DP World Accused of Failing Berbera Airport Provision

On 26 August 2021, Somali Dispatch reported that DP World had failed to implement a provision of the Berbera airport agreement signed with the Somaliland government the previous year. The report, citing the Director of the Somaliland Civil Aviation Authority, did not include a response from DP World.

Director Omar Sayid told the Somaliland House of Representatives that the agreement was to turn Berbera Airport into a military base and build another civil airport, according to the report. Sayid said that DP World had not built the airport as agreed and had informed the Somaliland government that the reason was the cost of repairing the port and the construction of the Berbera Road.

In his account as reported by Somali Dispatch, Sayid said the plan was for Berbera Airport to be a base for the UAE government and for another airport to be built. He added that after lengthy discussion, DP World told Somaliland that port expansion and the Berbera corridor had increased their expense.

Sayid also stated that this airport clause was the only provision of the agreement reached between the UAE and Somaliland that was not implemented. The report describes the agreement as signed with the Somaliland government, while Sayid refers to an agreement between the UAE and Somaliland, leaving ambiguity about the counterparty.

Somali Dispatch noted that UAE has good relations with the Somaliland government, with DP World taking full control of the port of Berbera, an important source of revenue for Somaliland.

The report did not establish what has happened with the airport agreement since 26 August 2021, and it did not include a response from DP World to the allegation.