# Berbera Port Deal Unratified in 2016

> Somaliland Sun reported on May 30, 2016 that the Berbera port agreement with DP World had not been ratified by parliament and carried unverified claims.

- By: Editorial Team, Somali Construction Review (https://somaliconstructionreview.com/about)
- Published: 30 September 2026
- Format: News story (reported from one named public source)
- Publication: Somali Construction Review (https://somaliconstructionreview.com)
- Subject: Infrastructure and Services
- Tags: ports, drainage
- Web version: https://somaliconstructionreview.com/blog/berbera-port-deal-unratified-2016

## Key points

- On 2016-05-30, Somaliland Sun reported the Somaliland-DP World Berbera port agreement had not been ratified by parliament.
- The report carried unverified claims, including a 65%-35% split in DP World's favour and board composition from allegedly obtained documents.
- Somaliland Sun also stated journalists were incarcerated by Berbera's mayor over the documents, though independent verification was not provided.

On May 30, 2016, Somaliland Sun reported that the agreement between the Somaliland government and Dubai World Ports (DWP) for the Berbera port had not been ratified by parliament. The report, titled "Somaliland: The Berbera Port Deal Simmers On & Other News," described the deal as "clouded in mis-information and a lack of clarity" and noted it had both opponents and supporters.

The agreement was intended to expand the port and create a Free Zone, along with proposed infrastructure improvements in Sahil region, according to the report. However, Somaliland Sun did not provide a timeline for implementation or details of the free zone's terms.

According to documents that Somaliland Sun said were allegedly obtained, the deal was split 65% in favour of DWP and 35% for Somaliland. The same documents indicated the new port authority would have a board chaired and deputised by DWP staffers based in Dubai, with seven members: five from DWP and two from Somaliland. A quorum would require three DWP members and one Somalilander. Somaliland Sun did not identify the source of these documents.

Somaliland Sun also carried unverified reports alleging that the President's family and Djibouti tycoon Abdourahman Boreh would share 15% of Somaliland's 35% stake. The publication labelled these reports as unverified.

Separately, Somaliland Sun stated that several journalists in Berbera were "illegally incarcerated" by the city's mayor without warrants or due process, allegedly for obtaining the confidential agreement documents. The report did not name the journalists or provide dates, and no independent verification was offered.

The report said Somaliland's Foreign Minister, Sa'ad Ali Shire, signed the deal on behalf of the administration and had urged the public to support it at a press conference welcoming DWP chief Ahmed Bin Suleyman. No date was given for the signing.

As of the 2016 report, the deal remained unratified and its terms largely unconfirmed. The report did not establish that construction had begun or that port operations had changed.

## Questions

### What did Somaliland Sun report about the Berbera port deal on May 30, 2016?

Somaliland Sun reported the agreement between Somaliland and Dubai World Ports was not yet ratified by parliament, and carried alleged document details and unverified claims about the deal's structure.

### Had the Berbera port deal been ratified by parliament as of May 30, 2016?

No. According to Somaliland Sun, the agreement was yet to be ratified by parliament on that date.

### Were journalists detained in connection with the Berbera port deal?

Somaliland Sun stated that several journalists in Berbera were illegally incarcerated by the mayor for obtaining confidential documents, but no independent verification was provided.

## Sources

- [Somaliland: The Berbera Port Deal Simmers On & Other News](https://somalilandsun.com/somaliland-the-berbera-port-deal-simmers-on-other-news/) — Somaliland Sun, 2016-05-30