Somalia’s Minister of Fisheries and Maritime Resources Abdullahi Bidhan Warsame recently met with Chinese Ambassador Qin Jian to discuss deepening the two countries’ fisheries connections.
Warsame said he would be interested receiving Chinese fisheries training and investments in infrastructure such as cold-chain, fish ports, processing facilities, and preparing products for export in exchange for allowing China greater access to its fisheries.
He described Somalia’s fishery resources are “abundant” and “full of great potential,” according to a transcript of the conversation from the Chinese foreign ministry. Qin, in turn, said China wanted to help Somalia “independently develop” its resources and to “rebuild in peace.”
Facing the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden, Somalia has been wracked by decades of conflict and instability. Both USAID and European Union donors have sought to stimulate the Somali fishery sector as a source of economic growth and food security for the country. But Somali fishermen have claimed that they’re being overwhelmed by large foreign vessels fishing illegally in the country’s exclusive economic zone.
Source: Sea Food Source