The autonomous region of Puntland has issued a definitive rejection of any federal government fisheries licensing agreements, including those involving foreign entities, asserting its exclusive authority over its territorial waters and land. In a strongly worded statement released on Sunday, Puntland declared that no foreign company, whether public or private, and specifically naming SOMTURK, can engage in fishing investments, coast guard operations, or any other activities within Puntland’s jurisdiction without explicit prior approval from regional authorities.
This decisive stance is rooted in the constitutional frameworks of both the Federal Republic of Somalia and Puntland itself. Puntland’s administration contends that federal government institutions lack the legal mandate to issue licenses or enter into investment agreements pertaining to Puntland’s maritime and terrestrial resources. The statement underscores that while Somalia operates under a federal system, the finalisation of its federal structure and the delineation of powers remain ongoing.
Puntland’s position is further buttressed by the principle of cooperation and consultation mandated by Somalia’s Provisional Federal Constitution for matters concerning national resources. Crucially, Puntland’s own constitution vests the ownership and management of regional resources in the people of Puntland, granting the regional administration the sole responsibility for their governance and utilisation. Consequently, Puntland affirms its intention to continue exercising these constitutionally granted powers until the federal system is fully established and its parameters clearly defined.
The regional government issued a stern warning, indicating that any entity operating within Puntland’s waters or territory without the requisite permission from Puntland institutions will be subject to thorough investigation and stringent legal action. This declaration arrives amidst heightened scrutiny of Somalia’s fisheries cooperation agreements with Türkiye. One such agreement designates SOMTURK, a company established through bilateral cooperation, with the responsibility of managing fisheries licensing processes within Somalia’s exclusive economic zone, including the issuance of fishing permits in Somali territorial waters. Somalia and Türkiye have cultivated robust diplomatic, economic, and military ties since 2011, with Türkiye emerging as a significant international partner supporting various development, humanitarian, security, and infrastructure initiatives in Somalia.
... Puntland Rejects Federal Fisheries Deal, Asserting Sovereign Control Over Maritime Resources ... Naijaonpoint.