Somaliland approves UAE military base on its territory

By Mohammed Dhaysane

MOGADISHU, Somalia (AA) - The parliament of Somalia's breakaway northern region of Somaliland approved an agreement between Somaliland and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) allowing the Emirati government to establish a military base in the port town of Berbera on Sunday.

In Sunday's vote, 144 Somaliland lawmakers voted in favor of the military base and two voted against. Two others abstained. Nine lawmakers opposed to the base shouted words against Somaliland President Ahmed Mohamed Silanyo and were taken out of the chamber by Somaliland soldiers.

The vote will allow the Somaliland administration to complete negotiations with the UAE to build its first military base in Africa. The agreement was signed by Somaliland and the UAE in 2015 and it is a 30 years deal.

Speaking at the parliament on Sunday, Somaliland President Ahmed Silanyo said that the military base would benefit the people of Somaliland and create jobs.

According to the local media, Somaliland's neighboring countries Ethiopia and Djibouti opposed the deal.

Somaliland is a former British protectorate and declared its own independence from the rest of Somalia in 1991. Somaliland has not been recognized by any country in the world to date.