00:00You wouldn't know it by looking, but Somaliland's port of Berbera is at the heart of a geopolitical row.
00:06Ever since Israel officially recognised Somaliland in defiance of Mogadishu, which claims the territory as its own.
00:15Situated on the Gulf of Aden, the port is a vital regional hub.
00:20Historically, Berbera used it to be the centre and is still the centre of livestock export throughout the region.
00:32Whether it's Djibouti, Mombasa, Sudan, just any port in the region, Berbera is number one when it comes to the
00:42livestock.
00:42We export here more than four million heads every year for Middle East and Gulf countries.
00:54Dubai-based logistics company DP World has a 51% stake in Berbera.
01:02Talks are also underway with Ethiopia to give the landlocked nation access to the port.
01:08So the more peaceful Somaliland is, it's the more peaceful that these markets, these international markets, the demand, the prices,
01:20everything, will be stable, definitely.
01:23So we have direct impact to the international economy according to our geopolitical position.
01:33In recent years, the UAE has helped upgrade the port to a state-of-the-art facility.
01:41Since 2023, traffic has been up by 30%, with hope of even better days to come.
01:50Somaliland has been seeking recognition to become part of the international community in the first country to grant that recognition
01:57was Israel.
02:01And I believe that the situation will change automatically for the better, and the economy will grow.
02:07You can already feel the impact through the port's activity.
02:12But that could be about to change after the U.S. and Israel launch strikes against Iran.
02:19With the region braced for further conflict, Somaliland's new alliance could make it a target.
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