HARGEISA — Stretching across approximately 850 kilometres, Somaliland’s coastline is both a vast natural resource and a strategic maritime frontier. Its waters contain rich fishing grounds, significant tourism potential and access to one of the world’s most important maritime corridors linking the Gulf of Aden, Bab el-Mandeb and the Red Sea.
At the centre of efforts to protect this maritime domain is the Somaliland Coast Guard (SLCG), established in 1995 and tasked with safeguarding the country’s coastline and territorial waters.
In this interview, Somaliland Coast Guard Commander Admiral Ahmed Hurre Hariye discusses the force’s mission, its responsibilities and the range of maritime security challenges facing Somaliland.
The Horn Tribune: What is the primary role of the Somaliland Coast Guard?
Admiral Ahmed Hurre Hariye: The primary role of the Somaliland Coast Guard is to ensure the security and safety of Somaliland’s coastline and territorial waters.
Our responsibility extends across a large maritime area with significant economic, environmental and strategic importance. We work to protect the coastline, safeguard maritime activities and contribute to the lawful governance of Somaliland’s waters.
The Horn Tribune: Somaliland has a coastline of about 850 kilometres. What makes this coastline strategically important?
Admiral Ahmed Hurre Hariye: Somaliland has a long coastline with considerable potential. It has rich fishing stocks, significant tourism opportunities and strategically important locations.
The coastline also lies near one of the world’s most important shipping channels, connecting the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea through Bab el-Mandeb. This gives Somaliland’s maritime domain importance not only for the country itself but also for wider maritime activity.
The Horn Tribune: What are the main responsibilities of the Somaliland Coast Guard?
Admiral Ahmed Hurre Hariye: The Coast Guard has a broad range of responsibilities.
These include surveillance and patrolling on land and at sea, search and rescue operations, protection of critical national infrastructure, coordination with international and domestic organisations, protection of the maritime environment, community relations, maritime customs and border control, and maintaining maritime domain awareness.
These responsibilities require the Coast Guard to remain active and responsive across Somaliland’s maritime domain.
The Horn Tribune: What does maritime domain awareness mean for the Coast Guard?
Admiral Ahmed Hurre Hariye: Maritime domain awareness is essential to understanding what is happening within Somaliland’s waters.
Effective surveillance and awareness enable the Coast Guard to identify activities, respond to potential threats and support the security of the maritime environment. It is an important part of ensuring that Somaliland’s waters remain safe, secure and lawfully governed.
The Horn Tribune: What are some of the major maritime security challenges Somaliland faces?
Admiral Ahmed Hurre Hariye: Somaliland faces a range of maritime security challenges.
These include illegal fishing, weapons smuggling, human trafficking, wildlife trafficking, drug trafficking and irregular migration. There are also concerns related to terrorist organisations, piracy groups and the dumping of toxic waste.
These challenges demonstrate why maritime security requires continuous surveillance, coordination and cooperation.
The Horn Tribune: How does the Coast Guard address illegal fishing?
Admiral Ahmed Hurre Hariye: Fighting illegal fishing is one of the important responsibilities of the Coast Guard.
Somaliland’s waters contain valuable fishing resources, and protecting these resources is important for the country’s economy and coastal communities. Surveillance and patrolling help us identify and respond to unlawful maritime activities.
The Horn Tribune: Beyond security, does the Coast Guard have a role in protecting coastal communities?
Admiral Ahmed Hurre Hariye: Yes. Community relations are an important part of the Coast Guard’s responsibilities.
The people living along the coastline are closely connected to the sea through fishing and other maritime activities. Protecting their safety and supporting lawful maritime activity are therefore important elements of our work.
Search and rescue operations are also a critical responsibility. The Coast Guard must be prepared to respond when people at sea require assistance.
The Horn Tribune: How important is cooperation with other organisations?
Admiral Ahmed Hurre Hariye: Coordination with international and domestic organisations is an important part of maritime security.
The challenges facing the maritime domain can cross borders and cannot always be addressed by one institution alone. Cooperation helps strengthen surveillance, information-sharing, response capabilities and the protection of Somaliland’s maritime interests.
The Horn Tribune: What is the mission of the Somaliland Coast Guard?
Admiral Ahmed Hurre Hariye: The mission of the Somaliland Coast Guard is to keep Somaliland’s waters safe, secure and lawfully governed.
This means protecting the maritime domain, supporting lawful activities at sea, responding to threats and helping ensure that Somaliland’s coastal waters remain secure for communities and maritime users.
The Horn Tribune: And what is the Coast Guard’s long-term vision?
Admiral Ahmed Hurre Hariye: Our vision is to build a professional, capable and sustainable maritime force able to protect Somaliland’s maritime domain and serve the wider maritime community.
That vision reflects the importance of developing a Coast Guard that is professional, capable and sustainable, while remaining focused on the security and safety of Somaliland’s waters.
The Horn Tribune: Finally, what message would you give about the importance of Somaliland’s maritime security?
Admiral Ahmed Hurre Hariye: Somaliland’s coastline is a major national asset. Its length, resources and strategic location give it significant importance.
Protecting this maritime domain requires vigilance, professionalism, cooperation and a clear commitment to safety and security. The Somaliland Coast Guard remains focused on fulfilling its responsibilities and protecting Somaliland’s waters for its people and for lawful maritime activity.