Somalia Plans Airport Upgrades and Safer Land Transport

GOOBJOOG NEWS | MOGADISHU: Somalia is preparing to modernise its airports and improve the country’s land transport system as the federal government seeks to strengthen infrastructure and make travel safer and more efficient.

Transport and Civil Aviation Minister Mohamed Farah Nouh chaired a high-level meeting in Mogadishu to review plans for the aviation and land transport sectors, bringing together senior officials from the ministry, the Somali Civil Aviation Authority, Somali Airlines and Aden Abdulle International Airport.

A major focus of the discussions was the development of airport infrastructure and services, including measures to strengthen aviation safety and security.

Officials also examined ways of improving land transport, with an emphasis on safety, efficiency and better organisation of services for the public.

The discussions come as Somalia’s transport needs grow alongside efforts to rebuild infrastructure after decades of conflict and institutional disruption.

Air transport remains particularly important for Somalia, where long distances, limited road infrastructure and security concerns make domestic and international aviation a key link between major cities and the outside world.

Aden Abdulle International Airport in Mogadishu is the country’s main international gateway and has undergone improvements in recent years as passenger and commercial activity has expanded.

The government has also been seeking to strengthen the institutions responsible for regulating and operating the aviation sector, including the Somali Civil Aviation Authority and Somali Airlines.

Improving land transport is another challenge. Roads connecting major population centres remain important for trade, movement of people and access to essential services, while safety and the organisation of transport services remain concerns.

The meeting brought together the ministry’s state and deputy ministers, its director general, the SCAA director general, the manager of Somali Airlines and the deputy manager of Aden Abdulle International Airport.

While no specific projects, funding arrangements or implementation dates were announced, officials said the discussions were aimed at setting future priorities for Somalia’s aviation and land transport sectors.