New trade corridor inaugurated to promote livestock trade in Somaliland

Stampa
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Recently there has been great ferment within infrastructure development in Somalia. After the now close-to-completion construction project of the Berbera corridor - a route connecting the port of Berbera to the Ethiopia market - and the announcement of the imminent opening of a fifth deep-water port in Gara’ad, a project for the rehabilitation of 62 km of road and four bridges linking the seaport city of Berbera with Burao has been inaugurated today. The Burao-Berbera Road Rehabilitation Project aims at opening a new trade route in Somaliland for cattle trade, as Burao hosts one of the largest livestock markets in Somalia and in all the Horn of Africa, in an attempt to boost the economic growth of the entire region.

Funded by the second phase of the Somaliland Development Fund (SDF) for a total cost of USD 8 million, the project will be implemented by three construction companies: two local and a Chinese one, with plans for completing the relevant works in the coming 12 months. Once completed, the project is expected to lead to a reduction in travel times, vehicle operating costs and motor vehicle accidents in the areas crossed and connected by the road.

The Somaliland Development Fund is a multi-donor fund with contributions from the United Kingdom, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Norway which aims at supporting the economic development of the State and the people of Somaliland. On 10 September 2019, an agreement was signed with the government of Somaliland to support the implementation of Phase II of the SDF (SDF2) programme, which aims to improve lives of local people through the delivery of essential public services.

SDF2, with an initial budget of 25 million pounds for the period 2018 to 2022, is delivered in partnership with the Somaliland government to promote long-term stability in the region. It includes building of critical infrastructure, such as roads, water systems and agricultural facilities, and will also help build capacity within Somaliland’s institutions.