Somaliland: FM says Chinese Investment in Somaliland will facilitate the development of the Nation

[Xaaji Xunjuf]

Somaliland: Foreign Minister says Chinese Investment in Somaliland will facilitate the development of the country

 

HARGEISA (SomalilandPress)–Somaliland Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr. Mohamed Abdillahi Omar, today gave more details about the trilateral agreement between China, Ethiopia and Somaliland that the government pre-agreed last week in China. The Minister have said, that Somaliland has not any economic power, and he underlined that this agreement was all about the investment of the economic infrastructure including the improvement of port of Berbera and the construction the road that will connect Somaliland and Ethiopia.

 

SomalilandPress reporter Abdikadir Elmi Kahin (Shiine) was able to ask the Foreign Minster several questions regarding this trilateral agreement that has western countries questioning the merit of the agreement. Dr. Omar held a press conference at the Presidential palace where several other reporters were also able ask questions pertaining to the agreement and the China trip that he went with the President.

 

Q: Minister, the triangular agreement with Ethiopia and China was about expanding Berbera port, the construction of a rail road system and to refine the oil and gas of Ethiopia in Berbera, please give as further details on how things will happen?

 

A: We have been in negotiation with the Chinese firm on rebuilding our country’s infrastructure for some time and the expansion of Berbera Port. Our administration’s goal is to make Berbera Port a regional hub for all commercial trades and the agreement that we signed with Petro Trans Company will enable us to reach that goal. We have reach preliminary agreement with the Chinese firm, however the financial and procedural portion of the agreement has not been confirmed and we expect that to be done in the near future. Somaliland does not have the capability to carry out such a massive project and therefore we have decided to cooperate with international firms. Chine as you all are aware of has invested in countries like Ethiopia, Sudan, Southern Sudan and even Kenya. I believe that the investment of China on Somaliland is reliable and could play a big role on the development of the country.

 

Q: Does your government have any other deals on the table thus far?

A: The President led a delegation to the Gulf regions several months ago and at that trip our government presented the investment opportunities that Somaliland has to offer to the Gulf regions. United Arabs Emirates and Kuwait were two countries that the president and his team presented the investment opportunities in Somaliland and we are still waiting to hear from those countries

 

Q: Minister, since this agreement is a triangular agreement between Somaliland, Ethiopia and China and Somaliland is not a recognized country, it is said that Ethiopia has taken the responsibility of this project?

 

A: This agreement will be between Somaliland and the investors of China. Somaliland has independently signed this agreement with the Chinese Firm and we hope that Ethiopia and all our other neighbors will be able to use the services of Berbera Port. Ethiopia is our neighboring country and we have got a mutual bond in the security, education and commercial sector as well.

 

Q: Will this new agreement of Chinese firm help in the achieving of recognition from China?

 

A: We are now preparing to build a good relationship with China and that is the introduction, so if we succeed this cooperation and the new relationship, than we will put the plan to send China a representative from Somaliland and that is one of our major issues a Foreign Affairs to do.

 

Q: Is this agreement between Somaliland and China or Somaliland with investors?

 

A: In today’s economic world, corporations are the primary contacts in each country therefore this agreement is between Somaliland and Chinese owned firm. So we penned this agreement as an investment corporation.

[N.O.R.F]

Hmm.....will be interesting how this deal turns out.

[NASSIR]

If the claim of this supposedly murky deal is not counterfeit , the question is how come President Sharrif is silent on this potential agreement, which is a violation of the territorial integrity of Somalia. An oil firm can't paybass the federal government.

 

Still the Hargeisa entity should not draw the ire of Somalis in the occupied region. This is an unethical exploitation of the weak and the oppressed owners of these untapped precious resources.

[N.O.R.F]

^

 

There is nothing wrong with deal (if indeed there is a deal). If it brings development to SL then all the better. Anyone opposing it needs to get real.

 

Ps don't expect much from the TFG. They have their hands full.

[Som@li]

it is not weather it is good or bad for SL, is it legal?

 

Anway, China is hungry for resources.

[N.O.R.F]

^Hmm, is the TFG 'legal'?

[Som@li]

in the eyes of the law, yes, and a state doing oil deals, security deals with foreign powers is unheard of, same goes for PL

[N.O.R.F]

There is a question of legality. There is also the reality on the ground. Sheikh Sharif can say it is illegal but he can't walk 100m from Villa Somalia. SL and PL have no choice but to go ahead with such deals. No one is going to be held hostage to a failed state. Depending on what happens in the future, any Somali government will simply ratify such deals (or risk losing vital support).

[NASSIR]

N.O.R.F;742330 wrote:

^

 

There is nothing wrong with deal (if indeed there is a deal). If it brings development to SL then all the better. Anyone opposing it needs to get real.

 

Ps don't expect much from the TFG. They have their hands full.

 

N.O.R.F, C'mon ,Why would you support this potential deal in a conflict-prone region. How could you contemplate on living off the blood of your own, defenseless people?

TFG might not have the monopoly of force or popular legitimacy, but it's has the leverage and international recognition in terms of sovereign-equality of states to intervene and caution the Chinese company of legal consequences if it goes ahead with its grand proposal to build pipelines on our soil.

[Jacaylbaro]

Anything about Somaliland is either Illegal, Immoral, or simply Wrong .......................... I'm not surprised though.

[N.O.R.F]

NASSIR;742459 wrote:

N.O.R.F, C'mon ,Why would you support this potential deal in a conflict-prone region. How could you contemplate on living off the blood of your own, defenseless people?

TFG might not have the monopoly of force or popular legitimacy, but it's has the leverage and international recognition in terms of sovereign-equality of states to intervene and caution the Chinese company of legal consequences if it goes ahead with its grand proposal to build pipelines on our soil.

Without jumping the gun (we don't know the facts of the deal yet), if the oil is piped from the Og. and then through SL to Berbera, this brings development and employment. SL needs to weigh the option of saying yes (and enjoying the benefits) or no (and let the current unemployment, lack of development continue). SL doesn't become involved in the conflict by default.

[NGONGE]

^^ It actually does and is fully aware of the situation (at least I think it is). But who are the people being trampled on here (as Nassir says)? Are they the ones that work for Ethiopia or the ones the ONLF? Does SL have any good relations with the ONLF? Do they care for the wellbeing of SL? Does SL care for the goals and principles of the ONLF?

[Xaaji Xunjuf]

Ngonge good points there

[NASSIR]

NGONGE, It seems many from this region support the initiative taken by the Chinese firm. But we should be wary of the Ethiopian regime and its forced integration policies to leave the war-wearied population of Western Somalia with no other alternative but to swallow their pride and render their long struggle for Freedom , dignity and self-determination fruitless.

 

 

NORF, jobs and economic activity is a temporary good. We can learn from the collapse of Qaddafi's regime that low unemployment, relatively high per capita income and high-growth GDP had failed to dampen the suppression of freedom and individual rights in Libya. The authoritarian communist party of China faces similar problems in the long run. In other words, you should consider also the democratic side of the deal.