Somaliland Suspends Work on UAE’s Military Base on Berbera

[Deeq A.]

HARGEISA— The Somaliland authority has decided to temporarily suspend the work of UAE military facility in the port of Berbera. There are no official statement from Somaliland administration confirming the abrupt halt of military base but highly reliable sources have indicated that SL’s Foreign Minister, Dr. Sa’ad Ali Shire sent formal letter just a couple of weeks ago to the United Arab Emirates government to adjourn all work of UAE’s military base building in Berbera. It was stated in the letter that Somaliland authority is about to review the terms of the contract signed between Somaliland and UAE. There are conflicting reports confirming that Somaliland is to hire an int’l firm which will consult on matters pertaining to military base.

Somaliland entered into agreement with UAE on the provision of the military base and Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed although there is official agreement. This has provided that the new Somaliland Head of State has to review the agreement. According to Geeska Afrika Newspaper, it has made contacts with foreign minister and the special SL representative to UAE which all ended in vain.

The UAE awarded the contract to build the military facility in Berbera by Divers Marine Contracting LCC and is expected to cost up to 90 million dollars  LCC Chairperson, Abdalla Darwish has told media that his firm signed the deal of building the base last April. The National House of Assembly passed the agreement with unanimous vote although it caused wrangling within the parliament premises this year. The former government under president Silanyo did not table in front of the parliament of the genuine agreement that SL signed with UAE. The ex-administration used power and capital for the house to pass with overwhelming majority. Somaliland’s main opposition parties have cried foul over the agreement and said time and again that there is no real agreement between the two nations. It was just a couple of days once houthi rebels in Yemen have send stern warning to Somaliland that if does not suspend UAE military base in Berbera then it will fire ballistic missile to Somaliland. It is not yet clear if Somaliland has heeded the warning from houthi rebels or if it decided to evaluate the terms of the agreement.