Berbera (Horn post) A high-level delegation from the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia on Sunday conducted an official working visit to the Port of Berbera and the Berbera Economic Free Zone (BEFZ), as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen trade and economic cooperation between Somaliland and Ethiopia.
The delegation, comprising senior federal and regional officials, was led by the Secretary General of the Federal Chamber of Commerce, Dr. Keninsa Lemi (Dabela). Members of the delegation included the Deputy Minister of Investment and Diaspora Affairs of the Somali Regional State, the Deputy Minister of Transport and Trade of the Somali Regional State, and Presidents of Chambers of Commerce from the Somali Region, Tigray, Oromia, Amhara, and Benishangul-Gumuz, alongside other federal and regional representatives.
The Ethiopian delegation arrived in the Republic of Somaliland on Saturday. On the second day of their working visit, they began their program in the strategic coastal city of Berbera, where they toured key commercial, transport, port, and customs infrastructure, gaining firsthand insight into port operations and trade facilitation systems.
The Director General of the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development of the Republic of Somaliland, Mr. Mohamed Hassan Saleban, accompanied by senior customs officials, joined the delegation during the visit. He underscored the importance of deepening economic and trade cooperation between Somaliland and Ethiopia, while briefing the delegation on recent progress in port services, customs operations, and trade facilitation reforms. He highlighted the central role played by the Port of Berbera and the Berbera Economic Free Zone in driving national economic growth.
Upon arrival at the port and free zone, the delegation was formally received by the Deputy Director of the Free Zone Authority, Abdikarim Ibrahim Saleban; the Chairman of the Somaliland Ports Authority, Ali Diriye; DP World’s Head of Sales, Jama Mohamed Ahmed; and the Berbera Port Customs Manager, Ahmed Abdirahman Harir, along with other senior officials and technical staff.
For their part, DP World officials delivered a comprehensive briefing on ongoing commercial activities at the Port of Berbera, including major port expansion projects and large-scale infrastructure investments. The presentation detailed how these developments are enhancing port capacity, efficiency, and regional trade connectivity.
The overall objective of the visit is to reinforce trade relations, investment ties, and broader economic cooperation between Somaliland and Ethiopia, leveraging the Port of Berbera and the Berbera Economic Free Zone as strategic gateways for Ethiopian trade and for the wider Horn of Africa region.
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Horn post staff Reporter
