Abu Dhabi’s $442 million expansion of Berbera port in Somaliland represents the most significant infrastructure investment in the Horn of Africa’s maritime sector since Djibouti’s Doraleh Multi-Purpose Port opened in 2017. The investment is not merely commercial. It signals a strategic realignment that could reshape trade routes, military access agreements, and the balance of power across the Gulf of Aden corridor.
[DEMO] UAE Port Investments Reshape Djibouti-Somalia Maritime Competition
Abu Dhabi’s deepening stake in Somaliland’s Berbera port is accelerating a strategic realignment that could redefine commercial shipping routes across the Horn.
By Sara Mohammed, Dubai
February 9, 2026 — 11:00 PM PST
Maritime
S
Sara Mohammed
Geopolitical Analyst
Djibouti-based correspondent covering maritime security, IGAD institutional politics, and Gulf state engagement in the Horn of Africa.