HARGEYSA: Dubai state-owned port operator DP World has launched a $101 million project to expand a port in the breakaway region of Somaliland.
Somaliland broke away from Somalia in 1991 and has acted as a de-facto independent state since then but is not internationally recognized. The United Arab Emirate’s Dubai government owns DP World.
The port in Berbera exports camels to the Middle East and imports food and other items, but Somaliland hopes it will provide an alternative for neighboring Ethiopia — a landlocked country of 100 million which relies on Djibouti for its trade.
DP World said the first phase of expansion will consist of constructing a 400-meter quay as well as the development of a free-zone, with Emirati firm Shafa Al Nahda the contractor.
“This investment in Berbera ... and the expansion is of a huge benefit for Somaliland to develop its economy. We are thinking to be competitive with our ports in the region,” Muse Bihi Abdi, the breakaway region’s president, told journalists.
The first phase is part of an expansion deal signed with DP World in 2016 and worth a total of $442 million.
DP World’s chairman and chief executive Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem said Berbera would serve Ethiopia’s expanding economy and its increasing trade.
“We did not get assurances from them. (But) they need every port capacity in Ethiopia. It is only a matter of opening the port and making sure the road is there,” he said in a news conference.
But the launch comes amid opposition from Somalia, which believes its sovereignty is being violated. Senior officials have said such deals “bypassed the legitimate authority” of Mogadishu.
Bihi Abdi dismissed the claim. He said agreements with such international firms would boost the country’s quest to achieve international recognition.
“Because when DP World came to Berbera, there was attention from other countries and big business companies because most of them were thinking that Somaliland was not a recognized country and ignored the peace and stability in Somaliland,” he said in a news conference in Hargeysa.
“DP World was a big, international company which dared to come to Somaliland and I hope a lot of other companies from any continent will follow their path and come to Somaliland.”
DP World launches expansion of port in Somaliland
DP World launches expansion of port in Somaliland
- Somaliland broke away from Somalia in 1991 and has acted as a de-facto independent state since then but is not internationally recognized
- DP World said the first phase of expansion will consist of constructing a 400-meter quay as well as the development of a free-zone
Egypt defies African FDI trend with inflows of $11bn in 2025: UNCTAD
RIYADH: Egypt emerged as Africa’s top destination for foreign direct investment in 2025, attracting an estimated $11 billion in inflows in a year marked by declining investment across the continent.
According to UNCTAD’s latest Global Investment Trends Monitor, the North African country ranked ahead of other major African economies despite a sharp regional slowdown.
The performance underscores Egypt’s relative resilience at a time when foreign investment into Africa has normalized following an unusually strong 2024, which UNCTAD said was inflated by a single large project. As a result, the 2025 data reflects a return to more typical investment levels across the continent.
“Among African economies, inflows to Angola reached an estimated $3 billion, marking a return to positive values after nine consecutive years of net divestments,” the report stated.
It added: “Egypt, with inflows of $11 billion, remained the largest FDI host country in Africa.”
While Egypt solidified its position as Africa’s leading FDI host, other notable movements on the continent included Mozambique, where inflows surged 80 percent to $6 billion, driven by renewed activity in major liquified natural gas projects.
Angola also saw a positive shift, recording an estimated $3 billion in FDI after nine consecutive years of net divestments.
UNCTAD noted that Egypt’s strength extended beyond headline inflows, with the country also contributing to an increase in greenfield investment activity across Africa. While the number of greenfield projects fell globally and across most lower-income economies, Africa recorded a 5 percent increase in project numbers in 2025, supported in part by growth in Egypt and Côte d’Ivoire.
Globally, FDI flows rose by 14 percent in 2025 to approximately $1.6 trillion, though growth was heavily concentrated in developed economies, which saw a 43 percent increase.
In contrast, flows to developing economies declined by 2 percent, with the least developed countries particularly affected; three-quarters experienced stagnant or falling investment.
The report highlighted that new project announcements remained weak globally amid elevated policy uncertainty, with international project finance declining for the fourth consecutive year.
Looking ahead, UNCTAD warned that geopolitical tensions, regional conflicts, and economic fragmentation could continue to suppress real investment activity in 2026, even as financing conditions are expected to ease.
For Africa, sustaining FDI inflows will require navigating persistent challenges such as financing constraints, risk perceptions, and structural vulnerabilities.
