Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Somaliland: Pact with Ethiopia to Enhance Economic interdependence


MoU signed in Hargeisa Establishes "Ministerial Commission" to Further Bi-Lateral Relations between the two countries
President Silanyo (6th L) poses with both Ethiopian and Spmaliland officials after Bi-lateral discussi0ns at the presidency in Hargeisa on 13th Nov 014President Silanyo (6th L) poses with both Ethiopian and Spmaliland officials after Bi-lateral discussi0ns at the presidency in Hargeisa on 13th Nov 014
Somalilandsun - A strong desire of the governments and peoples of Ethiopia and Somaliland to further strengthen the overall friendly relations being tied up with geographical proximity, historical interdependence and shared culture exists and is under consolidation and more importantly strengthening.

This is per a Memorandum of Understanding-MoU signed between the two governments following the visit to Somaliland by a high level delegation from Ethiopia.
Below is a press statement released by the Trade office at the Ethiopian Consulate in Hargeisa detailing full details of the delegations activities in Somaliland and poignant facts of the MoU.

A high level Ethiopian delegation concludes Working visit in Somaliland with a signed MoU
A high level Ethiopian delegation comprising of ministers, deputy ministers, director generals and other senior government officials concluded recently a visit in Somaliland where members of the delegation held several discussions with Somaliland officials on the status of existing trade, investment and infrastructure cooperation and ways of further consolidating them. The delegation also made site visits to see the status of the Berbera port, the roads linking Ethiopia to parts of Somaliland including Berbera as well as the capabilities if Somaliland fuel storage facilities. The two sides have concluded this round of discussion by signing an MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) and naming a fourteen member joint "Ministerial Commission" which comprises seven ministers from each side.
The Ethiopian delegation with officials from the hosting government of somaliland at Berbewra portThe Ethiopian delegation with officials from the hosting government of somaliland at Berbewra port
Both sides have also agreed to establish "Joint Coordination Committee". The visit followed from the strong desire of the governments and peoples of Ethiopia and Somaliland to further strengthen the overall friendly relations being tied up with geographical proximity, historical interdependence and shared culture.

Included in the Ethiopian delegation were the Minister of Finance and Economic Development, H.E Ato Sufian Ahmed, the Minister of Transport , H.E Ato Workneh Gebeyehu, State Minister of MoFED H.E. Ahmed Shide, Brigadier General Berhe Tesfaye, Consul General of Ethiopia in Somaliland, H.E. Ato Ahmed Tussa, Director, Maritime and logistics services, Dr. Getachew Betru, Director General, National Railway Corporation, Amb. Solomon Abebe, Director General, African Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ato Kokeb Misrak, Director, Bilateral Cooperation, MoFED, Ato Wassihum Abate, Director, Legal Service, MoFED, Ato Bekele Negussie, Deputy Director General Ethiopian Road Authority and Ato Takele Getaneh, a business counselor of the Consulate General.

In a state dinner at the Presidential palace, Somaliland President Ahmed Mohamed Mahmud Silanyo who said "Ethiopia has been and will be a good friend of Somaliland and have a very close relationship" also promised "not only to maintain prevalent existing relations but to strengthen them in the future". Ethiopia's Minister of Finance and Economic Development Ato Sufian Ahmed who led the Ethiopian delegation on his part appreciated Somaliland's track record of "political stability and security" which will help Somaliland to become a "secured destination for international business". Somaliland Foreign Minister and International Cooperation on his part appreciated the visit and the signed MoU followed by a nominated a joint technical committee which will commence operation on 8th December. Ethiopia's Consul General Brigadier General Berhe Tesfaye who noted that the visit by the high level Ethiopian delegation which follows from his office's continued effort in convincing the high level Ethiopian officials for the technical level economic and security sector negotiations to be reinforced by high level discussions also underlined the importance of giving significance to the move and exercise maximum commitment to the implementation of tasks outlined in the MoU.
Somaliland officials brief EThiopian team at the Berbera fuel depotSomaliland officials brief EThiopian team at the Berbera fuel depot
Up on conclusion of the visit, the Ethiopian delegation which has expressed its satisfaction on the growing trade and investment relations also appreciated development efforts being made by the Somaliland Government of expanding the capacities of its ports and fuel storage facilities, as well as the maintenance works on roads linking the two sides and all the way to Berbera port. It also noted the Ethiopian Government's desire to use the ports full current pottential more than ever before and underlines the importance to work together to realize a breakthrough expansion of the ports and the full development of corridors and signed a Memorandum of understanding with clear objectives, identified areas of cooperation and implementation mechanisms.

The MoU was signed with the objectives to develop and expand a framework of cooperation and partnership in trade, investment and infrastructure development between the two sides based on the principles of equality, mutual benefit, mutual understanding, respect and trust. These include full cooperation, including through experience sharing, in infrastructure development and utilization such as road and railway interconnectivity, hydropower interconnection and renewable energy, airports and air cargo services, study and utilization of Somaliland ports including Berbera as well as infrastructure maintenance and management. Also included were the need to further strengthening the growing trade and investment relations by addressing any existing minor or major obstacles as well as the need to develop a plan which will help to reach at an agreement which will codify the range of tax free and preferential tariffs that will be allocated to goods originating from both sides or re-exported by them in order to achieve greater equality of trade relations.
In this regard, both sides underlined the importance of support actions to achieve those goals including by creating and facilitating businessBrigadier Gen Berhe Tesfaye the Ethiopian consul general is credit with enhancing Ethio-SL bilateral relations Brigadier Gen Berhe Tesfaye the Ethiopian consul general is credit with enhancing Ethio-SL bilateral relations promotion events such as industrial exhibitions, trade fairs, seminars and symposia to private sectors of both sides and support for trade and investment promotion activities; encouraging the cooperation between the two sides' relevant institutions including the chambers of commerce for experience sharing, training and information exchange on regional and global goods and services as well as to jointly identify additional possible areas of trade and investment potentials which could generate trade flows between the two sides and to third parties.

With an MoU signed at Ambassador Hotel in Hargeisa, the two sides have established a 14 member "Joint Ministerial Commission" consisting of seven ministers from each side and tasked to hold meetings bi-annually, or as the parties may agree, to discuss on strategic issues outlined in the MoU and pass decisions and directions for implementation. To this end, both sides have agreed to establish a "Joint Coordination Committee (JCC)" which will meet periodically to coordinate and monitor the implementation of the projects and terms agreed in the MoU; prepare and implement a work program and place it for consideration before the Ministerial Commission for approval as well as prepare quarterly progress reports to the Commission.

During a preparatory discussion held at Mansoor Hotel with the Somaliland Minister of Foreign Affairs, Brigadier General Berhe Tesfay briefed the Foreign Minister of Ethiopian Government's readiness to put in place a negotiated approach and sign a comprehensive agreement at the higher level which will help to jointly seek international financers which could provide funds to be utilized to develop the ports and the common corridors along with the necessary road interconnectivities which could ensure an ease to the services. This has so far been not too far from being realized if both sides could renew their commitment with equal pace.
Somaliland Foreign minister M Behi Younis and-Ethiopian-fInance-Minister-Ato Sufian Ahmed exchange signed MoU at Ambassador hotel HargeisaSomaliland Foreign minister M Behi Younis and-Ethiopian-fInance-Minister-Ato Sufian Ahmed exchange signed MoU at Ambassador hotel Hargeisa
So far the commitment being seen from both sides is encouraging as technical committees from Ethiopia and Somaliland held several rounds of discussions with a view to sign a mutually beneficial comprehensive economic cooperation agreement which will help to enhance trade and investment flows, create affordable power and road interconnectivity, peace and stability and economic and social interdependence which would pave a way to regional integration as outlined in the IGAD and AU regional integration plans. The visit by the high level Ethiopian delegation was an indication of the mutual desire to complement the technical level negotiations with the highest possible levels of discussions so that the whole process could be expedited.

A number of feasibility studies made by several independent bodies have shown that developing the Berbera port and the Ethio-Somaliland common corridors will enhance the economic interdependence of the peoples and Governments of Ethiopia and Somaliland and contribute a lot in realizing IGAD's initiative of integrating the Horn of Africa region. IGAD's integration plan, among many other things, puts significant importance on the need of diversifying options for affordable port and transport services which would accommodate the present and future volumes of import and export goods of the rapidly booming economies of the member countries. And Ethiopia is among the advocates of the need to realizing IGAD's integration plan as it has in a number of occasions repeatedly expressed its readiness to use its 30% of its total port traffic through Berbera if up to the standard and affordable developments could be undertaken by any feasible means.
Senior Ethiopian officials at the Somaliland presidency in Hargeisa Senior Ethiopian officials at the Somaliland presidency in Hargeisa
This, as a number of Ethiopian officials said, will help to create a win-win economic and social interdependence between the peoples of Ethiopia and Somaliland without affecting Ethiopia's well established interdependence with Djibouti. Such a notion comes from the verifiable belief of the Ethiopian Government as it is working to double its GDP every seven to eight years and put the nation among the middle income economies by 2025 and that this necessitates the proliferation of extra port services which will affordably accommodate with an ease the huge import and export demands of the economic blow.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...

Recent Articles

  • Ethiopian Health Professionals Association Urges Govt to Promptly Respond to Health Workers' Demands Amid Pre-Strike Demonstrations
     Dagmawi Melnilik Hospital, which was later upgraded to a referral hospital, is the nation’s first hospital, built in 1909.Addis Standard (Addis Ababa)As health professionals across Ethiopia stage pre-strike demonstrations demanding improved salaries, benefits, and working conditions, the...
    May-13 - 2025 | More »
  • Commentary: Why Ethiopian university lecturers' strike failed: A cautionary tale for health professionals
     The moment of release of the detained teachers’ coordinators, greeted by fellow teachers awaiting their return. Photo: Provided by the writerIn 2022, Ethiopian university lecturers launched a year-long social media campaign  and subsequent threat for indefinite...
    May-13 - 2025 | More »
  • ሰባት ኢትዮጵያውያን ስደተኞችን ወደ ባሕሩ ጣሏቸው'፡ ትኩረት ያላገኘው የስደት መንገድ
     መሐመድ አብዱላሂ ሞሐሙድ 35 ዓመቱ ነው።ከጂቡቲ ወደ የመን በጀልባ ያደረገውን የስደት ጉዞ አይረሳውም። በ20ዎቹ ዕድሜ ሳለ ነበር የተሰደደው።ሶማሊያን ጥሎ የወጣው የተሻለ ሕይወት ፍለጋ ነበር።ከአፍሪካ ወደ የመን የሚደረገው ስደተኞች የሚጓዙበት መንገድ 'ምሥራቃዊው ኮሪደር' በሚል ይታወቃል።በብዛት ስደተኞች ከሚጓዙባቸው መንገዶች አንደኛው ነው። እምብዛም ግን ትኩረት አላገኘም።ይህ መንገድ በጣም አደገኛው እንደሆነም መሐመድ ይናገራል።"መንገድ ጀምረን 30 ደቂቃ...
    May-08 - 2025 | More »
  • ሐኪም በመሆኔ ያተረፍኩት ድኅነትን ነው" የኢትዮጵያ ጤና ባለሙያዎች እሮሮ እና ጥያቄ
     የደሞዝ እና የጥቅማ ጥቅም ጥያቄ ያነሱ የጤና ባለሙያዎች መንግሥት ለጥያቄዎቻቸው ምላሽ የማይሰጥ ከሆነ የሥራ ማቆም አድማ እንደሚመቱ ተናገሩ።ባለሙያዎቹ ጥያቄዎቻቸውን ለመንግሥት ማቅረባቸውን የተናገሩ ሲሆን፤ ምላሽ እንዲሰጣቸውም የ30 ቀናት ቀነ ገደብ ከሰጡ ሳምንታት ተቆጥረዋል።የጤና ባለሙያዎቹ "መኖር አቅቶናል" ያሉ ሲሆን፤ በተለያዩ መንገዶች ድምፃቸውን እያሰሙ ነው።ሐኪም ለመሆን 23 ዓመታትን በትምህርት እንዳሳለፉ ለቢቢሲ የተናገሩት ዶ/ር ይማም እንድሪስ...
    May-08 - 2025 | More »
  • በአዳማ ከተማ እየተካሄደ ነው ስለሚባለው 'አፈሳ' የነዋሪዎች ስጋት
     ከሁለት ሳምንት በፊት ጀምሮ በኦሮሚያ የተለያዩ አካባቢዎች ወጣቶች ከመንገድ እየታፈሱመሆናቸውን ወላጆች፣ ወጣቶች እና ፖለቲከኞች በተለያዩ ማኅበራዊ ሚዲያዎች ላይ እየገለፁ ነው።ቢቢሲ ያነጋገራቸው የከተማ ነዋሪዎችም በግዳጅ የታፈሱ ወጣቶችን እንደሚያውቁ እና እነርሱም ባለባቸው ስጋት የተነሳ ድንገት ከተያዝን በሚል "ገንዘብ ይዘው እንደሚንቀሳቀሱ" ተናግረዋል።ቢቢሲ ከአዲስ አበባ አንድ መቶ ኪሎ ሜትር ያህል ርቃ በምትገኘው በአዳማ ከተማ የሚገኝ እና ከመንገድ ላይ...
    May-05 - 2025 | More »
  • ሰባት ኢትዮጵያውያን ስደተኞችን ወደ ባሕሩ ጣሏቸው'፡ ትኩረት ያላገኘው የስደት መንገድ
     መሐመድ አብዱላሂ ሞሐሙድ 35 ዓመቱ ነው።ከጂቡቲ ወደ የመን በጀልባ ያደረገውን የስደት ጉዞ አይረሳውም። በ20ዎቹ ዕድሜ ሳለ ነበር የተሰደደው።ሶማሊያን ጥሎ የወጣው የተሻለ ሕይወት ፍለጋ ነበር።ከአፍሪካ ወደ የመን የሚደረገው ስደተኞች የሚጓዙበት መንገድ 'ምሥራቃዊው ኮሪደር' በሚል ይታወቃል።በብዛት ስደተኞች ከሚጓዙባቸው መንገዶች አንደኛው ነው። እምብዛም ግን ትኩረት አላገኘም።ይህ መንገድ በጣም አደገኛው እንደሆነም መሐመድ ይናገራል።"መንገድ ጀምረን 30 ደቂቃ...
    May-05 - 2025 | More »
  • Ethiopia’s civil war: what’s behind the Amhara rebellion?
     Ethiopia is in the grip of a civil war between federal government forces and the Fano, a loose alliance of ethnic-based militia in the Amhara region.This conflict in Ethiopia’s north erupted less than a year after the devastating Tigray war, which ended in...
    Apr-28 - 2025 | More »
  • በቀን ከ14 ሺህ ቶን በላይ የዓሣ ምርት ከታላቁ የኢትዮጵያ ሕዳሴ ግድብ እየተመረተ ነው!
     በቀን ከ14 ሺህ ቶን በላይ የዓሣ ምርት ከታላቁ የኢትዮጵያ ሕዳሴ ግድብ እየተመረተ ነው!ከታላቁ የኢትዮጵያ ሕዳሴ ግድብ በቀን ከ14 ሺህ ቶን በላይ የዓሣ ምርት የሚገኝበት አቅም መፈጠሩን በግብርና ሚኒስቴር ዓሣ ሀብት ልማት ዴስክ ሃላፊ ዶክተር ፋሲል ዳዊት ገለጹ። ኢትዮጵያ እምቅ የዓሣ ሀብት ቢኖራትም በተለያዩ ተግዳሮቶች ምክንያት በዘርፉ ተጠቃሚ ሳትሆን መቆየቷን በግብርና ሚኒስቴር ዓሣ ሀብት ልማት ዴስክ ሃላፊ ዶክተር ፋሲል ዳዊት ተናግረዋል። በሀገር ደረጃ...
    Mar-26 - 2025 | More »
  • የአፍሪካ ህብረት ኮሚሽን ሊቀመንበር ደፋር ማሻሻያዎችን እና አፍሪካን የሚመሩ መፍትሄዎችን ከፒአርሲ ጋር የመጀመሪያ ስብሰባ ላይ አሳሰቡ!
     የአፍሪካ ህብረት ኮሚሽን ሊቀመንበር ደፋር ማሻሻያዎችን እና አፍሪካን የሚመሩ መፍትሄዎችን ከፒአርሲ ጋር የመጀመሪያ ስብሰባ ላይ አሳሰቡ!የመጀመርያው የቋሚ ተወካዮች ኮሚቴ (PRC) እና አዲስ የተሾሙት የአፍሪካ ህብረት ኮሚሽን አመራር አባላት ዛሬ በአዲስ አበባ ተካሂደዋል። ስብሰባውን በኤች.ኢ. ማህሙድ አሊ የሱፍ፣ የAUC ሊቀመንበር እና ኤች.ኢ. በአፍሪካ ህብረት የአንጎላ ሪፐብሊክ ቋሚ ተወካይ እና የፒአርሲ ሊቀመንበር አምባሳደር ፕሮፌሰር ሚጌል ሴሳር...
    Mar-18 - 2025 | More »
  • ፀሐይ ባለበት የቫይታሚን D እጥረት ለምን?
     ለሰውነታችን ጠቃሚ የሆነው ቫይታሚን ዲ የሚገኘው በፀሐይ ጨረር አማካኝነት በተፈጥሮ ሂደት ነው። ኢትዮጵያ ዓመቱን ሙሉ የፀሐይ ብርሃንና ሙቀት የምታገኝ ሀገር ብትሆንም በቅርቡ የወጣ መረጃ ብዙዎች የቫይታሚን ዲ እጥረት እንዳለባቸው  ያመለክታል። ለምን ይሆን?ቫይታሚን ዲየቫይታሚን ዲ እጥረት በመላው ዓለም ሰዎች ላይ ስለሚታይ አሳሳቢ መሆኑ ይነገራል። በተለይ በዓመት ውስጥ የፀሐይ ብርሃንም ሆነ ሙቀቷን በውስን ወራት ብቻ በሚያገኙ የሰሜኑ ንፍቀ ክበብ...
    Mar-18 - 2025 | More »
  • "እንደ አሮጌ ምንጣፍ የተጣለ" - የቻይና መንግሥት ጋዜጣ የቪኦኤ በጀት እንዲቋረጥ መወሰኑን አወደሰ!
     የቻይና መንግሥት ጋዜጣ የአሜሪካው ፕሬዝንት ዶናልድ ትራምፕ የአሜሪካ ድምፅ (ቪኦኤ) በጀት እንዲቋረጥ መወሰናቸውን አወደሰ።የአሜሪካ ድምፅ (ቪኦኤ) እና ራድዮ ፍሪ እስያ (አርኤፍኤ) በቻይና መንግሥት ዙሪያ ለዓመታት ሲዘግቡ የቆዩ ሲሆን ትራምፕ የጣቢያዎቹ በጀት እንዲቀነስ ወስነዋል።ውሳኔው የተላለፈው ባለፈው አርብ ነው። 1300 የቪኦኤ ሠራተኞች በግዴታ እረፍት እንዲወጡ ተነግሯቸዋል።ተቺዎች ውሳኔው ዲሞክራሲን ወደኋላ የሚጎትት ነው ቢሉም ግሎባል ታይምስ...
    Mar-18 - 2025 | More »
  • Killings, abductions, funding shortfalls stifle WFP relief efforts across Ethiopia!
     Killings, abductions, funding shortfalls stifle WFP relief efforts across Ethiopia!Eight personnel dead as org. takes USD 30mln loan to sustain operationsThe World Food Program says security concerns are straining its ability to deliver crucial aid assistance in Ethiopia as no less than eight...
    Sept-15 - 2024 | More »
  • Ethiopia : Dialogue Commission wants gov’t to create “enabling condition
     Professor Mesfin Araya, Chief of the Dialogue Commission (Photo credit : DW Amharic)The National Dialogue Commission on Thursday presented its performance report to the parliament. Unusual about it was that this meeting took place in a hotel, not at the parliament building. The practice...
    June-30 - 2024 | More »
  • Struggles of High-Rise Living
     Located on the western outskirts of AddisAbaba, the Asko 40/60 condominium towers stand tall, promising a modern lifestyle but delivering a daily ordeal for its residents. Among them is Melat Kasa, a pregnant mother of two young children aged 4 and 6, who lives on the 13th floor. “I’ve been...
    June-30 - 2024 | More »
  • TPLF regains political legitimacy with Justice Ministry’s blessing
     NewsTPLF regains political legitimacy with Justice Ministry’s blessingThe Ministry of Justice has granted the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) the green light to register with the National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) as a political party.Heads of the NEBE were informed of the...
    June-29 - 2024 | More »
  • A father who lost 2 sons in a Boeing Max crash waits to hear if the US will prosecute the company
     Ike Riffel fears that instead of putting Boeing on trial, the government will offer the company another shot at corporate probationPhoto by: Jim Young/APProtesters hold photographs of victims of the 2019 Boeing Ethiopian Airlines crash, including Melvin Riffel, left.By: AP via Scripps...
    June-29 - 2024 | More »
  • Ethiopia’s dam fills threaten Egypt’s lifeline: Calls for international intervention
     Adel Sadawi, a member of the Egyptian Council for Foreign Affairs and former Dean of the Institute for Research and Strategic Studies on Nile Basin Countries, commented on Ethiopia’s announcement of its readiness to carry out the fifth filling of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance...
    June-29 - 2024 | More »
  • Fashion event brings Kanu, others to Ethiopia
     Former Nigerian national football team striker Nwankwo Kanu and other African former football players are in Addis Ababa to participate in the Shenen Africa Fashion Festival Week 2024Upon arrival at the Addis Ababa Bole International Airport, on Thursday Kanu was welcomed by Ethiopia’s...
    June-29 - 2024 | More »
  • Economic, conflict spurring human trafficking in Ethiopia: US State Department
     NewsEconomic, conflict spurring human trafficking in Ethiopia: US State DepartmentYemeni Houthis forcing Ethiopian migrants into military serviceThe US Department of State commends the Ethiopian government’s efforts to combat human trafficking but urges that more needs to be done to eliminate...
    June-29 - 2024 | More »
  • Ethiopian gov’t forces killed 27 civilians in the Amhara region
     Ethiopian gov’t forces killed 27 civilians in the Amhara regionEthiopian government forces this week reportedly killed 27 civilians, in two separate incidents,  in a latest string of extrajudicial killings in the Amhara region of Ethiopia.  The forces allegedly carried it out in a...
    June-29 - 2024 | More »

Recent Video Uploads

Subscribe Ethiopia Today Videos and Watch on You Tube

Ethiopia Today

  • Active a minute ago with many
  •  
  •  videos
Ethiopia Today bringing you recent information about Ethiopia. It bring you, news, Amharic movies,  Musics and many clips. subscribe and get many Videos on time