​Somalia: Somaliland, U.A.E. ink deal to implement development projects

HARGAISA, Somaliland- The separatist northwestern region of Somaliland was reported has signed a deal with United Arab Emirates (U.A.E) on Sunday to implement infrastructure projects in the region, Garowe Online reports.

The deal included building the road connecting Barbara port city to neighboring Ethiopia and building an international Airport in Berbera. The deal was co-signed between Somaliland officials led by Foreign Minister Sa’ad Ali Shire and UAE officials in Dubai.

Subsequently, Somaliland administration released a press statement lauding the signature of the deal.

“The Somaliland administration and U.A.E co-signed a historical agreement to implement development projects in Somaliland by U.A.E,” read the statement. “The projects include Berbera Corridor which will connect Berbera city to Ethiopia and construction of a new Airport in Berbera, the capital of Sahil region.”

The deal comes following the agreement between Somaliland and Dubai-based DP World to re-modernize and manage Barbara Port for 25 years.

The agreement considered as the biggest development projects that Somaliland received so far that will help to create huge employment opportunities in the region.

U.A.E’s role in implementing various development projects in Somalia is widely hailed by the public, in contrast to Turkey that focused Mogadishu for its projects, which favoring people connected to Muslim Brotherhood organization to implement the projects.

Somaliland is a former British protectorate and declared its own independence from the rest of Somalia in 1991, however, it has not been recognized by any country in the world to date.

GAROWEONLINE