In brief
- On 27 April 2015, Somaliland Sun reported that DP World was not contracted to operate Berbera port, contradicting its earlier report that named DP as beneficiary.
- An unnamed senior official told Somaliland Sun that DP World and P&O Ports are separate companies and denied that DP World was offered the contract.
- President Ahmed Mahmud Silanyo said his administration was consulting four firms, including DP World, while P&O Ports chairman Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem said P&O Ports had signed an MoU for preliminary discussions.
On 27 April 2015, Somaliland Sun reported that DP World was not contracted to handle operations at Berbera port, attributing the denial to an unnamed senior official who spoke by phone.
The clarification came after the outlet had published an article titled “Emirates P&O Ports Set for Berbera Port Operational Development Contract,” in which DP World was named as beneficiary of a purported contract.
Somaliland Sun reported that the senior official said DP World, a global marine terminal operator, and P&O Ports, a subsidiary of Ports, Customs and Freezone Corporation (PCFC), are two separate companies. The official denied that DP World had been offered what the outlet described as a decades-long, multi-million dollar contract entailing 100% operational authority, expansion of infrastructure, and management of container handling services at Berbera.
The same article noted that DP World is listed on Nasdaq Dubai and that erroneous reports could confuse investors and the financial market.
President Ahmed Mahmud Silanyo, as reported by Somaliland Sun, said his administration was in consultation with four foreign firms: Bollore (France), DP World (UAE), Prime Africa (KSA), and Kuwaiti Logistics (Kuwait).
Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, chairman of PCFC, was quoted by Somaliland Sun as saying that P&O Ports had signed MoUs to enter preliminary discussions with various governments, including Somaliland, to enhance port infrastructure, singling out Berbera port.
Somaliland Sun also noted that rumours had circulated for over two years alleging that the Emirati firm would soon run Berbera operations, and that there were unconfirmed rumours of a split within the Somaliland presidency, with one faction favouring DP World and another fronting for PCFC.
Frequently asked questions
What was the erroneous report about DP World?
Somaliland Sun had earlier published an article titled “Emirates P&O Ports Set for Berbera Port Operational Development Contract” naming DP World as beneficiary of the Berbera port contract.
What is the official position of the Somaliland government?
An unnamed senior official told Somaliland Sun that DP World was not offered the contract, and President Silanyo said his administration was consulting with four firms including DP World.
Does DP World have any existing agreements with Somaliland?
According to Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, PCFC chairman, P&O Ports signed MoUs for preliminary discussions with various governments including Somaliland, but no specific agreement with DP World is documented in the article.