The Somaliland government has described the news published by the Semafor newspaper, which said that Somalia had offered the Berbera port to the United States, as a betrayal.
Somaliland’s Foreign Minister, Abdirahman Dahir Aden, responded to the report and described it as a move that shows the Somali government’s desperation.
“This is a desperate and pointless attempt by the failed Somali government,” said Minister Abdirahman Dahir Aden. “It shows a corrupt regime that is on the verge of self-destruction, and that it is engaged in a suicidal operation. There is nothing they can do about the upcoming recognition of Somaliland.”
Meanwhile, Somaliland’s representative to the United States, Ambassador Bashir Good, said that Berbera is located in a neighboring country of Somalia and has nothing to do with the Somali government. He noted that a law has been passed that requires Washington to work directly with Somaliland, thus eliminating the need for a third party.
Ambassador Good also said that Somaliland is working closely with the United States, and that both sides are looking at how the United States can benefit from Berbera. He noted that successive delegations from AFRICOM have arrived in Berbera to assess the situation.
Semafor newspaper reported that it had received a letter from President Hassan Sheikh requesting the United States to take over the ports of Berbera, Bosaso, and the military base in Bali-doogle, in order to prevent Washington from recognizing Somaliland.
Officials from the Somali Presidency who spoke to HOL denied the Semafor report, calling it unfounded.
Although the US government has yet to comment on Semafor’s claims, former US Ambassador to Africa J. Peter Pham, who reacted to the report, said that the Somali government made a request that makes Americans look like fools, since they do not control Berbera and Bosaso.
