Officials responsible for fisheries affairs in four Somali federal member states have announced their withdrawal from the ongoing process to develop the National Fisheries Stock Assessment Strategy (NFSAS), citing concerns over what they described as a lack of adequate consultation and participation by the Federal Government of Somalia.
The decision was made public through a joint statement issued by fisheries authorities from Hirshabelle, South West, Jubaland, and Galmudug. The officials stressed that their withdrawal should not be interpreted as opposition to the fisheries strategy itself, but rather as a response to the way the process has been managed and implemented.
According to the statement, the four federal member states continue to support efforts aimed at improving the governance, management, and sustainability of Somalia’s fisheries sector. They said they remain committed to the development of the National Fisheries Stock Assessment Strategy and recognise its importance in guiding the future management of the country’s marine resources.
However, the officials argued that the process used to draft and prepare the strategy did not provide sufficient opportunities for participation by federal member states and other stakeholders who are expected to play a key role in implementing the policy once it is finalised.
The statement was signed by Hirshabelle Director General of Fisheries Amin Muktar Ahmed, South West Director General of Fisheries Salmo Mahmoud Ali, Jubaland Director General of Fisheries Mahmoud Abdi Ahmed, and Galmudug Director General of Fisheries Hassan Abdullahi Omar.
The fisheries directors-general stated that federal member states are central actors in the management, oversight, and development of Somalia’s fisheries resources, yet they were not adequately involved in discussions surrounding the preparation of the strategy.
They said broader consultation and engagement were necessary to ensure that the final document reflects the views and concerns of all parties responsible for managing the sector.
According to the statement, concerns were raised during a validation meeting convened to review and discuss the strategy document.
During the meeting, representatives from the four federal member states requested that the session be postponed to allow additional consultations and to include agenda items that reflected recommendations submitted by the federal member states.
The officials said the request was intended to create more space for dialogue and consensus-building before the strategy moved forward. However, according to the statement, the proposal was declined, and the meeting proceeded as scheduled without accommodating the requested changes.
Following the rejection of their request, the representatives decided to withdraw from the process.
“Therefore, we would like to clarify that our withdrawal from the meeting is not a rejection of the strategy itself, but rather concerns about the process and level of consultation that went into its preparation and rapid implementation,” the statement said.
The officials warned that advancing the strategy without meaningful participation from federal member states could affect the future management and allocation of Somalia’s fisheries resources. They argued that decisions concerning fisheries governance require cooperation among all levels of government because implementation responsibilities are shared across the federal system.
Despite suspending their participation in the current process, the fisheries authorities said they remain open to dialogue and cooperation with the Federal Government. They called for the establishment of a collaborative framework that would bring together federal institutions, federal member states, and other stakeholders to jointly develop a strategy based on wider consultation and consensus.
The dispute highlights continuing challenges within Somalia’s federal system, where disagreements have often emerged between the Federal Government and federal member states over decision-making authority, resource management, and stakeholder participation in national policy processes.
Questions surrounding the management of natural resources have frequently been a source of debate between different levels of government. The disagreement over the National Fisheries Stock Assessment Strategy represents the latest example of broader tensions regarding how major national initiatives are designed, discussed, and implemented across Somalia.
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