Somalian president approves Coastline oil exploration agreement WORLDOIL.COM Coastline Exploration Limited confirmed it has received final authorization for it to proceed with its exploration program from the competent authorities within the Federal Government of Somalia

Can someone tell us what is Garacad's business case? Before Al-Bayrak took over Mogadishu Port, Central Somalia was dominated by Bosaso Port. However, in the last 8 years, Central Somalia and South Somalia have become within the sphere of influence of Mogadishu Port. In my opinion, Garacad Port will fast track the demise of Bosaso Port, as it will eat into the meagre business that it still has - which is mainly reer Puntland businesses who transship via Salalah Port.

Not too sure about the second phase but the first phase of Garacad Port is almost the same size as Bosaso Port both in terms of depth and quay length. Berbera Port before DP World investment was a first generation port facility. The same goes for Mogadishu Port, Kismayo etc. Both Doooraale and new Berbera Container Terminal are what industry call, 3rd generation ports. 4th Generation ports are Jebel Ali, Rotterdam and Singapore which have semi-automation. Berbera Port will soon be joining 4th Generation ports with the newly upgraded semi-automation facility which will be opening soon. The zebra-crossing look-alike section is where containers from regional-feeders will be handled by automated robots - almost next-to-zero human involvement. Only when the STS crane is loading off or on to ship a human will be involved.

An advisor to Puntland leader says that Puntland has neither the wherewithal nor the power to defend Badhan/Dhahar from Somaliland takeover.

Changes are coming to East Sanaag very soon. Somaliland ministerial delegation arrive in Badhan. Somaliland National Army delegation pays visit to allied local clan melitia in Dhahar. https://www.facebook.com/watch/?ref=external&v=2655150901282807

My point about this topic is that, some folks here actually think that Khat is a Somaliland problem. Like @galbeeditried to argue in another thread. My argument is that, Khat is a Somali Problem whether they are in the diaspora, in the Horn of Africa. The amount of dollars the Meru farmers earn is no less than the amount of dollars the Oromos get from Somaliland. Full stop.

You felt for Farmaajo's "bait-and-switch", replacing Merru with Oromo's Hararaghe. There was no penny saved. In fact, establishing new flight routes, new market is more expensive than the already established and well calibrated market that existed between Kenya and South Somalia.

Very hard to trace the Big fish. They have clout and power, as this includes current/former MPs, Ministers and also Army/Police and Intelligence. Also includes former Presidents and their sons/associates etc. It is a huge web.

Institute for Security Studies, based in Nairobi, also wrote the following research artcle: Regulating khat could disrupt East Africa’s illegal drug economy - ISS Africa ISSAFRICA.ORG

A farmer in Meru region Kenya, smiling all the way to the bank. "According to the 2019 data from Anti-khat campaign initiatives spearheaded by Abukar Awale, on average, 3,330 large sacs (Some 15 cargo planes) full of fresh khat arrive daily from Kenya are distributed to 11 cities in Somalia by direct flights excluding Somaliland region (which is mainly supplied by Ethiopia). The net benefit to the Kenyan (drug) dealers is $450,000 US dollars per day. Annually, it is $1 642,500,000 billion US dollars in revenue for Kenya. There is minimal tax revenue gained, $85,000, nor are these gains sufficient for reinvestment into the impacted communities. There are also no legislations in place to regulate khat in Somalia for harm reduction purposes. There is a high cost for the society, such as food insecurities, decreased productivity, and poor health outcomes. The money used to buy khat could have circulated within the country, improve the Somali citizens' quality of life, and provide economic stimulus desperately needed. This is just a cost-effective glimpse of khat coming from Kenya. The Ethiopia khat has more severe psychosis and has deeper detrimental health effects due to harmful pesticide use." That's according to Ex-Somalia Minister. Petition · Ban All khat Flights from All Sources to Somalia · Change.org WWW.CHANGE.ORG Updated: August 3rd, 2022 Ban All khat Flights from All Sources to Somalia President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud& Health Minister Dr. Fawziya Abikar Nur Jamhuria Road, Mogadishu – SomaliaP.O. Box...

Its all in the public domain.

US sanctions Al Shabaab financiers and arms traffickers Monday October 17, 2022 Mogadishu( (HOL) - The US government sanctioned a group of Al Shabaab financial facilitators on Monday who acts as the organization's top negotiators with regional businesses in Somalia. According to the US Department of the Treasury, the network of over a dozen men assisted al-Shabaab with financial facilitation, recruitment, and the purchase of weapons. Abdullahi Jeeri (Jeeri), Khalif Adale (Adale), Hassan Afgooye (Afgooye), Abdikarim Hussein Gagaale (Gagaale), Abdi Samad (Samad), and Abdirahman Nurey (Nurey) have been identified as financial intermediaries with close ties to Al Shabaab leadership. Mohamed Hussein Salad (Salad), Ahmed Hasan Ali Sulaiman Mataan (Mataan), and Mohamed Ali Badaas (Badaas) are allegedly part of an al-Shabaab smuggling and weapons trafficking network in Yemen. "Treasury is focused on identifying and disrupting al-Shabaab'sillicit networks operating in Eastern Africa," said Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian E. Nelson. "We will continue to take action against the weapons smuggling and fundraising activities of al-Shabaab and other al-Qa'idaaffiliates." Several of these facilitators have direct contact with other previously sanctioned al-Shabaab officials. "These individuals are being designated pursuant to Executive Order (EO) 13224, as amended, which targets terrorist groups and their supporters. Concurrent with Treasury's designations, the US Department of State designated five al-Shabaab leaders pursuant to EO 13224, as amended, for their leadership roles within al-Shabaab." The executive order is designed to block the property and transactions of persons who are suspected of committing or supporting terrorism. US President George W. Bush first issued it on September 23, 2001, in response to the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, and it has been renewed annually. "As a result of today’s action, all property and interests in property of the individuals named above, and of any entities that are owned, directly or indirectly, 50 percent or more by them, individually, or with other blocked persons, that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons must be blocked and reported to OFAC." Al-Shabab is a militant organization founded in the early 2000s and aims to create an Islamic state in Somalia. Al-Shabaab pledged allegiance to al-Qa'ida in 2009, and in 2012, it was formally recognized as an affiliate. US officials believe the group generates over $100 million annually through various enterprises, including extortion of local people and businesses, collecting fees on goods, and smuggling. The US has increasingly relied on air strikes against suspected fighters to keep al-Shabab from destabilizing the Horn of Africa. This week, the Somalia Ministry of Commerce and Industry warned entrepreneurs who do business with the al-Qaeda-affiliated Al Shabab group. In a letter to traders, the ministry warned, "Any merchant who obeys terrorist instructions and pays them income will never be allowed to do business in Somalia again." This decision was made as part of the government's efforts to weaken al-financial Shabab's capabilities. Here is a brief description provided by the state department about each individual who has been sanctioned: ABDULLAHI JEERI As of late 2021, Abdullahi Jeeri (Jeeri) smuggled weapons for al-Shabaab. Jeeri is al-Shabaab's head of weapons procurement and has acquired weapons for al-Shabaab from both local markets and foreign suppliers, primarily in Yemen. Jeeri has served as an interlocutor between al-Shabaab and local businesses and has collected payments levied by the group. Jeeri is one of the serving members of the terrorist group's leadership body, the Shura Council. He has also commanded a unit of al-Shabaab fighters and has overseen the consolidation of weapons and vehicles from various groups for al-Shabaab. Jeeri is being designated pursuant to EO 13224, as amended, for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, al-Shabaab. KHALIF ADALE As of early 2022, Khalif Adale (Adale) has served as al-Shabaab's finance leader for collecting money from non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and has reported directly to al-Shabaab's emir Ahmed Diriye, who was designated as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) pursuant to E.O.13224 in 2015. Adale was part of al-Shabaab leader Mahad Karate's team within the al-Shabaab organizational structure and maintained communication with Karate. The US Department of State designated Karate as an SDGT on April 10, 2015. As of 2018, Adale had served as an al-Shabaab finance officer whose role included: Brokering business deals between al-Shabaab and legitimate businesses. Handling higher-level payments imposed on businesses. Acting as a clan liaison to settle disputes between clans. Recruiting for al-Shabaab. In late 2017, al-Shabaab senior leaders, including Adale, arranged for approximately 600 fighters to be trained by al-Shabaab and paid for by members of a local clan. Al-Shabaab ultimately recruited up to 600 children between 10 to 15 from local villages for training to support future al-Shabaab operations. Adale is being designated pursuant to EO 13224, as amended, for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, al-Shabaab. HASSAN AFGOOYE Rewards for Justice is offering a reward of up to $5 million for information on Hassan Afgooye (Afgooye), a key leader of al-Shabaab. Afgooye oversees a complex financial network whose activities range from involvement in sham charities and fundraising to racketeering and kidnapping in support of al-Shabaab. Afgooye is considered critical to al-Shabaab's continuing operations. As of early 2021, Afgooye was a senior official in al-Shabaab's Finance Department under Mahad Karate. Afgooye previously served as al-Shabaab's Chief of Finance. He has served in an influential leadership position in al-Shabaab's Finance Department and was involved with al-Shabaab's overseas financial transactions. Afgooye also managed al-Shabaab's financial relationships with local companies, personally conducting negotiations on behalf of al-Shabaab. Afgooye is being designated pursuant to EO 13224, as amended, for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, al-Shabaab. ABDIKARIM HUSSEIN GAGAALE Abdikarim Hussein Gagaale (Gagaale) has served as a deputy within al-Shabaab's Finance Department under Mahad Karate. Gagaale is being designated pursuant to E.O.13224, as amended, for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, al-Shabaab. ABDI SAMAD Abdi Samad (Samad) is an al-Shabaab militant and has been in close contact with the al-Shabaab Senior Leadership Council. In 2010, al-Shabaab provided Samad's university degree funding, including travel and tuition expenses. In 2018, Samad performed surveillance and research on behalf of al-Shabaab. Samad is being designated pursuant to EO 13224, as amended, for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, al-Shabaab. ABDIRAHMAN NUREY Abdirahman Nurey (Nurey) is an interlocutor between al-Shabaab and the local private sector. Nurey has securely stored, transferred, and laundered fiat and digital currency for al-Shabaab. Nurey has gathered financial transfers from al-Shabaab local finance officials to al-Shabaab finance leaders. Nurey has facilitated al-Shabaab's use of meeting space and has assisted in fundraising for al-Shabaab. Nurey is being designated pursuant to EO 13224, as amended, for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, al-Shabaab. AL-SHABAAB WEAPONS TRAFFICKING NETWORK Mohamed Hussein Salad (Salad), Ahmed Hasan Ali Sulaiman Mataan (Mataan), and Mohamed Ali Badaas (Badaas) are part of an al-Shabaab smuggling and weapons trafficking network in Yemen. The network members have served as representatives for terrorists, criminals, and weapons dealers from Somalia, some of whom were go-betweens. As of early 2018, Salad received payment for a shipment of al-Shabaab weapons, including 15 PK machine guns, about 80 AK-47s, and nearly a dozen boxes of grenades, ammunition, and military uniforms used by the Somali security forces. Al-Shabaab intended to use the uniforms to confuse people and facilitate entry into guarded installations. Mataan was the owner of the vessel used for the shipment. Between 2017 and 2020, Mataan owned dhows — sailboats used for regional trade and capable of carrying heavy loads — that took supplies for al-Shabaab militants to Somalia. In 2017, Mataan and al-Shabaab agreed to transport weapons, improvised explosive device (IED) equipment, ammunition and small arms to Somalia. Mataan's dhows were involved in transporting IED components to al-Shabaab that were used to make explosive devices used in the Soobe bomb attacks on October 14, 2017, that claimed close to 400 lives and wounded hundreds. Mataan was a Somali businessman who primarily profited from trafficking weapons and facilitating criminal groups. Mataan operated a fleet of more than half a dozen boats, and a single shipment paid approximately $15,000. In late 2021, al-Shabaab placed an order with Mataan for weapons and IED materials from Yemen. Mataan procured the guns from a Yemeni weapons dealer. In preparation for the shipment, a boat owned by Mataan arrived in Somalia to carry illegal seafood, including fish and lobster, to Yemen. As of early 2022, a dhow owned by Mataan departed Yemen with a shipment of weapons intended for al-Shabaab members in central Somalia. Salad was involved in facilitating the weapons shipment to Somalia. Mataan and Salad were business partners who jointly owned a boat used in a shipment for al­Shabaab. The cargo carried weapons, including AK-47s, shoulder-fired missiles, ammunition, food, and military uniforms typically worn by the Somali military. Salad has also been in contact with at least two companies that engage in illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing. These companies were part of a forced labour fishing operation, and the contact with a prominent arms trafficker may provide a preliminary nexus between IUU fishing and arms trafficking networks. Over the course of five years, Salad received more than $700,000 in remittances from Puntland-based arms importers. Salad is a crucial intermediary in facilitating the transport of arms consignments from Yemeni suppliers to Puntland purchasers. As of late 2018, Salad owned a boat transporting a shipment of weapons, including AK-47s, hand grenades, pistols, ammunition, and materials for making IEDs, for the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant branch in Somalia (ISIS-Somalia). The supplies for this shipment were purchased through Badaas. In mid-2019, Mataan also sold a weapons shipment to ISIS-Somalia. Badaas is an al-Qa'ida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) member and is part of an al-Shabaab smuggling and weapons trafficking network in Yemen. Badaas has facilitated a shipment of ammunition from Yemen for al-Shabaab militants. In 2018, Badaas purchased a weapons consignment for al-Shabaab that included more than 30 anti-vehicle land mines, a dozen rocket-propelled grenades (RPG)-9s, RPG-7s, nearly 50 AK-47s, several PK machine guns, sniper rifles, Makarov pistols, rifle silencers, and rifle scopes. As of 2017, Badaas was one of the most essential AQAP commanders in the Shabwah region of Yemen. Badaas was responsible for monitoring personnel movements, smuggling operations, and managing AQAP members. Since at least 2015, Badaas has been a road guide for AQAP and facilitated travel for AQAP leaders throughout Shabwah, Yemen. Salad, Mataan, and Badaas are being designated pursuant to EO 13224, as amended, for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for goods or services to or in support of al-Shabaab. Concurrent with Treasury's designations, the US Department of State designated the following individuals who hold leadership roles within al-Shabaab: Mohamed Mire, Yasir Jiis, Yusuf Ahmed Hajji Nurow, Mustafa Ato, and Mohamoud Abdi Aden pursuant to EO 13224, as amended.

In 1987 Somalia's dictator, feeling the heat from SNM forces, went to Djibouti and met with Mingistu Haile Mariam, the dictator who ruled Addis Abeba. Mingistu himself was feeling the heat from the combined TPLF/EPLF forces in Eritrea/Tigray regions. The two embattled dictators were forced to negotiate a peace agreement. It included among other things 1. To stop all hostilities between the two sides. 2. Somalia to recognise Somali Region of Ethiopia as part and parcel of Ethiopia. 3. Somalia and Ethiopia to stop supporting each other's opposition armed forces. This agreement was why Ina Cumar Jees ran to the SNM in 1988 and became an opposition to Siyad Barre's regime. Within 3 years, the two dictators were both forced out of power and went to into exile. The agreement reached between the two if anything was their Death Certificate.

Dr. Adna Adan University graduates Doctors, Anaesthetists, Nurses and Health Administration Professionals. Just two weeks ago another contingent of Doctors and Teaching Doctors graduated from Amoud University and University of Hargeisa. It is all part of Vision 2030 - Somaliland goal to sustainable Health care system.

Wishful thinking. The so called International Community has very minimum influence in the goings on inside Somaliland. Unlike South Somalia where they contribute over 70% of the annual Budget, in Somaliland less than 5% are International donations towards Somaliland. We won't even notice if they cut it off. And certainly it is not the first time. Since 1991, there was numerious times times that Somaliland proved the International Community wrong. The first was when Presiden Tuur refused to host US troops in Berbera during the Restore Hope operations. And second was when President Mohamed Ibrahim Egal PnG'ed the UN Secretary Representative during the Artha Somalia Peace Conference - when the rookie UN Rep gave Egal an ultimatum. Egal kicked him out and asked to never return again. These historic strong positions are what our Somaliland leadership build on. That said, however, the 2 year extension is an option if unforseen issues come up - that the Administration has more spare time. As the President Muse Biixi said, they will hold the elections within the 9 months.

An estimated investment pipe-line of over 2 Billion dollars. Berbera Corridor will become a transformative trade and logistics hub. City of Berbera will be legally made into a Charter City - a city that is a State of Its own, legally autonomous from the rest of Somaliland as it moves itself to become an International Hub for Business and Investment.

65% of UN's World Food Program (WFP) for the Horn of Africa is handled by the Berbera Port. Also Berbera Port handles freezer-storage for World Health Organisation (WHO) for the Horn of Africa.

Out of 47 that are currently facing Court proceedings, 44 are from South Somalia. The other 3 are 1. White American Lady and 2 Ethiopians. The Ethiopians have pleaded guilty. While the South Somalian fraudisters are trying to fight on. What they do not know is that, the more they try to fight justice and waste a Court's time and money, the harsher the sentencing will get. ------------------------------------- Thursday October 13, 2022 By JOEY PETERS Three defendants pleaded guilty Thursday to one count each of wire fraud. They agreed to different prison terms that could range from about two years to nearly five years. Exterior shot of the Diana E. Murphy United States Courthouse on May 5, 2022. Credit: Ben Hovland | Sahan Journal Three defendants pleaded guilty Thursday in a massive food-aid fraud investigation, admitting that they inflated or completely lied about the number of meals they served needy children in order to receive federal money. Bekam Merdassa, Hannah Marekegn, and Hadith Yusuf Ahmed pleaded guilty in federal court to one count each of wire fraud. The three, like most defendants in the case, are not in custody and will return to court at a future date to be sentenced. They face prison terms ranging from about two years to nearly five years; the maximum penalty for wire fraud is five years in prison and three years of supervised release. They are the first defendants to plead guilty in the case. A total of 49 defendants were charged in September with embezzling $250 million from federal food-aid programs that distribute money to local organizations to feed underprivileged children. Federal prosecutors said the case is the single biggest fraud committed against the government during the COVID-19 pandemic, and have hinted that more charges are possible. Minnesota U.S. Attorney Andrew Luger and several defense attorneys for other suspects who were not scheduled to appear Thursday attended Bekam’s hearing. Many of the same defense attorneys also attended Hanna’s hearing. Bekam, Hanna, and Hadith were charged on September 20 with wire fraud via “an information” charging document, which occurs when defendants are expected to plead guilty. They worked with or under Feeding Our Future, a sponsor organization that received federal food-aid funds through the state and then distributed that money to smaller organizations that were supposed to feed underprivileged children. The money came from two federal programs used to feed children and adults in daycare and afterschool programs: the Child and Adult Care Program and the Summer Food Service Program. The alleged fraud was simple at its foundation: Some organizations along the money chain reported serving more meals than they actually did in order to receive more federal reimbursement dollars. ‘my client’s life is now being threatened’ Former Feeding Our Future employee Hadith Yusuf Ahmed, right, leaves the federal courthouse in downtown Minneapolis on October 13 with his attorney, Richard Dansoh, left. Hadith pleaded guilty to food-aid fraud. Credit: Joey Peters | Sahan Journal Hadith, 33, answered questions affirmatively from a prosecutor and U.S. District Judge Nancy Brasel. Hadith worked for Feeding Our Future monitoring and supporting food sites enrolled in federal food-aid programs under Feeding Our Future’s sponsorship. He admitted to receiving more than $1 million in kickbacks from those food sites in exchange for enrolling them into federal food-aid programs. Hadith also admitted to starting a shell company called Southwest Metro Youth that received $1.1 million in food-aid money by claiming to feed 2,000 children a day. When Brasel asked Hadith how many children Southwest Metro Youth actually fed, Hadith said he wasn’t sure. “I don’t have the exact number of kids we served, but there was nowhere close to 2,000,” Hadith said. Hadith agreed to a prison term between about four and five years. He also agreed to pay the government more than $1.3 million in restitution. At one point, prosecutor Joe Thompson asked Hadith why he decided to plead guilty. “I want to tell the truth, sir,” Hadith responded. Hadith and his attorney, Richard Dansoh, declined to comment after the hearing. But in an interview Wednesday, Dansoh, a Miami-based attorney, told Sahan Journal that Hadith has faced threats. Dansoh emphasized that he wants to clear up rumors that Hadith gave inside information to the FBI to help their investigation. Rather, federal investigators confronted Hadith with evidence, and Hadith decided to plead, Dansoh said. “It’s not like he left the organization and he went to the feds and started complaining about it,” Dansoh said Wednesday. “We are on the receiving end just like everybody else.” The rumors have been dangerous, Dansoh said. “Frankly, they are creating a hazardous situation where my client’s life is now being threatened,” he said. “They think he is the origin.” Hadith decided to plead because of a paper trail of evidence federal investigators compiled against him, Dansoh said. “It’s only a fool who thinks you can block the sun by closing his eyes,” Dansoh said. “If you decide to live in a fool’s paradise and close your eyes, that’s fine. But if there’s a paper trail, how are you going to refute it?” Defendant: ‘I made a mistake’ Hanna, 40, owner of Brava Cafe, cried in court when prosecutor Joe Thompson asked her why she was pleading guilty. “I made a mistake,” she said, her head hanging low. Hanna Marekgen, right, and her attorney, Andrew Irlbeck, leave the federal courthouse in downtown Minneapolis on October 13 after she pleaded guilty to embezzling $7.1 million from federal food-aid programs. Credit: Joey Peters | Sahan Journal Giving brief answers to yes or no questions, Hanna told the court that Brava Cafe claimed to serve more than two million meals between September 2020 and January 2022, and received $7.1 million in federal food-aid money. She admitted to giving more than $150,000 in kickbacks to Feeding Our Future employees in exchange for them enrolling Brava Cafe into the food-aid programs. She also said Feeding Our Future later asked for more kickbacks and that she refused; Feeding Our Future then stopped sponsoring her restaurant to receive food-aid money. U.S. District Court Nancy Brasel asked Hanna how many meals her restaurant served. Hanna’s attorney, Andrew Irlbeck asked for a minute to speak with his client. Prosecutors have alleged that some defendants never served any of the meals they reported to the federal government. “I have served food, but I don’t know how much,” Hanna then said. Hanna agreed to a prison term between about three years and almost four years. She was ordered to pay $5 million in restitution, and will give up an Edina home she purchased with the food-aid money. She will also pay a fine between $15,000 and $150,000. Hanna and Irlbeck declined to comment after her hearing. Shell company never served a single meal Bekam told the court Thursday that he co-ran Youth Investors Lab, a shell company that used Feeding Our Future as its sponsor. He admitted that Youth Investors Lab never served a single meal, but collected $3 million in federal food-aid money by claiming to have served 1.3 million meals between December 2020 and June 2021. Bekam Addissu Merdassa, right, leaves the federal courthouse in Minneapolis on October 13 with his attorney, Joseph Dixon, after pleading guilty to wire fraud. Credit: Matt Sepic | MPR News Bekam, 40, did not offer other statements beyond short answers to yes or no questions. Bekam agreed to a prison sentence between two and two-and-a-half years. He will also pay $343,086 in restitution. He cannot travel outside of Minnesota without his probation officer’s approval, and can no longer vote or own a gun. Bekam and his attorney, Joseph Dixon, declined to comment after his hearing.

He sold his Hotel-Rwanda story to Bernie Sanders who bought it at face-value. Now he is entangled with Sweet Amie's web of fraudisters. Bernie Sanders’ Iowa political director went on to work for Feeding Our Future - Minnesota Reformer MINNESOTAREFORMER.COM A former key aide to Bernie Sanders’ Iowa presidential campaign went on to work as a consultant for Feeding our Future, a nonprofit that federal prosecutors say was at the center of the nation’s biggest...

Taiwan's Embassy in Hargeisa also doubles as Taiwan's Representative to the Horn of Africa region. Taiwan's Rep to Somaliland was in Uganda where he held talks with the Ugandan leadership and Taiwan's office in Kampala. Uganda is currently at loggerheads with China who have taken control of the largest Airport after Uganda failed to meet its debt obligations.

An Amazon fulfilment centre in Berbera, not out of the realm of possibilities. logupdateafrica.com – 6 Oct 22 Next up - an African decade in e-commerce Aided by the entry and consolidation of big retail players, a large number of informal retailers in Africa coming online, digital payments, investments, and more purchasing power- will eCommerce... Conquering the ‘logistics barrier’ Even as the growth opportunity of e-commerce in Africa seems immense, many industry watchers believe that Africa is only just at the starting point of its e-commerce decade. “Africa is only just starting down the digital commerce road. While there are some really progressive entrepreneurs, supported by solid national policy frameworks (eg. Egypt), good telecom coverage, and active delivery structures, out of the 55 African states, around half are still only seeing eCommerce in the capital city,” says Tempest. Among other encouraging developments that have been creating ripples in the e-commerce logistics landscape of Africa is the much-awaited entry of US behemoth and world’s largest e-commerce platform Amazon which is now turning its focus on the African continent as it looks for new consumers. Amazon is reportedly preparing to launch its South Africa marketplace around February 2023. Trust, regulations & transportation hurdles However, for online retail to happen several simultaneous and essential processes like warehousing, packing, sorting, inventory management, labelling, billing, shipping, payment collection, order management, facilitating returns and exchanges need to work in tandem to deliver the ultimate e-commerce delight to its consumers, at scale. Tempest observes, “Cross-border online trade (part of digital trade) is certainly a major driver for the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). Transport infrastructure is one issue that you are looking at; telecoms infrastructure and data costs are a challenge. But the three major barriers are customs procedures which are often very antiquated and create delays; payment services which can cause delays of days even while payments clear; and regulations. Often these three elements are interconnected with other challenges.” Sanjeev Gadhia, founder and CEO of a dedicated all-cargo airline based in Nairobi, Kenya, Astral Aviation told the publication, "Astral Aviation has invested in additional freighter aircraft to meet the demand for e-commerce to and within Africa. Astral operates dedicated freighters from Hong Kong and Dubai to Africa with a mix of e-commerce and general cargoes which enables its clients to connect with its intra-African network ex Nairobi."

Somaliland and Taiwan signed energy cooperation agreement - which include among others the establishment of an Oil Refinery in Berbera. Taiwan is a leader in Oil products. "On the road to energy independence, Taiwan and Somaliland will walk side by side," Taiwan's representative to Somaliland, Allen Lou (羅震華) Taiwan, Somaliland sign energy cooperation agreement - Focus Taiwan FOCUSTAIWAN.TW Taipei, May 24 (CNA) Taiwan and Somaliland signed an agreement on energy and mineral resources cooperation Monday that Taiwan's office in Somaliland said provides a legal foundation for joint resource...

As Somaliland gears towards drilling its first commercial Oil Well near War-idaad village. There is high hopes that finally Somaliland will break the shackles of poverty and chart her own destiny. Iraqi Kurdistan was very much like Somaliland back in the early 2000s. No development, high unemployment and dependent on hand outs from others. Today, Iraqi Kurdistan is self-sustaining entity with highly developed health, manufacturing and other infrastructure. They are land-locked and air-locked, which are two disadvantages that Somaliland hasn't. Today

You have to start from somewhere. Yes, South Sudan as well as further land-locked Africa is on the radar. The plan is to make Berbera the one-stop-shop where everything can be found, from toys, to electronics to cars, shoes, clothing etc. Because it tax & duty free, it will attract any company that wants to establish a foothold in East/Central and Northern Africa markets. It will take at least 10 - 15 years to realise that dream but every journey starts with one step at a time. True. But you will never see any Somalilander come here or anywhere and make a point of this fact. Because in the end, when you are not clean yourself, then you have no right to say anything about someone else. Somali of all regions have serious social ills, full stop. And it is all of Somali people that need to address it, sooner rather than later.

You can't compare a lowly African communal conflict with the Russo-Ukrainian war. The Russians are already defeated, the day they were repulsed from Kyiv. Their face-saving argument of re-adjusting and focusing on Donbas region, is also unattainable. In fact, Russia will not be able to defend Crimea Peninsula - a long time under Russian military control since Soviet times. The thing is, Russia is no match for the technology that the West has provided to Ukraine - which in itself is dated to the technology that was designed to defeat the Soviet Union - The only modern weaponry that the West has provided to Ukraine is the shoulder mounted Anti-tanks. However, the artillery and rockets are from 1970s and 1980s, outdated, dumb-bombs. But still much more effective to take out Russians. The Americans are holding off providing the more modern smart weapons.