# Somaliland Government Reassures Berbera Port Workers on DP World

> On 2 August 2016 Somaliland ministers told Berbera port employees they would not lose jobs under the DP World contract, but no implementation evidence followed.

- 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: People and Skills
- Tags: construction-workforce, skills-gaps
- Web version: https://somaliconstructionreview.com/blog/berbera-port-workers-dp-world-reassurance

## Key points

- Somaliland Sun reported on 2 August 2016 that ministers assured Berbera port workers no one would lose their job under the DP World contract.
- The report gives no evidence that the contract has been implemented or that workforce numbers have changed since that date.
- A claimed contract clause would retain all current employees and project an increase to 3000, but no achieved headcount is provided.

On 2 August 2016, Somaliland Sun reported that government ministers met port workers in Berbera to address growing fears over job security linked to a contract with DP World to manage and develop the port.

The meeting brought together a government team composed of the presidency, foreign affairs and finance ministers Mahmud Abdicate Hashi, Dr Saad Ali Shire and Zamzam Abdi Aden, according to the report. It followed rising tension over the continued employment of the over 800 workers once DP World starts to implement its contractual obligations.

## Government assurances

The ministerial delegation assured workers that none would lose their jobs as a result of the DP World contract, Somaliland Sun reported. A post-meeting statement said the contract contains a clause specific to retention of all current employees as part of the projected increase to 3000. The statement also said the government was hopeful workers were satisfied with their status and that divisive elements would no longer direct their thoughts.

## Port ownership claims

Minister Abdi Hashi said the port has not been sold but only rented to the Emirati company, and that the port of Berbera remains public property run by the government on behalf of its owners, citizens of Somaliland, according to the report. Somaliland Sun wrote that sections of citizens, notably the dominant clan in Sahil region, claim ownership of the port and have raised objections to the DP World contract, though no named individual or organisation is quoted.

## What the report does not establish

The report carries no evidence of implementation, investment outlays, employment levels or works at Berbera after 2 August 2016. It does not reproduce the contract document, and gives no start date for DP World operations. The reported investment figure of $422 is printed without currency or unit, and cannot be normalised into a project value. The retention of all current employees and the projection to 3000 are government claims, not achieved outcomes.

The ministry of the presidency gave a detailed breakdown of the selection process that saw DP World chosen over 7 other contending firms, notably Bollore African Logistics, a French firm initially thought to be favoured, according to Somaliland Sun. No tender record, bid dates or bid values are shown.

The cabinet approved the DP World contract, Somaliland Sun reported, citing a unanimous vote. The report says the contract was entered upon by the governments of Somaliland and the United Arab Emirates in May 2016. Somaliland is not internationally recognised, and the report called the enticement of a major foreign firm investing in the country a diplomatic coup.

## Questions

### What were the Berbera port workers' specific fears?

Workers feared losing their jobs once DP World started implementing its contract to manage and develop the port.

### What assurances did the government provide?

Ministers told workers none would lose their jobs and said the contract contains a clause to retain all current employees as part of a projected increase to 3000.

### Will there be job losses or changes in employment terms?

The government claimed there would be no job losses, but the report provides no evidence of implementation or employment outcomes after 2 August 2016.

## Sources

- [Somaliland: Government Allays Berbera Port Workers Fears over DP World](https://somalilandsun.com/somaliland-government-allays-berbera-port-workers-fears-over-dp-world/) — Somaliland Sun, 2016-08-02