In brief
- Horn Diplomat reported on 4 March 2022 that President Muse Bihi Abdi inaugurated the first bridge of the Berbera-Hargeisa corridor project.
- The bridge is 105 metres long and cost AED262 million, financed under a AED330.5 million UAE grant programme.
- No contractor is named, and no official reports cover the bridge's condition or usage since the inauguration.
On 4 March 2022, Horn Diplomat reported that Somaliland President Muse Bihi Abdi inaugurated the first bridge built as part of the Berbera-Hargeisa corridor project. The report, dated that day, did not establish what has happened to the structure since the inauguration event.
The 105-metre bridge is, according to Horn Diplomat's report, "considered one of the longest along the Berbera-Hargeisa corridor". The report gives the project cost as AED262 million (US$71.4 million) and says the wider corridor has been financed from an AED330.5 million (US$89.9 million) grant programme that the United Arab Emirates provided for Somaliland in 2017. It does not specify whether the AED262 million covers the bridge alone or a wider scope, and it does not state whether the AED330.5 million grant has been fully disbursed.
Abdullah Muhammad Al Naqbi, Director of the UAE Trade Office in Somaliland, attended the inauguration along with ministers and senior officials, the report says. ADFD Director General Mohamed Saif Al-Suwaidi said the project "marks a qualitative leap in economic and social development in Somaliland" and would support food and agricultural trade and small and medium enterprises. President Abdi said the government is striving to develop infrastructure to boost the economy and that the bridge would let people commute safely in rainy seasons when thousands risk their lives crossing valleys and waterways.
No contractor, consultant or implementing firm is named in the documents reviewed by Horn Diplomat. The report describes aims such as reducing time and cost, lowering carbon emissions and linking smaller cities, but gives no evidence that these benefits have been realised. No subsequent official statements or reports on the bridge's performance are included.
The Berbera-Hargeisa corridor links the port of Berbera with Hargeisa, Addis Ababa and other East African countries, Horn Diplomat reported. The road network is part of a wider UAE-funded programme in Somaliland.
Frequently asked questions
Who funded the bridge?
The bridge was financed under a AED330.5 million (US$89.9 million) UAE grant programme provided for Somaliland in 2017, according to Horn Diplomat.
How long is the bridge?
The bridge is 105 metres long, as reported by Horn Diplomat on 4 March 2022.