Officials Participate Ground Breaking Ceremony For Berbera Corridor

Hargeisa, February 28, 2019 (Somaliland.com) – A groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of road linking Ethiopia with Somaliland (Berbera Corridor) took place today, in suburbs of Hargeisa.

Ethiopian delegation led by Mustafa Muhumed Omer (Cagjar), President of Somali regional state, attended the event.

It is to be recalled that Ethiopia, Somaliland and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) signed an agreement a year ago to jointly develop the port of Berbera.

The agreement created a new company that manages Berbera Port; the ownership shares of the company has been allocated with DP World taking 51% ownership of the company, Somaliland will own 30% of the shares, and Ethiopia will own 19% of the shares.

The agreement calls for infrastructure investment of $442 million dollars to upgrade the existing Berbera Port and to build a new adjacent Container Port.

The President of Somaliland Muse Bihi Abdi stressed the importance of economic integration between Somaliland and Ethiopia.

“Somaliland is ready to serve “Ethiopia” one of the fastest growing countries in the world with forecast GDP growth of 8.2 per cent in 2018. “Said Somaliland President H.E. Muse Bihi

Development of the Berbera corridor is expected to address some of the region’s most pressing employment and investment issues.

“We promote the Economic Integration between Somaliland and Somali region of Ethiopia because the Somaliland’s largest market is The Somali Regional State of Ethiopia” said President Mustafe Cagjar

It includes millions of dollars more to build a new road from Berbera to the Ethiopian border town of Wajale.

The expanded Berbera port and the new road will provide Ethiopian government and Ethiopian business community to have increased capacity to import and export goods to support continues growth of the Ethiopian economy.

In a related development, Somaliland President Muse Bihi Abdi held talks with President of Somali regional state, Mustafa Muhumed Omar, at the presidential palace.

The discussion of the two leaders focused on the relations between the regions in Somalia and Ethiopia and the strengthening of the security of the region.

After the meeting, President Mustafa lauded the improving relations between the regions.

“Somaliland and Somali regional state in Ethiopia have a long border which can be productive when used responsibly on both sides. The meeting between I and the president of Somaliland has focused on mutual interests and security of issues; we agreed to work hand in hand to avert the challenges affecting states,” he said.

He noted that he discussed with Somaliland leader on enhancing the trade relations between the two regions.

“I’m happy that we also agreed to work jointly in improving the trade between the regions and work on means to ease heavy taxes on goods from both sides,” the leader stated.

On his part Somaliland leader Muse, Bihi Abdi has appreciated the efforts of President Mustafa to strengthen to relations between the two regions.

He said the sides will collaborate on the security and development issues.

“We will find ways to improve trade and beef up the security of these two regions so that people from both sides can benefit from the progress of our efforts,” he said

Somaliland.com Hargeisa, Somaliland