a press statement.
"Together with the EU Naval Force's 'Atalanta' mission and the EU Capacity Building 'Nestor' mission, the EU and other international partners will continue to engage with the Somalis to increase their capabilities to fight piracy and other illegal activities at sea and to reinforce maritime security," he said. "This will allow them to have safer seas and thus enable them to benefit from their maritime resources."
Ali said he welcomed the EU's renewed co-operation to improve maritime security in Puntland.
"Maritime co-operation, co-ordinated with other national and international stakeholders, will have an important effect on the events on land, on security at sea and on the development of our coastal areas," he said.
Source: SABAHI