FAO Hands Over Modern Boats to Puntland Administration

Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has handed 12 fishery boats over to Somali’s Ministry of Fisheries and Resources Puntland. Through these boats, the UN agency hopes to help the country to give the fisheries cooperatives around the Puntland Coast a new lease of life.

John Purvis, FAO Somali manager of the CCAP project spoke during the event where Puntland Fisheries Ministry received the boats.

“These boats are another support from the EU-funded CCAP project that works to develop the fisheries sector that links gold prospects along the Somali Coast, as well as providing valuable employment opportunities to the coastal youth with valuable fishing nets, ” said, John Purvis.

John Purvis said, “The boats are further evidence of the determination to see the EU-funded CCAP project attain its goals. We will not stop supporting the project. Our goal is to develop the fisheries sector and help to link gold prospects along Somali’s Coast. While at it, we will also endeavor to provide valuable employment and entrepreneurship opportunities to the youth in this part of the country by giving them fishing nets.”

Abdiqani Geelle Mohamed, the Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources, highlighted his administration’s commitment in ensuring that young people will use these boats in income-generating activities. He also took this opportunity to express his gratitude and that of the government to FAO and the European Union. The Minister reiterated the government’s continued support towards all efforts aimed at developing Puntland fisheries.