The Puntland regional government has opposed the federal government’s decision to deny state-level fishing licenses.
According to a statement issued by Puntland’s Ministry of Fisheries on Friday, the federal directive violates Article 44 of Somalia’s Provisional Constitution, which states that Somalia’s natural resources must be shared after a negotiated process between the federal government and the Federal Member States.
It warned that if Mogadishu continued to violate resource-sharing agreements with Somalia’s regional governments, it would lead to insecurity and political instability.
Puntland accused the federal government of breaking agreements on marine resource sharing between the federal government and federal member states in Baidoa in 2018 and Addis Ababa in 2019.
It went on to say that Puntland has the authority of an independent government until a federal constitution is completed and approved by a popular referendum.
Last year, Somalia said it would combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing in its waters by introducing a law to ensure uniform regulation across the country.
According to a damning report published by GI-TOC in June 2021, the ministries of fisheries at the federal level and Puntland are linked to issuing licenses for illegal fishing operations – typically to Chinese trawlers – off the coast of Somalia.
Somalia has Africa’s longest mainland coastline, estimated to be about 3,300 kilometres.
