Hassan Sheikh says Somalia cannot secure its maritime security alone

Mogadishu (Caasimada Online) – The President of Somalia, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has announced that there is a need for international support and cooperation to secure our coastlines which stretch 3,400 kilometers, as the government does not have the capacity to protect such a vast coastline alone.

In an interview he gave to Sky News, the president emphasized that the protection of Somalia's coastlines is a task that requires international cooperation, and is beyond the security capacity of a single country.

President Hassan Sheikh linked the security challenges in the country partly to the vast areas that have long been without an effective government administration, which he said has facilitated the operations of terrorist groups and pirates in parts of Somalia.

When discussing the resurgence of piracy, the president noted that previous international efforts have mostly been limited to controlling attacks, but have not addressed the root causes of the problem.

“Piracy is not limited to acts occurring in the open sea alone, but these groups have bases and networks on land. This means that there needs to be action taken on the security and economic conditions in the coastal areas,” said President Hassan Sheikh.

The sustainable solution, as the president pointed out, depends on strengthening the coast guard forces, ensuring security on the coastal land, and creating job opportunities that can divert the youth from participating in piracy activities.

Poverty and lack of opportunity have been described as some of the issues pushing certain youth to engage in such acts, while also noting that many people have recently died in piracy operations.

On the other hand, Xasan Sheekh stated that countries including India are holding Somali individuals accused of piracy, who were captured while operating in the waters of other countries.

The president's remarks come at a time when piracy attacks off the coast of Somalia have resurfaced, raising concerns for commercial vessels and maritime security in the region.