The Foreign Minister, Hon. Sa’ad Ali Shire, today announced that the expansion of Berbera port will commence in October this year. The FM spoke about the construction of Berbera Corridor and said that a firm which is in charge of gathering data is about to finalize its work. He revealed that once this is done then it will start designing as far as the road linking Somaliland to Ethiopia is concerned. The foreign minister has also talked about the the building of UAE military facility in the port of Berbera is going on as planned and further said that it will take time. Dr. Sa’ad, SL FM also reacted to the changes to heads of missions that president Bihi made just a couple of days ago. He stated that it is a norm in the world that country representatives are recalled and switched to another country.
The minister was asked of the change of Somaliland representative to the UAE may affect the flouring bilateral ties between UAE and Somaliland. He responded that it won’t have a negative impact as the ties are established by countries not by individuals. He said that the re nationalization of Berbera Oil Terminal brought a sigh of relief to the public at large. The FM asserted that the president is the one who is in charge of making decisions that he thinks is in the interest of the nation. The FM said that the political reforms in Ethiopia and Eritrea won’t change the ties between Ethiopia and Somaliland.Mr. Sa’ad further told that it depends the kind of change that has taken place in the region and called that the political reforms should benefit to changes on the ways nations cooperate in terms of trade and security. He retaliated that Somaliland which is not internationally recognized is a de facto nation but the world knows that. He announced that ties with the world is also in the right direction. The FM minister also talked about the renegade Colonel Aare who sought base in Puntland which is number foe to Somaliland. He said that to seek your grievances through the barrel of gun is not a viable solution and urged that he must raise his concerns by peaceful means.
