By Asha Elmi - Reporter
Hargeisa, 26 August 2026 - Somaliland and Ethiopia's Somali Region are seeking to strengthen trade and economic cooperation along the Berbera corridor, with officials calling for closer coordination between businesses, cities and institutions.
The discussions took place at the third regional dialogue on the corridor in Hargeisa on Tuesday, bringing together Somaliland officials, mayors, private-sector representatives and officials from Ethiopia's Somali Region.
The corridor runs from the port of Berbera through Hargeisa and Wajaale toward Addis Ababa, linking production areas, markets and communities.
Somaliland Trade and Tourism Minister Abdirahman Hassan Nur said trade facilitation was essential to reducing costs and strengthening the private sector.
"For us, trade facilitation is not simply about moving goods faster across the border," Nur said. "It's about reducing the cost of doing business, improving predictability, strengthening institutions, empowering our private sector and creating opportunities for our people."
Nur said Somaliland had completed its first National Trade Policy, covering trade facilitation, export development, small and medium-sized businesses, customs reform and regional integration. The priority now was to move from policy to implementation.
Somaliland plans to establish a National Trade Facilitation Committee to coordinate reforms along the corridor, he said.
The administration also plans to accelerate development of the Tog Wajaale One-Stop Border Post and improve coordination among institutions at the border.
Somaliland would seek stronger trade and transit cooperation with Ethiopia, including on customs procedures, documentation, cargo guarantees, insurance and information sharing, Nur said.
The ministry is also developing a Trade Information Portal and a Single Window for Trade to make procedures more accessible, he said.
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Nur said the Somaliland Exporters and Logistics Sectoral Association, known as SELSA, had strengthened cooperation with Ethiopian business and logistics associations.
The ministry has also focused on small-scale and women traders operating through Tog Wajaale. Nearly 400 traders have received training and formal associations have been established with support from TradeMark Africa, Nur said.
Jigjiga Mayor Shafi Ahmed Malin said the corridor could strengthen longstanding social and economic ties between communities.
"The most important thing is to preserve brotherhood and security and work together so that we can grow economically and develop infrastructure," Malin said.
He said Hargeisa and Jigjiga had established a 'twin cities' relationship that could encourage greater movement and cooperation.
Somaliland Information Minister Barkhad Jama Batun said media would play a role in explaining the corridor's opportunities and progress to the public through radio, television and digital platforms.
Nur said infrastructure alone would not make the corridor competitive, adding that efficient customs procedures, accessible information, professional logistics services and predictable movement of goods were also needed.
"That's why trade facilitation is at the heart of our economic strategy," he said.
The dialogue comes as officials seek to move the Berbera corridor from infrastructure development toward greater trade and economic activity.