MOGADISHU (Halbeeg News) – Authorities in Saudi Arabia have turned away a ship carrying thousands of livestock exported from Somalia, officials and traders confirmed.
Last month, the Somali government announced that Saudi Arabia lifted the ban on Somali livestock imports.
Speaking to the media, Puntland Minister for livestock, Abdullahi Sheikh Ahmed said Saudi Arabia sent back a vessel carrying 30,000 livestock departed Somalia.
“Saudi authorities turned away a ship loaded with about 30,000 livestock. They rejected the ship to dock at their ports,” Mr. Ahmed said, “The vessel now returned to Bassaso port.”
Mr. Ahmed pointed out that they are investigating the cause of the rejection.
“Saudi authorities have not yet disclosed the reason behind the decision to reject the livestock from Somalia but our office is conducting an investigation into the case,” he affirmed.
Some of the livestock traders who spoke to Halbeeg News confirmed the move saying the ship which sailed last week from Bassaso port returned to Somalia after it failed to secure a permit from Saudi authorities.
Naive Somali government’s support
The move comes ahead of this year’s Hajj (the pilgrimage to Mecca just days from now).
This week, the Somali government supported Saudi Arabia’s move to freeze its trade ties with Canada, a move criticized by several politicians arguing that Saudi deports Somalis while on the other end Canada is hosting Somalis.
Since 2010, Saudi Arabia deported over 10,000 Somalis who fled to their country during the civil war.
In a 2010 report by Human Rights Watch, Saudi Arabia was accused of arresting and deporting Somalis who sought refuge from the United Kingdom and Saudi.
The report said Saudi deported over 2000 Somalis in less than two months.
“Deporting anyone to a war zone like Mogadishu is inhumane, but returning children is beyond comprehension,” said Rona Peligal, Africa director at Human Rights Watch in the report title ‘Stop Deporting Somalis To Mogadishu‘
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