Somalia has exported 5,000 herd of cattle to the United Arab Emirates.

A cargo ship with the consignment left the Mogadishu port Wednesday, courtesy of the East Africa Livestock Company.

The company is a regular exporter of livestock from Somalia to the Gulf countries.

The Somali minister for Livestock, Range and Forestry, Mr Sa’eed Hussein Iid, witnessed the departure of the livestock.

Mr Iid urged the Somali business community to strengthen the exportation of livestock.

“It is the first time we are witnessing the export of such a huge number of animals,” said Mr Iid.

“We appreciate that large vessels with adequate facilities and the capacities to carry thousands of animals have been brought to our ports,” he added.

He reiterated that his ministry would ensure that animal health was guaranteed to meet the export standards.

Ports and Marine Transport minister, Nur Farah also, witnessed the occasion and stated that the livestock export was on the rise.

“We envisage more livestock export from the port of Mogadishu,” said Mr Farah.

According to a FAO report in April, Somalia in 2014 exported a record 5 million livestock to the Gulf of Arabia, thanks to heavy investments in animal disease prevention, backed by the European Union and the UK.

“Livestock is the mainstay of the Somali economy, contributing 40 per cent to the country's Gross Domestic Product,” the report added.

-AFRICA REVIEW