In brief
- On 11 March 2020, Horn Diplomat reported that Somaliland's foreign minister denied claims that Ethiopia suspended its 19% stake in Berbera Port.
- The minister called the report 'baseless and fake', but Horn Diplomat did not provide primary evidence for either the suspension or the denial.
- The article does not establish what has happened to the stake since the denial.
On 11 March 2020, Horn Diplomat reported that Somaliland's government had refuted an Ethiopian newspaper report that Ethiopia suspended its 19 per cent share in the new development of Berbera Port.
Horn Diplomat cited a statement by Somaliland Minister of Foreign Affairs Yasin Hagi Mohamud Faraton to local newspaper Geeska Afrika. The minister said: "There is no change of the Ethiopian shares of Berbera port, It is baseless and fake. Nothing has changed."
The Ethiopian Capital Newspaper had reported on 9 March 2020 that Ethiopia took a 19 percent share in the new development of Berbera Port, but that the project was fully suspended that week. Horn Diplomat reported the ownership split as Ethiopia 19 per cent, Somaliland 30 per cent and DP World 51 per cent, but did not cite a primary shareholder or port-operator record.
The report also said Ethiopia and Somaliland had partnered with DP World and the government of the United Arab Emirates to rebuild the port of Berbera. It added that the UAE and the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development Construction company were building a 250-kilometre dual carriageway between Berbera and the Ethiopian border town of Togwajale.
Horn Diplomat's article does not include the original Ethiopian Capital Newspaper report, so its exact claims and evidence cannot be verified. No date is given for the minister's denial. No contract reference, value, start date, or completion status is provided for the port development or the road.
The report leaves unresolved whether Ethiopia's share was actually suspended. Since the denial was published, no further evidence from the article establishes what has happened to the stake.
Frequently asked questions
What exactly did the Somaliland Foreign Minister say?
According to Horn Diplomat's 11 March 2020 report, Minister Yasin Hagi Mohamud Faraton told Geeska Afrika: "There is no change of the Ethiopian shares of Berbera port, It is baseless and fake. Nothing has changed."
Which media outlets reported the suspension?
Horn Diplomat cited the Ethiopian Capital Newspaper, which on 9 March 2020 reported that Ethiopia took a 19 percent share in the new development of Berbera Port but that the project was fully suspended that week.
What is the evidence for either claim?
Horn Diplomat's article does not include the original Ethiopian Capital Newspaper report or any primary shareholder or port-operator record. The ownership percentages are attributed to Horn Diplomat without a cited primary source.