MOGADISHU, July 3 (Xinhua) — Somalia on Wednesday launched a special week to showcase its marine resources potential, demonstrating the government’s commitment to foster a vibrant blue economy.
In his opening remarks, Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre said the Somalia National Fisheries Week will be dedicated to identifying opportunities and addressing challenges within the fisheries sector while providing robust support to the communities.
Barre called on unity among Somalis to safeguard the country’s oceans to ensure prosperity for future generations. “By fostering sustainable practices and empowering coastal communities, we ensure a prosperous future for all Somalis. Together, we build a resilient and thriving nation,” Barre said in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia.
According to the Somali Ministry of Fisheries and Blue Economy, the country has about 1,000,000 square kilometers of maritime territory extending 370 km offshore, but the full economic potential of its marine resources has not been exploited.
Opportunities exist in sourcing fishing licensing, supplying industrial vessels, and offering technical services such as quality and food safety certification.
He said the fisheries week is an event meant to showcase the country’s marine resources and celebrate the hardworking fishermen and women who drive coastal communities forward.
Barre said that it is time for the Somali people to benefit from maritime resources, noting that the 50 percent of the country’s budget will come from the fishing industry, which, if the emphasis is put on its use, will greatly change the country’s economy.
He called on Somali businesspeople to invest in the fishing sector, leveraging opportunities in the international market as the government focuses on developing key infrastructure, especially ports and roads connecting the coast of Somalia.
Abdi Dirshe, a director general in the Ministry of Fisheries and Blue economy, said that they have developed a strategy to capitalize on the blue economy, aiming for the country’s self-sufficiency in the future.
“In identifying opportunities within the fisheries sector, the ministry has drafted significant laws and policies aimed at boosting the country’s economy by leveraging on the abundant blue economy resources,” Dirshe said.