Somaliland cabinet this week ratified legal international policies that govern Fauna and Flora during the weekly cabinet meeting chaired by the President.
The Minister of Environment and Rural development, Hon. Shukri Haji Ismail Bandare speaking to reporters said she welcomed the decision by the cabinet to ratify legal international policies that govern dealing with the Conservation of Fauna (Wildlife) and Flora (Plants) in Somaliland.
Somaliland MPs had previously passed the law to protect the wildlife, forests and grazing lands, which makes cutting down trees a criminal offense subject to a fine of $300 and three months in jail. The bill was approved in May 2017 by the former president of Somaliland Ahmed Mohamed Silanyo.
The Somaliland Forestry and Wildlife Conservation Law – No. 69/2015 (As Gazetted 06/02/2016) has come into force on it signature by President on its publication in the Official Gazette on 02 February 2016. The Law is the first comprehensive law on this subject that has been passed in Somaliland since 1991 and replaces the dated 1969 Law in so far as the provisions of the that Law are inconsistent with the new Law – an imprecise repealing wording which is commonly used in Somaliland legislation.
Somaliland’s International Commitments to date:
According to UNEPA, the Somali Republic has signed a number of important international conventions relating to natural resource use and management, including:
- Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES);
- Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals;
- Regional Convention for the Conservation of the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden Environment;
- Protocol concerning Regional Co-operation in Combating Pollution by Oil and other Harmful Substance in Cases of Emergency;
- UN Convention on the Law of the Sea;
- Protocol concerning Protected Areas and Wild Fauna and Flora in the Eastern Africa region;
- Protocol concerning Co-operation on Combating Marine Pollution in cases of Emergency in the Eastern African region; and
- Convention for the protection, Management and Development of the Marine and Coastal Environment of the Eastern Africa Region (Nairobi Convention).
The Republic of Somaliland had signed the polices has now officially ratified the following international and regional agreements these:
- Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapon Tests in the Atmosphere, in Outer Space and Under Water;
- Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space including the Moon and other Celestial Bodies;
- African Convention on the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources;
- Bamako Convention on the Ban of the Import into Africa and the Control of Transboundary Movement and Management of Hazardous Wastes within Africa; and
- Treaty Establishing the African Economic Community.
By Goth M Goth
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