Somalia: Dutch Minister Visits Puntland, Meets State Leaders

Mogadishu Khamiis 7 June 2012 SMC

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Somalia: Dutch Minister Visits Puntland, Meets State Leaders

A delegation led by the Minister for International Cooperation and European Affairs of the Kingdom of the Netherlands H.E. Ben Knapen visited Puntland State of Somalia on Wednesday and had a separate meeting later that day with Puntland President H.E. Abdirahman Mohamed Mohamud (Farole), who is currently on visit in Ethiopia.

Minister Knapen’s delegation that visited Garowe, capital of Puntland, included Dutch Ambassador to Kenya H.E. Joost Reintjes and an official from the Dutch Ministry of Defense.

The delegation was warmly received at Garowe Airport by Puntland officials including, Aviation Minister H.E. Ali Ahmed Gamute, State Minister for International Cooperation H.E. Abdulkadir Abdi Hashi, and President’s Chief Cabinet Dr. Jama Warsame.

Minister Knapen visited a number of sites in Garowe, including the Puntland CID compound, where he met with trainers and investigators, an IDP camp to assess the humanitarian situation in Puntland State, and a new prison under construction in Garowe.

Puntland Vice President H.E. Gen. Abdisamad Ali Shire, the Acting President, received Minister Knapen and his delegation at State House in Garowe. Ports Minister H.E. Saeed Mohamed Rage and Environment Minister H.E. Abdigani Yusuf Elmi joined Vice President Shire during the meeting.

After the closed-door meeting, Vice President Shire and Minister Knapen held a joint press conference, where the visiting Dutch Minister for International Cooperation and European Affairs said it was a pleasure to visit Puntland.

Minister Knapen commended the level of stability in Puntland and stated that the Dutch Government supports peace programs in Somalia and the ongoing UN-facilitated political process, while indicating that his visit aims to assess needs on the ground in Puntland State.

Vice President Shire welcomed the Dutch Government delegation to Puntland and underlined that discussions included terrorism and the Al Shabaab infiltration of Golis Mountains across the waterway from Yemen; counterpiracy measures and Puntland Government’s active role to combat piracy; and completion of the Roadmap process by 20 August 2012, when a new
Somali Federal Government is expected to emerge.

Later Wednesday, Minister Knapen had a meeting with President Farole in Addis Ababa where the two leaders discussed key issues related to Somalia.

It is the first visit to Puntland State by a Dutch Government Minister.

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