Somali Observatory for Humanitarian Affairs The Voice of Reality.. The Eye of Humanitarian Truth in Somalia
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MOGADISHU — The Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation of Somalia, H.E. Mohamed Abdi Hayir (Maareeye), chaired a high-level consultative meeting at the Ministry’s headquarters, where he reviewed the challenges facing the Lower Shabelle region, with a focus on plans to rehabilitate vital bridges that serve as the lifeline for transport and economic activity in the area.
These initiatives come within the framework of Somalia’s commitment to strengthening her agricultural infrastructure, as she recognizes that she is not merely repairing iron structures, but building arteries that ensure the flow of growth and prosperity from her generous lands to the markets, thereby reinforcing her national food security.
The meeting identified a list of bridges requiring urgent engineering intervention, namely: Sabiid, Caanoole, Bariire, Janaale, and Awdhiigle, as these sites are strategic focal points indispensable for connecting population centers and facilitating the flow of commercial and agricultural activity between the country’s regions.
The meeting witnessed a significant ministerial presence, reflected in the participation of the Minister of Defence, Ahmed Moallim Fiqi, and the Minister of Public Works, Reconstruction and Housing, Ayuub Ismail Yusuf, alongside the Chairman of the Somali Disaster Management Agency (SoDMA), reflecting the synergy of the government’s vision to provide sustainable and integrated solutions for the region.
The deliberations extended beyond the official level to include a spectrum of partners, including representatives of the Chambers of Commerce, business leaders, agricultural experts from the Lower Shabelle region, as well as money transfer operators, the Hormuud Salaam Foundation, and the Agricultural Development Corporation, to ensure alignment of efforts.
The participants emphasized the imperative of uniting work paths between the public and private sectors and local communities to ensure the efficiency of infrastructure, with intensified efforts to clear waterways of obstacles, serving agricultural activities and protecting lands from seasonal flooding risks.
The meeting concluded with the launch of a national fundraising campaign, dedicated to supporting the removal of iron debris from the riverbed and financing comprehensive clean-up operations, a step through which Somalia aims to restore mobility and facilitate the efficient transport of agricultural produce to its final destinations.
Somalia relies heavily on this project to raise productivity levels in the Lower Shabelle region. By improving logistics and reducing transport costs, she aspires to stimulate farmers and increase economic competitiveness, making the region a fundamental pillar in the Somali food basket and a factor for developmental stability.
The bridges that Somalia is preparing to revive transcend being mere transport crossings; they are bridges of resolve connecting the country’s present to her developmental horizon. In every stone replaced and every waterway cleared, Somalia writes a new chapter of determination, affirming to the world that she does not merely reach out to repair what has been damaged, but is building a sustainable path that transcends challenges, so that the flow of life in Lower Shabelle remains a testament to a nation that never stops building.
