By M.A. Egge
Somaliland President H.E. Abdirahman Mohamed Abdillahi Irro returned to Hargeisa on Thursday after concluding a maiden three-day official visit to the United Arab Emirates, where discussions focused on investment in natural resources, agriculture, and job creation for youth.
This was his first maiden trip abroad in his capacity as Head of State since assuming office almost month and a half earlier.
He was received at Egal International airport by his deputy H.E. Mohamed Abdi aw Ali. All the service commanders were at hand, with both the new army and police commanders fresh from assuming their respective offices.
The visit was a crucial one for cementing Somaliland-UE bilateral relations and taking to higher both short and long term expansions of economic development cooperation.
During the visit, the president and his delegation met with senior UAE officials, including the Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister, and Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Economy, and Employment. The delegation also held meetings with representatives from six UAE government agencies to explore further avenues for economic cooperation.
“We discussed with UAE leaders economic development, investment in livestock and agriculture, and how the UAE government could invest in our country’s natural resources, including minerals and oil,” said Foreign Minister Abdirahman Dahir Aden.
According to the minister, UAE officials expressed a willingness to make substantial investments in key sectors of Somaliland’s economy. The talks also focused on job-creating initiatives to address youth unemployment, a growing concern in the region.
The UAE, which maintains a representative office in Hargeisa, has been a long-term economic partner of Somaliland, particularly through major investments in infrastructure projects such as the expansion of the Port of Berbera and the Berbera-Ethiopia highway corridor among other projects.
Somaliland also operates a diplomatic office in the UAE, reflecting their close bilateral ties.
The Government of the United Arab Emirates had extended an official invitation to the President and also sent him a special Royal Jet, to and fro.
The trip of the President of the Republic of Somaliland was his first trip abroad since he took office.
The President was accompanied by his delegation; the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Minister of the Presidency, the Minister of Finance and Economic Development, the Chief of Intelligence, the Senior Advisor to the President on Economic Affairs, the Head of the Presidential Office and other officials.
The President was also accompanied on the trip by the First Lady Fardus Mohamed Rooble.