When Somalia gained independence in 1960, it inherited a coastline stretching more than 3,300 kilometres, the longest on the African continent. What it did not inherit was a comprehensive legal framework for managing it. In the six decades that followed, the country acceded to just three of the core international conventions that govern global maritime trade, safety, and environmental protection.
On Thursday, the Ministry of Ports and Marine Transport announced that Somalia had acceded to 15 international maritime conventions and legal instruments in a single decision, the largest expansion of the country’s maritime legal framework since independence. The announcement was made on Somalia’s 66th Independence Day.
Minister of Ports and Marine Transport Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur said the gap left by limited treaty participation had left Somalia’s waters vulnerable, its marine environment unprotected, and its seafarers without the rights they deserve. “With this historic accession, we are changing that narrative,” the Minister said, adding that Somalia is now signalling to the world that it is open for business, ready for investment, and fully committed to international maritime norms.
