‘The Ambassador of the Republic of Somalilandin the UAE, Hassan Hirad Yassin,  praised the distinguished and deep brotherly relations between the two brotherly countries. His Excellency expressed his thanks to this country’s President, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and his brother Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the UAE Armed Forces.

He said that the UAE has played a prominent role in supporting the people of the Republic of Somaliland over the last three decades, and the UAE’s good hand is still extended by giving and humanitarian work in various parts of the world, adding that the relations promoted the commercial and economic importance of the country to the outside world.. The Ambassador hoped this fraternal relationship develop to higher levels of strategic partnership.

During his meeting with the people of the Somaliland community in the presence of Mahmoud Hassan Saeed, Minister of Commerce, Industry and Tourism, and public figures and media, on the occasion of assuming the post of ambassador in the country, he expected an increase to the volume of UAE investments in Somaliland in all fields, And developmental projects with a strategic dimension. He stressed that DP World’s investment in the management and development of the strategic port of Berbera in Somaliland is a promising start for future commercial and investment relations.

He praised the continuous and unlimited humanitarian support (of the UAE) to the people of the Republic of Somaliland since the end of the 1980s, as his people were subjected to genocide, famine at a time when His Excellency, his government and people expressed the great efforts made by the UAE recently by sending relief helicopters to help hurricane victims a few weeks ago , And added that this stand is not alien to the government of the UAE and its people, especially as we are in “the year of Zayed”.

On 23 September 2018, Al Bayyan, covered the Minister of trade and tourism, writing:

أرض الصومال:علاقات قوية مع الإمارات في كافة المناحي

المصدر:xⅦ دبي- البيان

التاريخ: 23 سبتمبر 2018

أكد وزير التجارة والصناعة والسياحة في أرض الصومال محمود حسن سعيد، قوة العلاقات بين الإمارات وأرض الصومال، ليس على المستوى الاقتصادي فقط، وإنما في كافة المناحي، مشيراً في هذا السياق إلى استثمارات موانئ دبي العالمية في تطوير ميناء بربرة الذي يتمتع بموقع استراتيجي بين قارتين. وقال إن موانئ دبي العالمية شركة رائدة عالمياً في مجال إدارة الموانئ، وسيكون لها الفضل في تنمية وتطوير الميناء.

وأوضح، أن حجم التجارة المتبادلة بين البلدين يتجاوز 600 مليون دولار، متوقعاً زيادة التجارة بين الجانبين خلال الفترة المقبلة. جاء ذلك خلال لقاء بالجالية الصومالية أقامته قنصلية أرض الصومال بحضور الوزير وعدد كبير من أبناء الجالية في الإمارات، حيث جدد الوزير الشكر والعرفان للقيادة الرشيدة للدولة ولشعب الإمارات.

من جانبه، أشاد السفير حسن ياسين، سفير أرض الصومال في الإمارات بتميز وعمق العلاقات بين البلدين، وتقدم بشكر بلاده إلى صاحب السمو الشيخ خليفة بن زايد آل نهيان رئيس الدولة، حفظه الله، وإلى صاحب السمو الشيخ محمد بن راشد آل مكتوم نائب رئيس الدولة رئيس مجلس الوزراء حاكم دبي، رعاه الله، وإلى صاحب السمو الشيخ محمد بن زايد ولي عهد أبوظبي نائب القائد الأعلى للقوات المسلحة، وإخوانهم أصحاب السمو حكام الإمارات.

وأضاف، إن الإمارات كانت خلال العقود الثلاثة الأخيرة الملاذ الآمن لأبناء أرض الصومال والمنفذ التجاري والاقتصادي الوحيد لنا في كافة المجالات، مؤكداً استمرارية ورسوخ العلاقات بين الجانبين.

وأوضح، أن حجم الاستثمارات بين البلدين كبير ومتنوع، مشيراً إلى أنها تغطي البنية التحتية والصحية والتعليم، ولافتاً إلى وجود عدد من الاتفاقيات التجارية والاقتصادية. كما أشار إلى دعم الإمارات اللامحدود والمتواصل منذ أيام الجفاف والحرب التي امتدت لوقت طويل.

وأشار إلى افتتاح مكتب التمثيل التجاري الذي يعتبر نواة لتنظيم وتطوير العلاقات التجارية والاستثمارية بين البلدين. وكان المكتب تم افتتاحه في مارس الماضي

https://www.albayan.ae/economy/local-market/2018-09-23-1.3363932

Roughly translated, the article covering the same event as above, reads:

“The Minister of Trade, Industry and Tourism in Somaliland, Mohamoud Hassan Saeed, stressed the strength of the relations between the UAE and Somaliland, not only on the economic level, but in all aspects, referring to the investment DP World in the development of the port of Berbera, which enjoys a strategic location between two continents. DP World is a world leader in port management and will be credited with developing the port.

He pointed out that the volume of mutual trade between the two countries exceeds 600 million dollars, and expected to increase trade between the two sides during the coming period. This came during a meeting with the Somali community established by the Consulate of Somaliland in the presence of the Minister and a large number of the community in the UAE, where the Minister renewed thanks and gratitude to the wise leadership of the state and the people of the UAE.

For his part, Ambassador Hassan Yasin, Ambassador of Somaliland in the UAE, praised the distinguished and deep relations between the two countries and thanked His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, The Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, and their brothers, Rulers of the UAE.

He added that the UAE has been in the past three decades a safe haven for the people of Somaliland and our only commercial and economic outlet in all fields, stressing the continuity and solidity of relations between the two sides.

He pointed out that the volume of investments between the two countries is large and varied, noting that it covers the infrastructure, health and education, pointing to the existence of a number of trade and economic agreements. He also referred to the UAE’s unlimited support and continued since the days of drought and the long war.

He pointed out the opening of the Commercial Representation Office, which is considered the nucleus for regulating and developing trade and investment relations between the two countries. The office was opened in March.”