Litmus test for FGS as Fed. Parliament adopts radical measures on Berbera deal

Federal Parliament now throws the ball to the Government calling for far reaching measures on the DP World Agreement with Somaliland and Ethiopia

Addressing residents of Baidoa Wednesday night, the PM said the government would soon start reconstruction of government buildings in the country. Photo: Min of Info hand-out

The fate of the DP World agreement in Berbera was Thursday appeared sealed after the Upper House maintained an earlier position taken by the Lower House following a two days debate, sending the ball to the government’s court to implement the resolution.

In today’s debate, the Senate subjected the motion to two rounds of voting with the first seeking to introduce amends before the last vote was cast on whether to adopt the motion.

The first round of voting saw 24 Senators lock out any amends while 11 voted to introduce amends as one abstained. The nature of amends was not immediately clear.

In the final vote on adoption, 28 out of 36 Senators present voted to agree with the Lower House while six filed a contrary opinion as two abstained.

The Lower House Monday delivered a majority vote (168/170) to endorse proposals which included voiding the DP World agreement, declaring UAE and DP World a threat to the country’s sovereignty and banning the Emirati ports operator from Somalia among a raft of proposals.

The litmus test is now on the implementation of the resolution which unlike a bill does not necessarily bind the government to adopt a specific policy or course of action. In the resolution, Parliament, without setting deadlines asked the Prime Minister to urgently table an action plan on the implementation of the resolution which includes notifying the UAE government of breach of Somalia’s sovereignty.

Somaliland President Muse Bihi Tuesday left for Dubai in a bid to shore up support following a fortnight of exchanges as Mogadishu maintained the deal which grants Ethiopia 19% stake in the port management is illegal.