Al-Bayrak Press release over Mogadishu port management

While Somalia has been rocked by political unrest since 1991, Turkish intervention has recorded great strides in the reconstruction of Somalia. Starting from the Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s courageous and historic visit to Mogadishu in August 2011 at the height of the famine and his decision to open an embassy the Turkish government played an important role in helping stabilize and develop the war-ravaged country.

Turkish intervention in the country increased largely in the areas of humanitarian assistance, development aid, economic co-operation, scholarships and mediation of political stalemates.

Among the mega developmental projects turkey is currently working on renovating and rehabilitating the Aden Adde International Airport, roads among other infrastructure projects.

Meanwhile, In October 2013, Somalia’s federal Cabinet endorsed an agreement with the Turkish firm Al-Bayrak to manage the Port of Mogadishu for a 20-year period for rebuilding and modernizing the port. According to a statement from Al-Bayrak  today the government will receive 55 percent of the income while Al Bayrak will get the other 45 percent for the development and construction cost. Read Al-Bayrak Press release over Mogadishu port management

Few weeks ago, the government has finally approved Turkish firm to take the management of the Mogadishu harbor after the cabinet ministers passed it, a decision that has angered local union of porters and handful of businessmen with vested interests in handling the port services as senior government officials told Goobjoog News.

“Albayrak Group had taken on an active role in Somalia’s development. Since August 2012, much work has been conducted towards rehabilitating the Port of Mogadishu and is still continues, in order to transform it into a sea port that has international quality, elevating it to a central position in the Somalia and African economy.” Says the statement. Noting that the company has no commercial expectation from this contract and its objective is to support the Somali community.

However, constitutional experts believe that the MPs have no role in such a contract, since it’s not considered as bilateral deal and the issue of casual laborers is motivated by local businessmen who were the only beneficiaries of the port for the last two decades of lawlessness and are still looking into their personal business gains, the experts added.