Close Menu
    What's Hot

    Somaliland to prioritize agricultural production, emphasizes President Abdirahman Irro

    Irro meets officials of national academy for peace and development

    Somaliland MPs submit motion to suspend future talks with Somalia

    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
    Buy SmartMag Now
    • Demos
    • Politics
    • Politics
    • Buy Now
    • Buy Now
    • Demos
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
    Somaliland Reporter
    • Home
    • Features
    • Category
    • Politics
    Subscribe
    Somaliland Reporter
    Home » DP World, Somaliland government launch Berbera Economic Zone
    News

    DP World, Somaliland government launch Berbera Economic Zone

    SL ReporterBy SL ReporterMarch 7, 2023No Comments5 Mins Read
    Share Facebook Twitter Pinterest Telegram LinkedIn Tumblr Email Copy Link
    Follow Us
    Google News Flipboard
    Share
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email Copy Link

    DP World and the Government of Somaliland have launched the new Berbera Economic Zone (BEZ), which, along with the Port of Berbera, is converting the area into a significant trading hub in the Horn of Africa.

    At a special event attended by several hundred guests, His Excellency Muse Bihi Abdi, President of Somaliland, and Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Group Chairman and CEO of DP Global, formally launched the first phase of the BEZ. Representatives from DP World’s port and zone investment partner, British International Investment (BII), as well as the UK’s Development Financing Institution (DFI) and impact investor, were present.

    The launch followed the June 2021 inauguration of the brand-new container terminal at Berbera Port. DP World’s ambition for Berbera is to transform it into a commerce hub, capitalizing on its strategic location along one of the world’s busiest maritime routes and access to the region’s large hinterland, including Ethiopia.

    The BEZ is located just 15 km from the port along the Berbera to Wajaale road (Berbera Corridor) that connects to Addis Ababa in Ethiopia, which needs multiple sea gateways to meet its trade requirements.

    This integrated maritime, logistics and industrial hub will serve the Horn of Africa, a dynamic region with a population of more than 140 million people.

    It is based on the highly successful model of DP World’s Jebel Ali Free Zone (Jafza) in Dubai. There will also be synergies between the two zones, where companies in Dubai can register for Berbera through the Jafza one-stop shop, while companies in Berbera can access Jafza’s incubation centre facilities.

    The zone is designed to create a business-friendly environment to attract investment and create jobs for Somaliland. It includes a competitive and conducive environment, enabled by a new Special Economic Zone Law, Special Economic Zone Companies Law, fiscal and non-fiscal incentives, along with a one-stop shop for all registration and licensing requirements, modern offices, warehousing and serviced land plots.

    Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Group Chairman and CEO, DP World said, “The dynamics of global trade are changing, and there is a growing need for trade infrastructure, such as economic zones, with easy and fast access to international shipping. These will bring companies closer to their customers, improve their logistics and allow them to expand into new markets. The integration of Berbera port with the new Economic Zone is a great example of this, making Berbera a world-class trading ecosystem, now and for the future.”

    Muse Bihi Abdi, President, Somaliland said, “This is another proud and historic moment for Somaliland and its people. After the inauguration of the container terminal at Berbera Port, and now with the economic zone open for business, we are taking a major leap forward in realising our vision to establish Berbera as an integrated, regional trade gateway, which will be a key driver of economic growth, achieved through increased trade flows, foreign investment and job creation.”

    DP World has already signed an agreement with IFFCO, a major UAE-based food company, to develop a 300,000 square feet edible oil packing plant in the BEZ and a dozen more companies operating across various sectors have already registered.

    Liz Lloyd, Chief Impact Officer, British International Investment added, “We are very proud to be part of this important milestone to inaugurate the Berbera Economic Zone, which will provide a vital economic boost to Somaliland and support growth in the broader Horn of Africa region. The overall expansion of the port is expected to improve the quality of life and livelihoods for over a million Somalilanders, increasing the availability and affordability of goods and indirectly supporting over 53,000 jobs locally.”

    The Master Plan for the BEZ covers more than 1,200 hectares and will be expanded over time as demand grows. With phase one now open, it offers serviced land plots for the construction of company facilities, 10,000 square metres of pre-built warehouses, build-to-suit facilities, open yard storage, a common user warehouse which DP World will operate to handle customers’ cargo, as well as office space with end-to-end IT services.

    The Berbera Port is a multipurpose port with world-class infrastructure, including extensive bulk and breakbulk handling facilities, liquid cargo handling capability and a state-of-the-art container terminal. It has a deep draft of 17 metres, a quay of 400 metres and three ship-to-shore (STS) gantry cranes, which can receive the largest container vessels in operation today. It also has the capacity to handle 500,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) a year. The terminal also includes a modern container yard with eight rubber tyred gantry cranes (RTGs) and a one-stop service centre.

    The Berbera Port is a cornerstone of the economy. As a result of the expansion, it is expected to facilitate trade equivalent to approximately 27% of Somaliland’s GDP and 75% of regional trade by 2035. The BEZ will make trade easier for businesses in Somaliland and also the wider Horn of Africa. This will benefit a variety of sectors including exporters, importers and processors of livestock, agricultural and perishable goods, textiles and construction materials.

    Meanwhile, the British International Investment said that the Berbera Economic Zone will indirectly create jobs for up to fifty thousand citizens.

    Liz Lloyd, Chief Impact Officer of British International Investment a British investments agency, said that the Berbera Economic Zone in Somaliland will help the overall growth of the Horn of Africa.

    “The overall expansion of the port is expected to improve the quality of life and livelihood of over one million Somaliland people, increase access and affordability of, goods, and indirectly support over 53,000 local jobs”, Liz said and BII continued on Twitter noting, “It is an honor to be part of an important milestone in the opening of the Berbera Economic Zone, joining DP World and the Government of Somaliland.

    “It will provide Somaliland with important resources and support the overall growth of the Horn of Africa region”.

    Berbera Economic Zone DP World
    Follow on Google News Follow on Flipboard
    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email Copy Link
    Previous ArticleAnother political organisation withdraws from Somaliland politics over Las Anod confict
    Next Article Somaliland is open for investment from global companies-Amb. Kaysar
    SL Reporter

    Related Posts

    Somaliland to prioritize agricultural production, emphasizes President Abdirahman Irro

    May 13, 2025

    Irro meets officials of national academy for peace and development

    May 12, 2025

    Somaliland MPs submit motion to suspend future talks with Somalia

    May 12, 2025
    Add A Comment

    Comments are closed.

    Advertisement
    Demo
    Latest Posts

    Somaliland to prioritize agricultural production, emphasizes President Abdirahman Irro

    Irro meets officials of national academy for peace and development

    Somaliland MPs submit motion to suspend future talks with Somalia

    Somaliland’s three decade quest for recognition: could US interests make the difference?

    Trending Posts

    Subscribe to News

    Get the latest sports news from NewsSite about world, sports and politics.

    Facebook X (Twitter) Pinterest Vimeo WhatsApp TikTok Instagram

    News

    • World
    • US Politics
    • EU Politics
    • Business
    • Opinions
    • Connections
    • Science

    Company

    • Information
    • Advertising
    • Classified Ads
    • Contact Info
    • Do Not Sell Data
    • GDPR Policy
    • Media Kits

    Services

    • Subscriptions
    • Customer Support
    • Bulk Packages
    • Newsletters
    • Sponsored News
    • Work With Us

    Subscribe to Updates

    Get the latest creative news from FooBar about art, design and business.

    © 2025 ThemeSphere. Designed by ThemeSphere.
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms
    • Accessibility

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.