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Hargeysa, Somaliland, May 26, 2012 (SL Times) – Somaliland President
Ahmed Sillanyo cut the ribbons for the official opening of the
Somaliland Beverage Industry (SBI) which will produce Coca Cola and
other soft drinks.
The occasion brought together dignitaries from both Djibouti and
Somaliland, including ministers, ambassadors, businessmen, traditional
leaders, politicians and other distinguished guests.
The company is located at Jaleelo, north of Hargeysa, and is expected to
produce 11,000 beverages per hour.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Somaliland President Ahmed Sillanyo
said the plant was much more impressive than he expected. He
congratulated the owner of the company for contributing to the economy
and helping in reducing unemployment in the country.
The owner of the company, Mr Ahmed Osman Geelle, too, addressed the
audience and said he had been dreaming for 28 years about establishing
this company, and that his late father, Osman Geelle Farah, had
something to do with it. He disclosed that he received a license from
Coca Cola in 2008 and that his company and Coca Cola invested 15 million
dollars in the plant. He also thanked all the guests and appealed to to
Somaliland public to work with the company.
The Minister of Commerce, Abdirizaq Khalif, complimented the owners of
SBI for their substantial investment in the country.
Two representatives of Coca Cola (the head of Coca Cola for East and
Central Africa, Mr Nathan Kalumbu, and an official from the
international office of Coca Cola) were present at the ceremony. They
described the various stages that their relations with SBI had gone
through and expressed their satisfaction with the business partnership
they had formed with SBI.
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