Somaliland is preparing to oversee the construction of a major road project funded by the World Bank, even as official project documents identify the Federal Government of Somalia in Mogadishu as the authority under which the wider infrastructure programme is registered.
The planned Haleeya–Ina Guuxa road is expected to stretch 94 kilometres, making it the longest World Bank-funded road project in Somaliland, according to officials in Hargeisa. Preparatory discussions have now brought Somaliland government officials and a World Bank delegation together as the administration moves towards the next stage of implementation.
Somaliland Television reported that the meeting, held on Monday, November 9, focused on completing the road’s technical design and addressing requirements that the Hargeisa administration must fulfil before construction can begin.
The discussions were led by Somaliland’s Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Abdillahi Hassan Adan, alongside State Minister Ismail Mawlid Abdillahi and Transport and Road Development Minister Osman Ibrahim Nur, popularly known as Afgaab. The Finance Ministry’s Director General, Mohamed Hassan Suleiman, also attended.
The proposed road falls under the Horn of Africa Infrastructure Integration Project (SHIIP), a World Bank-supported programme intended to improve regional transport connections. However, the project’s official registration presents a different administrative picture from the arrangements being discussed in Hargeisa.
World Bank procurement records identify SHIIP as Project ID P173119 and list the Federal Republic of Somalia as the project country. The documents also identify Somalia’s Ministry of Public Works, Reconstruction and Housing as the responsible government institution for relevant procurement activities.
This means that while Somaliland officials are holding discussions on the road’s technical preparations and the responsibilities required before construction, the wider programme is formally recorded in World Bank documentation under the Federal Government of Somalia.
The distinction is also reflected in financial records published by Mogadishu. The Federal Ministry of Finance’s 2025 year-end budget performance report includes the Haleeya–Ina Guuxa road under SHIIP, further linking the project to the Federal Government’s official development programme.
The same report, however, gives the proposed road’s length as 91 kilometres, three kilometres shorter than the 94-kilometre figure reported by Somaliland authorities.
The difference in the figures has emerged as another detail surrounding the project, although the available records do not explain why the two administrations have provided different measurements.
World Bank procurement documents also indicate that approximately $2.6 million was estimated for consultancy services covering the road’s feasibility study, engineering design and environmental and social impact assessment. These preparatory services are separate from the actual construction works.
During Monday’s meeting, Somaliland officials also discussed two other World Bank-supported programmes, including the Stairs2Jobs MPA and NAGAAD initiatives.
The NAGAAD programme, which is being implemented by Hargeisa Municipality, includes plans for the construction of the 150 Road. Officials indicated that its technical design was expected to be completed soon.
The latest discussions suggest that preparations for the Haleeya–Ina Guuxa road are advancing, although no specific date for the start of construction or the expected completion of the project was announced.
The road is expected to improve transport connections in the area once implemented, while its progress will depend on the completion of the necessary technical and administrative preparations.