In brief
- Somaliland Standard reported on 2021-06-10 that the finance minister unveiled construction of a new marketplace in Tog-wajale, part of Berbera Corridor projects.
- The report attributed funding to HAVAYOCO and Trade Mark, and said the market includes a resting room and sanitation.
- The 2021 report does not establish the market's current status, cost, or contractor, nor whether other announced corridor components have advanced.
On 10 June 2021, Somaliland Standard reported that the Minister of Finance, Dr. Saad Ali Shire, led a delegation that unveiled construction of a new marketplace in Tog-wajale as part of the Berbera Corridor projects.
The report said the delegation included Gebiley regional and district officials, Trade Mark East Africa officials, and Wajaale Mayor Abdirahman. The mayor welcomed the construction, describing it as a long-term development for the people of Wajale.
According to Somaliland Standard, the mayor thanked HAVAYOCO and Trade Mark for funding the project. The report did not state the project cost or name a contractor.
An unnamed Trade Mark official, quoted in the report, described the previous conditions for women traders as unacceptable, with no sanitation. The official said the new marketplace includes a resting room and sanitation.
Somaliland Standard said the Finance Minister stated that management of the new marketplace construction falls to the Wajaale Mayor, requiring effective maintenance and hygiene protection. The minister also said they wanted Tog-Wajale to become the largest commercial city in the Horn of Africa.
The report described other Berbera Corridor components to be implemented in Tog-wajale, including new customs, a by-pass, parking for transit trucks and an industrial zone. It did not state their status or funding.
Somaliland Standard's report as of 10 June 2021 did not state that the marketplace had been completed, only that construction was unveiled. It did not say whether traders were using it, nor whether any other announced corridor works had advanced.
Frequently asked questions
What did the Wajale market include according to the 2021 report?
According to Somaliland Standard, the new marketplace included a resting room and sanitation, contrasting with previous conditions described as lacking sanitation.
Who funded the Wajale marketplace project?
The Wajaale District Mayor thanked HAVAYOCO and Trade Mark for funding the project, as reported by Somaliland Standard. No funding amounts were disclosed.
How does the market support cross-border trade with Ethiopia?
The report did not detail trade flows. It placed the market within Berbera Corridor projects at Tog-wajale, near the Ethiopian border, and quoted the Finance Minister's ambition for Tog-Wajale to become the largest commercial city in the Horn of Africa.