As Somalia launches $20 million road project in Hargeisa under World Bank-backed program, federal authorities and public works officials have officially commenced the design and feasibility study phase for a major urban transit corridor in Somaliland. Announcing the multilateral initiative from Mogadishu, Minister of Public Works, Reconstruction and Housing Ayuub Ismail Yusuf confirmed that initial contracts have been signed to construct nearly forty-five kilometers of paved roads across the city. The initial phase of development, valued at approximately twenty million dollars, focuses directly on a twenty-three-kilometer stretch designed to modernize primary transit arteries, improve urban connectivity, and rehabilitate crucial civic infrastructure, including the historical Bundaweyn bridge. Executed as a core component of the broader Nagaad Project, the infrastructure program represents a concerted international effort to upgrade public works and improve economic resilience throughout urban centers across the Horn of Africa.
The comprehensive civil works effort operates within the government’s Dan Qaran policy framework, which prioritizes the strategic decentralization of vital development projects across various regions. Financed through international development institutions including the World Bank and executed in coordination with the United Nations Office for Project Services, the overall Nagaad initiative encompasses a broader investment framework valued at approximately two hundred forty-five million dollars. Federal infrastructure coordinators noted that the public works ministry is currently overseeing nearly eighty-nine kilometers of active road construction across Jubaland, South West, Galmudug, Hirshabelle, Puntland, and Somaliland. By expanding access to paved transport networks, the federal strategy aims to reduce transit costs, stimulate commercial activity, and establish durable public infrastructure capable of supporting rapid population growth and accelerating economic integration.
Urban planning experts emphasize that upgrading Hargeisa’s transit corridors addresses long-standing challenges stemming from rapid, unplanned urbanization and climate-induced population movement across the region. Over recent decades, the city’s population has expanded significantly, putting immense pressure on legacy road networks, municipal drainage systems, and public utility access. The planned road improvements and bridge rehabilitation under the Nagaad Project are designed to alleviate traffic congestion, mitigate seasonal flooding risks, and enhance commercial access for local markets. Furthermore, the inclusion of modern drainage channels, pedestrian walkways, and reinforced bridge structures aims to protect vulnerable urban communities from extreme weather events while facilitating safer transport for commuters and local trade networks.
As Somalia launches $20 million road project in Hargeisa under World Bank-backed program to foster regional development, the multilateral initiative reflects ongoing efforts to deliver concrete civic benefits through international partnerships. While political dynamics between federal authorities and local administrations remain complex, the commencement of civil engineering studies underscores a shared commitment to improving public services for resident communities. As engineering teams move forward with feasibility assessments, technical design blueprints, and site surveys, regional development monitors view the project as an important step toward expanding sustainable infrastructure across the Horn of Africa.
Black News 
