In brief
- On 11 June 2019, Somaliland Standard reported an agreement in principle for a new road between Lawya'Adde and Borama, connecting to Jig'Jiga in Ethiopia, without Somaliland government consent.
- The report, citing unnamed sources, said the governments of Djibouti and Ethiopia and the federal entity in Mogadishu reached the agreement, and that the EU, World Bank, and African Development Bank would jointly fund it.
- No confirmation, documentation, or updates on the proposal have emerged since the article.
On 11 June 2019, Somaliland Standard reported that an agreement in principle had been reached to construct a new major road between Lawya'Adde and Borama, with a connection to Jig'Jiga in Ethiopia. According to the report, the agreement was reached by the governments of Djibouti and Ethiopia, along with the federal entity in Mogadishu, while the Somaliland government under President Muse Bihi Abdi was neither a signatory nor a participant in discussions.
The report, written by Ahmed Kheyre and citing unnamed sources, stated that the new road was to be funded jointly by the European Union, the World Bank, and the African Development Bank. However, it said that sources indicated the Somaliland government was not made aware of the project or its planning meetings.
Somaliland Standard's article asserted that such a development project could not plausibly take place in Somaliland without the consent of the administration. It also claimed that the involvement of the federal entity in Mogadishu had no authority within Somaliland's territorial borders and was designed to cause friction within communities.
According to the report, reliable sources said the funding parties had expressed concern about the feasibility of the project without Somaliland government participation and approval. The report further indicated that the Djibouti government had convinced the funding group to proceed, apparently guaranteeing the co-operation of President Muse Bihi Abdi's administration.
As of the 11 June 2019 publication, the Somaliland government had not commented on or clarified its involvement in the proposed project.
The report provides no documentation of any signed agreement or memorandum of understanding. It also contains no statements from the governments of Djibouti, Ethiopia, or the federal entity in Mogadishu, nor from the European Union, World Bank, or African Development Bank. Project value, funding amounts, timelines, and technical specifications are absent.
No update on the status of the proposal has been reported since the article appeared. Whether the road project progressed, stalled, or was abandoned remains unknown.
Frequently asked questions
Who made the proposal?
According to the Somaliland Standard report, the agreement in principle was reached by the governments of Djibouti and Ethiopia, along with the federal entity in Mogadishu.
What road is proposed?
A new major road between Lawya'Adde and Borama, with a connection to Jig'Jiga in Ethiopia.
Why was government consent not sought?
The report does not explain the reasons behind the lack of consent. It states only that the Somaliland government was neither a signatory nor a participant, and was reportedly unaware of the planning meetings.