In brief
- On 3 March 2023, Somaliland Standard reported President Musa Bihi Abdi inaugurated the Berbera Economic Free Zone market.
- The report does not establish the market's operational status, cost, funder, contractor, or tenants.
- No subsequent evidence confirms the market is open or details what has happened since the inauguration.
On 3 March 2023, Somaliland Standard reported that President Musa Bihi Abdi inaugurated the Berbera Economic Free Zone market, according to the publication's article titled "President inaugurates the Berbera Economic Free Zone market." The report describes the event as the opening of the "Berbera Economic Free Zone development market," but the article's date does not establish when the inauguration event occurred.
The report attributes several statements to President Bihi during the opening. The president said the government has "done everything to strengthen the business environment in Somaliland," according to the report. He claimed that infrastructure costing "hundreds of millions of US dollars" was implemented by the UAE government "led by the DP World," though the report gives no breakdown of what that infrastructure includes, no contract value, and no breakdown of funding sources.
President Bihi linked the market to earlier projects: the modernization of Berbera Port, the airport, and the Berbera Corridor highway connecting Berbera and Wajaale, the report states. He said the Berbera projects make the port able to compete internationally and serve the region and landlocked African countries, though this claim is not independently verified in the report. The president tied the projects to implementation of the national development plan (NDP 1, 2, & 3), but the report does not cite any official document linking the market to the NDP.
According to the president, the market opening "will create opportunities for businesses, job creation, technical, administrative, services, integration and cooperation in the world." However, the report provides no evidence of actual jobs created or businesses established as a result of the opening. The report also does not state the market's physical size, capacity, cost, contractor, consultant, funder, or tenants. No statement from the Berbera Economic Free Zone authority or DP World confirming the opening is included.
The report does not establish that the market is operational, has tenants, or has produced any measured economic impact since the inauguration. Without further evidence, the operational status of the market and any subsequent developments remain unknown.
Frequently asked questions
What exactly did Somaliland Standard report about the Berbera Economic Free Zone market inauguration?
Somaliland Standard reported on 2023-03-03 that President Musa Bihi Abdi inaugurated the Berbera Economic Free Zone market. The report attributes statements to the president about the government strengthening the business environment, infrastructure costing hundreds of millions of dollars implemented by the UAE government led by DP World, and the market opening creating opportunities for businesses and job creation.
What details from the report are verifiable?
The only verifiable fact from the report is that Somaliland Standard published an article on 2023-03-03 with the headline "President inaugurates the Berbera Economic Free Zone market." All other details are attributed to President Bihi but are not independently verified within the article.
Has the market opened and is it operational?
The report does not establish that the market is operational or has tenants. It describes an inauguration event but provides no evidence of actual operations, tenancy, or economic activity following the event.