A delegation from the United Arab Emirates has been denied access to Gara’ad Village in the Jariban district of Mudug in Puntland, Somalia. Residents in Gara’ad reportedly opposed the landing of the plane carrying the UAE delegation and Puntland officials. The plane returned to Garowe from where it had taken off, and talks are underway.
Somalia, Puntland deployed UAE-backed Marines to the area last night to provide security for the UAE delegation.
According to sources told Somali Times, the purpose of the delegation’s visit is to inspect the construction of the Gara’ad port, which is a consultative port.
Somali Times has learned that the reason for the public’s opposition to the UAE delegation is that there have been reports that the UAE wants to get involved in the Gara’ad port, but this is not certain.
The UAE, which owns DP-World, manages the port of Bosaso, has an agreement not to build any port on the coast near Bosaso. Although Gara’ad is hundreds of kilometers from Bosaso, it is certain to affect the port of Bossaso, which has declined significantly since DP World took over.