The Significance Of The Berbera Corridor
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EDITORIAL
Last week's arrival of Ethiopia bound cargo at the Somaliland Red Sea port of Berbera had signaled that the hither-to much talked about Berbera corridor has finally become functional. By inaugurating this trade route linking Addis-Ababa with Berbera, both Somaliland and Ethiopian officials have taken one major step toward the formalization and enhancement of trade relations between the two countries.
Since both sides have shown a genuine interest in achieving a sustainable growth in their bilateral trade in the future, however it is vitally important that authorities in the two respective countries take the necessary measures for harmonization of policies with regard to customs and free movement of goods and services.
The removal of trade barriers will create an enabling environment for development oriented cross-border trade and business investment. This would greatly encourage the private sector in both countries to dramatically increase their use of the Berbera corridor thereby generating substantial levels of revenues for both the Somaliland and Ethiopian authorities and contributing to the economic integration of the two countries.
However, restrictive practices from the old era, such as the Somaliland government's refusal to make the terms of the trade protocols signed with Ethiopia available to the public, are not going to be helpful in stimulating an increased demand for use of the Berbera corridor from potential business community members here and in Ethiopia as well.
The Somaliland government has nothing to worry about in regard its trade deals with Ethiopia as far as the people of Somaliland are concerned. The people of Somaliland overwhelmingly support peace and cooperation with Ethiopia. This stance didn't emerge out of nowhere but was nurtured and solidified by the heat of the armed struggle that had been for the liberation of Somaliland from Somalia's dictatorial rule.
Being the only country in this region where over one and a half million Somalilanders could take refuge in the face of an imminent genocide in the eighties, Ethiopia definitely enjoys a popular deep sympathy in this country, an immense attitudinal change when viewed against Hargeysa's position in the past as the bastion of Somali irredentism.
This is not to say that the emerging era ushered in by the trade ties between Ethiopia and Somaliland will have no enemies. Some governments are bent not to let it work. But most notably in this respect are the fundamentalist terrorists who hate Somaliland simply because of its following of two policies: maintaining peaceful relations with Ethiopia and pursuing democratization at the internal domestic front.
Apart from its potentiality for generating jobs, services, investment opportunities and revenues, the Berbera corridor could serve as a regional model for development through expanded private sector activities. The international community, particularly the EU, has a crucial role to play in making this regional trade link successful. There is an urgent need for resurfacing the tarmac road and improving the rest of the accessibility route.
This should be coupled with upgrading the infrastructure and technical capacity of Berbera port and airport and the Hargeysa airport as well. The EU has earmarked €59 million to help Somalia's TFG improve security in that country.
As a project intended to promote the livelihood security of people through economic self-reliance in both Somaliland and Ethiopia, the Berbera corridor deserves to be given the full and timely support of the international community particularly the EU.
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