#Berbera port

[saxafimedianetwork]

Recognition in the Making: Somaliland's Transformation under Muse Bihi

Re-electing President @musebiihi is pivotal for #Somaliland's stability, economic progress & quest for int'l recognition. Under his leadership, the nation has seen significant strides in governance, infrastructure & democratic consolidation. #StabilityInAction

Continue reading Recognition in the Making: Somaliland’s Transformation under Muse Bihi

[creativemedianews]

Turkey says Somalia and Ethiopia will resume discussions on port deal

Turkey says Somalia and Ethiopia will resume discussions on port deal #AbiyAhmed #Berberaport #Ethiopialease

[berberanews]

#Berbera Port outshines Mombasa again

Businessdayafrica.orgKenya’s Port of Mombasa has ranked below Berbera for the second consecutive year as East Africa’s largest harbour dropped further in the latest World Bank report. In the newly released Container Port Performance Index, Mombasa fell two positions to 328 in overall ranking globally last year, down from 326. A total of 405 ports were ranked. In stark contrast, the Port of…

[shakiressa]

Russia's Strategic Expansion in Africa: High-Level Officials' Agenda

Key Takeaways: High-level Russian officials are meeting with Russian partners across Africa, seeking to advance the Kremlin’s strategic goals of projecting greater Russian influence to supplant the West and better positioning Russia for prolonged confrontation with the West. The paragraph discusses Russia’s efforts to strengthen its military and economic presence in Africa, with a focus on…

[somalilandcurrentnews]

Somaliland: Berbera port plays an important role in distributing relief aid to millions of refugees

By M.A. Egge Vice President H.E. Abdirahman A. Ismael Sayli’i highlighted the major role the Port of Berbera plays in feeding millions of refugees and displaced persons in the Horn of African countries. He praised DP World for its investment. In a message he posted on his official Twitter account, he said, “Berbera Port in Somaliland plays an important role in the distribution of aid to millions…

[mapsontheweb]

Ethiopia to become first country to recognize Somaliland in exchange for stakes in Berbera Port, naval base, and 'Red Sea access' through 20 km coast leased to Ethiopia for 50 years and significant share of Ethiopian Airlines

[zvaigzdelasas]

International recognition has been a long-sought goal for Somaliland, a region in northern Somalia that has enjoyed de facto independence since 1991. But the groundbreaking agreement has created shockwaves in the region and fury in Somalia, which views it as a hostile violation of Somalia’s sovereignty.[...]

While Somaliland insists that recognition has already been agreed upon and settled, Addis Ababa has been reluctant to firmly address the matter of statehood. In a published communique, the government said it had yet to formally recognise Somaliland. But social media posts by Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs official Mesganu Arga this week appear to support Somaliland’s interpretation of the deal.

The ambiguity of the messaging continues to fuel speculation. A draft of the agreement has yet to be published, but all indications suggest that it would all but nullify a 2018 tripartite treaty cementing ties between Ethiopia, Somalia and Eritrea, details of which were similarly never made public.[...]

Domestically, conflict with Faro militiamen in Amhara and unrest in Oromia has weakened key support bases for Abiy. Failure to make payments on Ethiopia’s eurobonds at the end of 2023 has also heightened pressure on the prime minister.[...]

There are also domestic woes in Somaliland, which has known relative stability for decades. The enclave is struggling with an uprising by local clan militia who pushed its forces out of the disputed town of Las Anod in August.[...]

Diplomatic ties between them date back to the 1980s when Ethiopia supported Somaliland rebel fighters who helped win its de facto independence in 1991, the same year Ethiopia became landlocked after Eritrea’s successful war of independence. Ethiopia continued to use Eritrea’s Red Sea ports until the two states severed ties and fought a 1998-2000 border war, which killed 70,000 people. Since then, Ethiopia has used Djibouti’s port as its main trade conduit, but the billions Djibouti is believed to charge Ethiopia annually in port fees has had it exploring alternatives in Sudan, Somaliland and Kenya since the mid-2000s.

Agreements between Ethiopia and Somaliland over the use of its Berbera port date as far back as 2005, but issues including logistics and potential harm to relations with Mogadishu have prevented Addis Ababa from implementing a wholesale shift from Djibouti. In 2017, Ethiopia acquired shares in Berbera port as part of a deal involving Emirati logistics management company DP World to expand the port and turn it into a lucrative trade gateway catering to the needs of 119 million Ethiopians. At the time, Somalia denounced the deal as illegal. Ethiopia did not follow through on commitments and eventually lost its stake by 2022.[...]

After Somali independence in 1960 and until the end of the Cold War, the status of Ethiopia’s Somali region, its second largest by area, has been hotly contested between the two countries. The region, also known as Ogaden, is home to ethnic Somalis, who make up about 7 percent of Ethiopia’s population. It has witnessed numerous conflicts. One was the Ogaden War from 1977 to 1978, which killed tens of thousands of people before Ethiopia, with the assistance of Soviet military advisers and Cuban troops, reasserted dominance over the land.

Under the governments of Ethiopia’s Mengistu Hailemariam and Somali President Siad Barre [supported during the war by the US], both countries supported rebel factions in each other’s countries, which would go on to weaken and eventually lead to the overthrow of both leaders by 1991.

Somalia has never regained the stability it knew during the Barre era. [...] A considerable segment of Ethiopian troops has been part of the African Union peacekeeping mission mandated to fight the rebels in Somalia. Their semi-permanent presence in the country since 2006 has fuelled further resentment.[...]

���It’s possible that the UAE, which has cordial relations with both Ethiopia and Somaliland, may have encouraged the parties to proceed with the deal,”[...]

Meanwhile, Israel’s bombardment of the Gaza Strip has had a ripple effect, including most recently, Houthi rebel attacks on ships in the Red Sea, impacting the strategic Bad al-Mandeb Strait [just off Somaliland's coast]

4 Jan 24

[kemetic-dreams]

Elmi Boodhari (Somali: Cilmi Ismaaciil Liibaan, Arabic: علمي اسماعيل ليبان) (1908 – 1940) was a Somali poet and pioneer in the genre of Somali love poems. He is known among Somalis as the King of Romance (Boqorkii Jacaylka). He was born near the border between Ethiopia and Somalia in 1908 and hailed from the Eidagale sub-clan

He is known in the Somali world for his love poems that he wrote to a girl named Hodan Abdulle that he fell in love and met in Berbera. Boderi was working at a bakery shop in the port city of Berbera when he fell in love with Hodan Abdi. Bodari began to write her romantic poems, and in one of his poems he spoke of once seeing Hodan’s naked body, which was considered a serious offense in those times given and still is, in addition to several other elements that stood in the face of him marrying her. Hodan got married and it is said that he died from the resulting heartbreak.

Elmi Boodhari differed from the poets of his generation in that he eschewed the popular theme of Tribal war and vengeance in Somali poetry, instead wholly focusing on love and composing all his poems for Hodan, which was seen as highly unconventional and scandalous, for this reason he was ridiculed by society.

Author Mohamed Diiriye in his book Culture and Customs of Somalia, writes:

Among the poets of the past century, a poet who has gained the hearts of all Somalis in every district is Elmi Boodhari, many major poets such as Mohamed Abdallah Hassan and Abdi Gahayr, aroused resentment among some Somalis, as they addressed diatribes against the members of a certain clan, or urged bloodletting; such poets are known as viper tongues, and the poems of such poets have been known to cause feuds and clan wars. But not so with Elmi Boodhari, his subject was romance and only that. While the poets of his day where addressing serious subjects such as war and feuds, Boodhari composed all of his poems for the lady of his affection Hodan, who was given in hand of marriage to a man much wealthier than him. Instead of getting literary kudos for his beautiful verse, Boodhari was made the object of public ridicule. Somali society had not been of course devoid of romance either in song or prose in any age, but to proclaim the object of ones love was frowned upon in the social mores of Somalis.

Boodhari also faced alienation and ridicule from his fellow Eidagale kinsmen and composed the following verse:

If a man has a wound he is taken to the doctor, but the braves of Daud are ridiculing me

Mohamed Diiriye commenting on the above verse writes:

It was enough that Hodan's relatives were infuriated and felt that their daughter's name had been soiled by a man who was proclaiming in public his love for her, but Boodhari also had to face the fury of his kinsmen, the Daud, who all together disowned him for spending his days pining for one woman when they could get him a girl as beautiful or more beautiful than she. Boodhari tried in lament to remind his kinsmen that the wounds of the heart merit the same attention as the wounds of the flesh.

She is altogether fair: Her fine-shaped bones begin her excellence; Magnificent of bearing, tall is she; A proud grace is her body’s greatest splendor; Yet she is gentle, womanly, soft of skin. Her gums’ dark gloss is like unto blackest ink; And a careless flickering of her slanted eyes Begets a light clear as the white spring moon. My heart leaps when I see her walking by, Infinite suppleness in her body’s sway. I often fear that some malicious djinn May envy her beauty, and wish to do her harm.

— From “Qaraami” (Passion), as presented by Margaret Laurence in A Tree for Poverty.

Influence on Somali Music

Boodharis poetic style and subject matter heavily influenced Somali Music and musicians such as Abdullahi Qarshe who was one of the pioneers the popular Balwo and Heello Genres.

Matters began to change following World War 2 as musicians and composers, like Abdullahi Qarshe, popularly known as the father of Somali music, began to pioneer a new genre- that of Balwo and Heello, both of these terms refer to forms of lyrical verse, the difference between the two being that balwo is four lines only while heello is considerably longer. Both styles broke new grounds in style and content. the subject matter differed radically from the past, as compositions focused in on love and nationalism, rather than the epic tales of war and adversity as in the old hees, at least some of this shift can be accredited to Elmi Boodhari, a baker who composed during the 1930s. He is said to have recited his compositions describing his unrequited love for a woman named Hodan until he wasted away and perished in 1941. ~Africa: An Encyclopedia of Culture and Society [3 volumes]: An Encyclopedia of Culture and Society

[beardedmrbean]

Somalia's breakaway province of Somaliland is commemorating the anniversary of its unilateral declaration of independence on May 18, 1991 — even though its claims of sovereignty have remained unrecognized by the international community.  

Amid the preparations, Somaliland's authorities have been preparing to conclude a controversial deal with neighboring Ethiopia.

Once signed, the agreement would cement Ethiopia's recognition of Somaliland as an independent state — despite strong objections from Somalia's government.

In return for landlocked Ethiopia's official recognition, Somaliland will lease out 20 kilometers (12 miles) of sea access for 50 years while also allowing Ethiopia to build a military base on its coast.

Somaliland's leader, Muse Bihi Abdi, signed a memorandum of understanding in January 2024 as a first step towards a firm agreement with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.

Details of the memorandum were not disclosed. After its signing, Ethiopian officials hinted that the final agreement would include a commercial port for its maritime traffic, but provisions for a port specifically for Ethiopia's commercial purposes does not seem to be on offer. 

Somaliland's Berbera Port "will be available for all entities including Ethiopian business people and government to use," Somaliland Finance Minister Saad Ali Shire told DW. "So, there is no need for another port to be built."

What happens next? 

DW understands that a technical team appointed by Bihi has submitted its recommendations for an agreement with Ethiopia.

The team, which includes "specialized international law firms and Somaliland lawyers has started working on the Somaliland position paper" for the final agreement, a source close to the government told DW.

Somaliland has reportedly identified three possible sites that Ethiopia could lease for its military base.

"I'm not privy to tell exactly the names of these three areas that we are thinking about, but it's something that will be decided together with the Ethiopian counterpart," Essa Kayd, Somaliland's Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Minister, told DW.

"As soon as we sign the agreement and agree on the naval base and all the conditions that are attached to it, and we're satisfied — right after that Ethiopia will do the proclamation and recognize Somaliland."

"I think I'd say the coming months maybe two months or so should be finalized," Kayd added.

Why is recognition important for Somaliland?

Somalilanders have high hopes of the benefits that Ethopia's recognition will bring.

"Politically it is important because once recognized, we will have a voice in the international political platform," said Saad Ali Shire.

"We will be able to connect with the international financial system, we will be able to borrow money from the international financial institutions."

Government officials, opposition leaders and analysts in Somaliland's capital Hargeisa insist that Somaliland is sovereign. They resist terms such as a "breakaway" or a "self-declared" to assert sovereignty. 

"We flagged it, as it isn't our legal status as a country," said Fatima Omer, a communications advisor for the Somaliland Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

Somaliland's journey towards 're-recognition'

The former British Somaliland gained its independence on June 26, 1960. But enjoyed it only for five days.

Then, on July 1, 1960, it united with Somalia Italiana and formed the Republic of Somalia. The merger was intended to unite all Somali-speaking people, who had been divided by the colonizers.

"It was not a project of Somalia and Somaliland, it was a project of getting back the land of Somali-speaking people," said Jama Musse Jama, an ethnomathematician and a staunch campaigner for Somaliland.

However, it didn't last long, and, according to Jama, "that was the mistake the Somalilanders have done." 

The whole world — especially the West — was against the project of creating a large Somali-speaking country that would have been the largest in the region.

"Somalilanders understood that was not working and they tried immediately to go back and get their independence," he explained.

It took Somaliland more than three decades to unilaterally declare its independence after the collapse of Mohamed Siad Barre's government in 1991. But the declaration was never recognized internationally.

That's something the government in Hargeisa and campaigners like Jama Musse Jama are still pushing for.

"The recognition already has been granted in 1960. We are trying to rectify those mistakes and get the re-recognition of Somaliland," said Jama.

Mohamed Warsame, a former UN staffer who now heads one of Somaliland's opposition parties, criticizes the international community for turning its back on Somaliland.

"We were funding and financing our republic, which is independent and sovereign, for the last 34 years, while the international community gave us their back," he said.

[head-post]

Ethiopia and Somaliland discuss military co-operation amid Red Sea deal escalation

Military commanders from Ethiopia and Somalia’s breakaway region Somaliland met on Monday in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa.

The commanders discussed military cooperation amid escalating tensions between Mogadishu and Addis Ababa after Ethiopia signed an initial agreement with Somaliland earlier this month that would grant it access to the sea through Berbera port located on the Red Sea.

The Ethiopian military officials claimed on Monday that Ethiopian National Defence Force (ENDF) Chief of Staff Field Marshal Birhanu Jula and General Nuh Ismail Tani, Chief of Staff of Somaliland’s Armed Forces, “discussed possible ways to work together on military cooperation.”

Somalia has rejected Ethiopia’s Red Sea port deal with Somaliland, calling it “illegitimate,” as well as a threat to good neighbourship and a violation of its sovereignty. It also recalled its ambassador to Ethiopia after the deal was announced.

Read more HERE

[saxafimedianetwork]

Somaliland's Democratic Journey Under Muse Bihi: From Shadows to World Stage

#Somaliland's path to Int'l recognition gains momentum under Pres. @musebiihi's leadership. With sustained democracy, economic progress, & peace, Bihi's re-election is crucial for SL's future. Stability, #recognition, & growth are at stake.

Continue reading Somaliland’s Democratic Journey Under Muse Bihi: From Shadows to World Stage

[iasguidance]

Agreement over Berbera port between Somaliland and Ethiopia

Context: Ethiopia has struck a historic deal to use Somaliland’s Berbera port in the breakaway region of Somaliland for shipping. About Berbera Port Berbera Port is located in the Gulf of Aden. Berbera is considered to be the commercial capital of Somaliland.  The deal will give Ethiopia access to the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden and the Suez Canal. Ethiopia is Africa’s second largest populated…

[berberanews]

Baanka adduunka oo warbixin kasoo saaray horumarka Dekedda Berbera

Berbera-(Berberanews)-Warbixin uu soo saaray Bangiga Adduunka ayaa lagu sheegay in dekadda magaalada Berbera ay horumar badan sameysay sanooyinkii u dambeeyay. Dekadda Berbera ayaa kaalinta 144 ka gashay xagga maamulka dakadaha caalamka, sida ay tilmaameyso daraasad uu sameeyay Bangiga Adduunka sanadkii 2022-kii, balse sanadkan la daabacay. Warbixinta Baanka Adduunka ayaa lagu sheegay in…

[somalilandcurrentnews]

Somaliland is where India can counter China in east Africa

India should develop closer relations with Somaliland, especially by using its port. This could provide India a valuable tool for countering China’s influence along the eastern coast of Africa. In looking for access to the Red Sea, India should avoid overcrowded Djibouti and opt for Somaliland’s port of Berbera. Berbera handles 1/10 as much traffic as Djibouti’s port, but it is growing, thanks to…