Somali government to ban charcoal export

Somali business men have been exporting large amounts of charcoal since the fall of the Somali government in 1991 with total disregard to the environmental problems it causes.

In a communiqué the government said on Tuesday that exporting charcoal amounts to a” national crime”.

‘We will inform the countries who import Somali charcoal that this trade is illegal ‘said the statement.

The United Arab Emirates is the main destination of the Somali charcoal.

In an interview with the government run Radio Mogadishu Somali Prime Minister Mohamed Abdulahi Mohamed called businessmen involved in this trade to look for other proper ways of making money.

“Exporting charcoal creates many problems including deforestation and we can not accept our people to live in a desert” he added.

The amount of the exported charcoal is unknown and government ministers have not been immediately available for more details.

Efforts by successive Somali administrations to curb exporting charcoal have not been successful and only will time will tell if this latest initiative will be different.

BY: Abdulaziz Mohamed Dirie-keydmedia-correspondent