In brief
- On October 5, 2013, Somaliland Sun reported Vice President Abdirahman Abdillahi Seili'i saying that Hargeisa International Airport (Egal) required $27 million for a complete upgrade to a high-class international port.
- The report does not establish that the upgrade was ever funded, started, or completed, nor does it provide any subsequent evidence of progress at the airport.
- The VP also mentioned a $10 million Kuwaiti grant divided between Hargeisa and Berbera airports and an expected additional $5 million Kuwaiti grant for hangars and a runway, but the status of those grants was not confirmed.
On 5 October 2013, Somaliland Sun reported that Hargeisa International Airport, also known as Egal Airport, required $27 million for a complete upgrade to a high-class international port. The figure came from Vice President Abdirahman Abdillahi Seili'i, who said a feasibility study had shown the cost. The report does not establish what, if anything, has happened since that announcement.
The vice president said at the time that face-lifting works at the airport were "going on as per projected", and that the government had allocated an amount of 4.5, with no currency specified, for those facelifts. He said remaining fencing and assorted issues were to be done swiftly.
Seili'i disclosed that of a $10 million Kuwaiti grant, one million was spent on the feasibility study and the rest divided between Hargeisa and Berbera airports. He said a further $5 million Kuwaiti grant was expected to build Hargeisa airport hangars, an additional runway and other areas. The report does not state whether those grants were signed or disbursed.
The vice president also claimed the national budget had increased since his administration came into office three years earlier and then stood at 75 million USD plus. This figure was not independently verified in the report. It is unclear if the 4.5 allocation relates to millions or another unit.
The Somaliland Sun piece also covered the vice president's remarks on Turkish investment, corruption allegations linked to the Genel saga, opposition appeals to foreigners, and the Somalia/Somaliland talks, none of which are directly material to the airport upgrade. No subsequent publicly reported evidence on funding, tendering, construction progress, or completion of the $27 million upgrade was supplied to SCR.
Frequently asked questions
What specific upgrades are planned for Egal Airport?
The report mentions face-lifting works, fencing, hangars, an additional runway and assorted issues, but does not give a detailed engineering scope.
Who will fund the $27 million upgrade?
The vice president did not identify a funding source for the full $27 million. He mentioned Kuwaiti grants of $10 million and $5 million, but their exact status was unclear.
Has a contractor been selected or tender issued?
The 2013 report does not mention a contractor or tender for the airport upgrade.