The government of Somaliland has announced plans to establish a national park for preserving the country’s wildlife.
According to Abdinasir Ahmed Hirsi, Director General at the Ministry of Environment and Rural Development, the national park would be set up at Geed-Deeble.
Director General Hirsi made the announcement while visiting the forested park of Geed-Deeble, which is to the north of Hargeisa.
Hirsi said that the move is timely considering that several of the country’s wildlife facing extinction from poachers and smugglers.
Somaliland’s government is receiving technical assistance from Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) and Africa Park Network (APN) to convert the forested space into a national park.
During his tour, Director General Hirsi was accompanied by several representatives from CCF.
Stuart Brown, the Head of the United Kingdom Mission to Somaliland, also joined him to tour the forest park.