Sri Lanka, Somalia discuss cooperation over tanker seizure in Puntland Waters
COLOMBO – Sri Lanka’s Ambassador-designate to Ethiopia, Nirmala Paranavitana, held discussions with Somalia’s Ambassador to Ethiopia, Abdullahi Mohamed Warfa, on bilateral cooperation and ongoing consular coordination following the capture of the oil tanker HONOUR 25 in the Puntland maritime region last month.
The meeting, held in Addis Ababa, focused on efforts to address issues arising from the April 21 maritime incident involving a Sri Lankan national connected to the seized vessel, the Sri Lankan Embassy said in a statement.
Both sides noted that the incident had occurred in a complex maritime environment and that information relating to the current status of the vessel and its personnel was still being verified.
The Sri Lankan side expressed appreciation for the cooperation extended by Somali authorities and sought continued assistance in engaging relevant institutions to support efforts aimed at ensuring a safe and timely resolution to the matter.
The Somali delegation reaffirmed its readiness to assist and facilitate coordination with relevant national and regional authorities.
The discussions also covered the need for stronger coordination mechanisms between maritime and security institutions of the two countries, including the possibility of future high-level technical engagements to improve communication and cooperation on maritime-related issues.
Somalia further expressed willingness to facilitate structured communication among relevant stakeholders to support timely and effective coordination, the statement said.
The meeting concluded with both sides reaffirming their commitment to continued cooperation on maritime matters and to strengthening bilateral relations through diplomatic channels.
-ENCL
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