Friday, July 5, 2025 — HAN
The President of Puntland Regional Administration, Said Abdullahi Deni, has confirmed that the port of Gara’ad will soon be handed over to a company from the United Arab Emirates that plans to invest in its development.
Speaking in Ba’adweyne, Mudug region, Mr. Deni said, “The Gara’ad Port, which has been of great importance, has been the subject of technical discussions between Wadaagsin Company and a company from the UAE that intends to take over the port and invest in its development.”
He added, “The two companies have been holding negotiations independently, without government interference, and they have now finalized all the technical matters. I hope the implementation of this agreement will proceed as soon as possible.”
President Deni also announced plans for the construction of a road linking Gara’ad Port to the Tuurdibi customs post in Galdogob district. This road is expected to facilitate the transport of goods from the port to Ethiopia.
However, the news has sparked concern among some Somali nationalists, who have described the agreement as illegitimate. They argue that such deals should be between two governments, not private entities.
“This is another blow to Somali sovereignty,” said Aliyow, a well-known nationalist speaking from Mogadishu.
The naked aggression of the United Arab Emirates government is a violation of Somalia’s sovereignty. However, history will remember the UAE, as they have forgotten how we supported them during difficult times when they were in poverty and had no access to oil.” Said Rijaal Warfan, a retired Somali military officer, contacted HAN News Agency.
