Idea mooted over a century ago is realized at last
By M.A Egge
HARGEISA (Somalilandsun) – The Minister of Trade and Investments Hon. Eng. Hussein Adam Egge has described the just concluded SL-Ethiopia agreement on the use of SL’s Berbera port as a huge triumph for the country.
He said that it was culmination of continuous talks that went on for almost decade.
The minister gave the sentiments upon the return of the SL delegation which signed the agreement at Debra-Zeyit in Ethiopia over the week led by the Berbera Port CEO Engineer Ali Omar Mohamed Hoorhoor as he received them at Egal International Airport.
The minister said that apart from boosting the country’s economy it would go down well in job creation and lifting up the skills of Somalilanders.
He said that soon more agreement will be made as concerns the commercial bilateral relations between the two countries.
On his part Eng. Ali Hoorhoor said that the agreements would be put into implementation as soon as possible as per its edicts.
He said that it was the epitome of various agreements and talks that has just been concluded as concerns the use of the port.
The SL and Ethiopian governments had signed the agreements on the use of the Berbera port on Friday at Debra-Zeyit in Ethiopia.
In hailing the milestone event the SL ambassador in Ethiopia Aden Muse Jibril said, “It is a historic moment since the idea itself was mooted 110 years ago”.
SL was represented by the Berbera Port CEO Eng. Ali Omar Mohammed alias Ali Hoor-hoor and the neighboring Ethiopian government was represented by the country’s director general in charge of marine affairs Mr. Mekonnen Abera.
“I am happy to sign this agreement which will positively reflect on the bilateral relations between the two countries”, said Eng. Ali Hoorhoor.
He explained that this agreement was a follow-up on an earlier one on the use of the port by Ethiopia and other similar agreements on commercial development relations would soon follow.(See also editorial)
On his part the Ethiopia representative said that what was utmost important was the implementation of the historic agreement for it to help both countries reap maximum benefits from it.
It is expected that the agreement will boost SL’s income since the Ethiopian government has planned to import through the Berbera 15% of its total imports, according to Ethiopian transport minister WorkonehGebeyehu in a February address to parliament in Addis Ababa.
The Ethiopian ESLSE firm which runs one and a half dozen of vessels, two of them oil tankers, is expected to open an office in Berbera.
