Bosaso, Somalia – Puntland has officially launched last night its annual Hajj season livestock exports, with 80,000 goats shipped from the Port of Bosaso to Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Yemen. The shipment was transported aboard two cargo ships and five smaller vessels.

The livestock export ceremony was attended by several Puntland ministers, including Minister of Finance Mohamed Farah, Minister of Ports and Maritime Transport Shakir Mohamed, and Minister of Commerce and Industry Ahmed Shire.

Minister Mohamed Farah emphasized the significance of livestock to Puntland’s economy and urged increased investment in animal husbandry, noting that livestock remains a vital economic lifeline for the region.

“Livestock is our present-day petroleum. I call on the Somali people, especially Puntlanders, to invest more in breeding, fattening, and increasing the quality and quantity of our livestock,” he stated.

Export traders welcomed the improved facilities at the expanded Bosaso Port, calling it a major opportunity to scale up their export activities.

The exports come just ten days before the peak of the Hajj pilgrimage season, during which Somalia is traditionally a key supplier of livestock to the Middle Eastern market.