In brief
- On 28 October 2023, Somaliland Standard reported that Dahabshiil Group built and opened a bridge in Burao, with chairman Haji Mohamed Said Duale presiding.
- The report names no cost, contractor, engineering specification or construction timeline.
- Nothing in the report establishes the bridge's status after the inauguration event.
On 28 October 2023, Somaliland Standard reported that the Dahabshiil Group built a modern bridge in Burao (Burco) and that its chairman, Haji Mohamed Said Duale, officially opened it. According to the report, the opening was an official event presided over by Duale, and the bridge was implemented by Dahabshiil in the city of Burco.
The same report records the Governor of Togdher region, Mohammed Nafaqo, calling on the Burao community to pray for Dahabshiil and its chairman for the construction of the bridge. The governor said Dahabshiil had dealt with various aspects of public interest and urged other companies to follow suit. According to the report, the bridge would be called Dahabshil Bridge.
Officials of the Burao community who spoke, as reported by Somaliland Standard, said that when a flood swept the Burao community, Dahabshil promised to build a bridge at the site. Somaliland Standard also reported that Duale said the place where the bridge was built had been a danger to the community and that Dahabshiil solved that problem.
What the report does not establish
The report does not give a project cost, a funder, or any procurement or contracting terms. It does not name a contractor, consultant, engineer or designer. It does not give bridge specifications such as length, width, load capacity, materials or number of lanes. It does not state when construction began or ended.
Nothing in the report establishes the bridge's status after 28 October 2023. It does not record a completion certificate, an engineering record or any third-party verification. Whether the crossing is in use, and whether it has been handed over to the Burao municipality, are not answered by the evidence.
The date of the flood that prompted the promise is also unstated. The speaker who said the bridge would be named Dahabshil Bridge is not fully identified in the report beyond the governor's statement, and the speaker who called on other companies to join Dahabshiil is not named.
Read the original report: Somaliland Standard.
Frequently asked questions
What is the current status of the Dahabshiil Bridge in Burao?
The evidence does not establish the bridge's status after the 28 October 2023 inauguration reported by Somaliland Standard. No completion certificate, handover or operational record is provided.
What are the technical specifications and cost of the bridge?
The report gives no cost and no specifications. Length, width, load capacity, materials and number of lanes are not stated.
Who was the contractor and designer?
Somaliland Standard reports that Dahabshiil implemented the bridge. No contractor, consultant, engineer or designer is named in the report.