Strengthening the UK's relationship with the Puntland State of Somalia
Minister for Africa Henry Bellingham, and Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for International Development Stephen O’Brien met the President of the Puntland State of Somalia on 17 October.
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This is the President’s first visit to the UK in an official capacity. Speaking after their meeting, Minister for Africa Henry Bellingham said:
“We are pleased to welcome President Farole to London. The UK is developing a useful dialogue with the PuntlandState of Somalia on matters of mutual interest, such as piracy.
“We particularly welcome Puntland’s agreement with the Government of Seychelles to allow post-trial transfer of sentenced pirates to Puntland. Puntland is making efforts to strengthen its democracy, and we applaud the recent appointment of an Electoral Commissioner.”
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for International Development Stephen O’Brien added:
“We also discussed UK development assistance, which is focussed on healthcare, governance and job creation. We look forward to continuing our development partnership with Puntland.”