SOMALIA "COULD HAVE COAST GUARD PATROLS BY END OF MONTH"

By David Hughes
Published: Thu, 9 July 2009

Somalia's deputy prime minister has said that the strife-torn country could have its first coast guard patrols from the end of July, if there is sufficient support from the international community. Abdulrahim Adan Ibrahim said that with financial support there could be patrols along the whole coast, and that hundreds of volunteers were already in training. However, the interim government's authority beyond Mogadishu is questionable and it is unknown whether the governments of semi-autonomous Puntland or Somaliland support the measure.