The President of the Republic of Somaliland HE Muse Bihi Abdi has inaugurated the opening of the largest bridge ever built in Somaliland spanning one of Somaliland’s largest and most dangerous dry river valley of Da’ar Budhuq that have ground vital traffic from and to Berbera to a halt during the rainy season and have cost many lives.
The President noted many lives lost to the Da’ar Budhuq dry river valley, which floods during the rainy season and causes transportation disruption in the country’s busiest commercial artery to and from Berbera Port.
“I would like to tell the people of Somaliland, wherever they are, that when a project is being developed, we need to stand together. I do not have the energy to build, the energy to mine, the energy to extract fuel, the energy to carry out major projects and yet I will stand in the way and my will shall be done is the wrong mindset. The constitution says that the resources to the nation of Somaliland, and the nation has entrusted it to the government. The only way we will develop is to accept the direction set forth by the government” said President Muse Bihi Abdi speaking at the event.
The President noted that many lives were lost to the Da’ar Budhuq dry river valley which floods during the rainy season and creates major transportation disruption in the country’s busiest commercial artery to and from Berbera Port.
Although the government has instituted basic safety vehicle measures such as mandatory seatbelts and vehicle safety inspection, traffic laws are arcane at best and are rarely enforced. The majority of vehicles in Somaliland are righthanded vehicles where the road remains left-handed. Traffic signals and basic signs are also exceedingly rare in Somaliland.
Multiple attempts by the Ministry of Transport and Roads Development ordering the installation of speed limiters on trucks and other public transport and reconfiguration of bus entrances to ensure passengers do not disembark onto incoming traffic have failed.
The inauguration of the bridge was attended by Emariti officials from the United Arab Emarites Trade Representatives Office and other foreign dignitaries and representatives of various countries in Somaliland.