Seychelles and Somalia discuss regional maritime security |28 November 2017

Regional maritime security and related topics were the subjects of discussion between the Somali Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Yusuf-Garaad Omar and President Danny Faure at State House yesterday.

The Somali minister also called on Vice-President Vincent Meriton.

Discussions between the minister and President Faure centred on a range of issues ranging from relations between Seychelles and Somalia, the ocean that unites us and neighbouring African countries and maritime security and cooperation between the two countries to make sure that the ocean is safe for us as well as for international traders using the ocean, to the case of Somali prisoners who are at the Montagne Posée prison and others who are convicted on piracy and crimes and their transfer so they continue their sentence in Somalia.

Mr Omar’s courtesy call on the president formed part of his official visit to the Seychelles. On Sunday he met the acting Superintendent of Prison Raymond St Ange, and visited the prison facilities where the suspected Somali pirates are being detained.

With regard to Seychelles’ fight against piracy, Mr Omar said our country is carrying out an operation to make sure the sea is safe for everybody.

“We are cooperating with Seychelles by making sure we can control our own territorial waters. We are exchanging information and contingency on maritime security,” he said, adding his country is hoping for a safe sea for everybody.

Speaking on the ground works being done in Somalia with regard to preventing its citizens from going out to sea as pirates, Mr Omar said piracy is decreasing for many reasons.

“One of them is due to the efforts of the regional, international forces and institutions against piracy as well as the Somali government building its capacity better and better, day by the day so as to be in control of our people and of our coasts,” he said.

Earlier Mr Omar went on a guided tour of REFLECS3, RCDC and NISC on Bois de Rose Avenue, three centres responsible for the sharing of information on regional and maritime crimes. He described them as new facilities with huge potential in intelligence information for the whole region.