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Aw Barkadle,
16 February 2009 — Despite the turbulence in the global markets,
Somaliland investors opened a new soft drink factory on Sunday called
Happy Cola in Aw Barkadle, a small town 30 km south-east of the capital
Hargeysa.
Happy Cola has two production lines but plans to expand in the near
future and will introduce other products such as snacks, cooking oil and
processed food, which is already under construction. For now it will
supply 8400 cartons of soft drinks and 6000 cartons of spring water per
day to the market.
Happy Cola will produce and distribute it’s own products and supply to
the local market as well as neighboring countries such as Somalia,
Ethiopia and Djibouti where the demand is very high.
Happy Cola is expected to create new jobs even though it already employs
over 140 people, some of them from India, China, Sudan and Yemen.
The factory has been under construction for the past 5 years at a cost
of more than $8 million so far and only half way.
Somaliland president, Dahir Rayale, who was present for the ribbon
cutting ceremony said the new factory will create jobs as well as
establish trust among Somaliland investors to open companies together as
shareholders. “Before individuals use to invest their entire savings on
one thing, many losing it, however this company opened a new chapter in
Somaliland, that of shareholding and corporations,” President Rayale
said.
President Rayale also said that Somaliland entered a new chapter as a
nation and that more people and international corporate were ready to
invest in Somaliland such as the French Bank (BCI-MR) that recently
opened an office in Hargeysa.
The general Manager of Happy Cola, Mr Abdirasak Abdillahi Qorahay said
that Aw Barkadle was a historical town and only the town of Zeila was
oldier. “Aw Barkadle has historical significance and we are very much
delighted to be the first company to build a factory of this kind - it
will be producing food and drinks and it’s construction began in 2004,”
he said.
Attendance included politicians, investors, students, elderly leaders,
and others distinguished guests.
Despite lack of international recognition, Somalilanders who attended
the event expressed optimism that Somaliland will overcome the impact of
the continued turbulence in the global financial market on the domestic
economy and economic isolation - it’s slowly but surely crawling it’s
way up.
Source: Somalilandpress
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