Former Somali Prime Minister, Omar Abdirashid Ali Shar’make has rubbished claims by UAE that Somalia and the Gulf nation previously entered into an agreement regarding the Berbera port concession.
United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Wednesday insinuated that they reached agreement on Berbera Port with Somalia prior the signing of the deal with Somaliland.
Shar’make said his government had signed no agreement with UAE on the military Base and the port in Berbera town of Northern Somalia.
“I have been occupying the office for two years. In the course of two years, we had never reached development and humanitarian support deals with United Arab Emirates. I can confirm that no agreement was signed,” said Shar’make.
The sentiment of Shar’make who is also a member of the Upper House comes just hours after Somali Foreign minister; Ahmed Issa Awad dispelled UAE’s claims of existing Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Somalia and UAE.
In a televised interview with BBC Somali service Awad said the two countries had no official deal about Dubai’s port agreement with Somaliland.
“We do not have any agreement with UAE on Berbera Port. We were not shown documentation and if UAE could have shown us written agreement then our leaders would have taken another decision,” Awad said.
The diplomatic relations between Somalia and UAE has been worsening since early this year when UAE owned Port company, DP World announced its controversial deal with Somaliland and Ethiopia.
Subsequently, Somali Parliament issued a resolution banning DP World from Somalia, a move dismissed by both DP World and Somaliland authorities
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