Somaliland: Commerce Minister and Berbera Port Manager Embark on West Africa Tour-(Video)

By: Abdirisak Itaqile

Hargeisa, 02 Feb 2014 (SDN) –Somaliland’s Minister of Commerce and International Investment, Dr. Mohamed Abdilahi Omer accompanied by Bebera port director, Eng. Ali Omer Horhor has flown out of the country today in a trip to Nigeria and Congo. The purpose of the trip is to observe the developments made by Bolloré Africa Logistics’ in the management of ports of Pointe-Noire, Congo and Lagos, Nigeria.

While speaking to the press prior to his departure, Minister of Commerce & Investment said, “We are going to visit Nigeria and Congo to observe and evaluate the developments made by Bolloré Africa Logistics’s managed ports of Pointe-Noire, Congo and Tincan, Lagos, Nigeria”.

Somaliland Government and Bolloré Africa Logistics have been in talks for the last three years over the development of Berbera Port.

In 2009, through a public-private partnership, Bolloré Africa Logistics was awarded a 27-year concession for the container terminal at the port of Pointe-Noire.

Similarly, in June 2006, the Lagos Port Authority awarded a 20-year concession for the container terminal at the port of Tincan to Bolloré Africa Logistics.

Bolloré Africa Logistics is the number one operator in Africa, both in terms of ports (15) and TEUs handled.

For Bolloré Africa Logistics, the Berbera project is part of a wider strategy. The group, which has a strong port presence in western and central Africa, wants to expand those port activities to eastern Africa, where it already has logistics activities. In recent years, it won port concessions in Moroni (Comoros) and in Pemba (Mozambique).

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