Somalia’s president to join Dubai fight against pirates

DUBAI — Somalia’s president Sharif Sheikh Ahmed will attend the global anti-piracy conference that begins here tomorrow to affirm his country’s commitment to fight the menace.

Mr Ahmed will also seek to shore up support and funding for development initiatives to root out piracy.

He will be among foreign ministers, senior government officials from more than 50 countries and heads of maritime industries at the two-day convention, which ends on Thursday.

Titled “A Regional Response to Maritime Piracy: Enhancing Public-Private Partnerships and Strengthening Global Engagement”, the conference was organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the port operator DP World. It will take place at the Madinat Jumeirah.

“The president is here to show the world that the country wants piracy to be eradicated once and for all,” said Hussein Mahamed, the charge d’affairs of the Somalia embassy in the UAE.

“We also want to thank the UAE government for the initiative it has taken.”

The National