As Somaliland terms the claim not only a transgression of Sovereignty but absurd as well
By: Yusuf M Hasan
Somalilandsun – The authority to contract foreign firms for development of Berbera port is solely that of the Federal Government of Somalia-SFG.
This was stated by the SFG minister of Ports and Marine transport Nuur Farah Hirsi at his offices in Mogadishu where he also warned the administration of President Silanyo to tread carefully.
“I urge president Silanyo to tread carefully and desist from ongoing campaigns by his administration of soliciting foreign investors for Berbera port development” Said the SFG official.
Adding that foreign contracting was the sole responsibility of the Somalia Federal government in Mogadishu the ports minister informed Hargeisa that its authority as pertains to the Berbera is confined to revenue collection only.
“The SFG has allowed you, Hargeisa, to collect and utilize any revenue accrued from Berbera port only and you should not surpass this authority”
Warning that the persistence of Somaliland administration in this matter might result in legal proceedings, the Minister said that the federal government shall not allow any region to enter contracts with foreign firms for Somalia national assets of which the port of Berbera ranks top.
In Hargeisa the Somaliland capital a perturbed administration responded to the statement and subsequent warnings spewed in Mogadishu through its minister of Information and National Guidance Abdilahi Ukuse.
While terming the SFG utterances as cries of a confused child minister Ukuse said the SFG minister official is very well versed in what Somaliland is considering he is a failed contender for political leadership through his Gurmad political group, thence a traitor to his fatherland.
The Mogadishu based Nuur Farah Hirsi is a native Somaliland who joined the SFG two ago after his Gurmad political group failed and miserably to pass muster prior to the Somaliland local governments elections in 2012.
A number of prominent international firms have shown an interest in the development of Berbera port as revealed by president Silanyo during his annual state of the nation address in Hargeisa.
Revealing to the nation that his administration has been in consultation with firms interested in Berbera port development president Silanyo informed that the contract shall be awarded to one of four firms namely Bollore (France), DP World (UAE), Prime Africa (KSA) or Kuwaiti Logistics (Kuwait).
Somaliland though yet unrecognized internationally as a sovereign nation pulled out of its 1960 voluntary later turned fateful union with Somalia in 1992.
Watch the SFG claim and SL rejoinder
