Italy donates digital archive of Somali Laws to aid Legal and Cultural recovery..

Italy has donated a digital archive of Somali laws and official bulletins from 1950 to 1989, offering essential resources to bolster the country’s legal system and cultural recovery. The digital archive was handed over by Italian Ambassador Pier Mario Daccò Coppi to Somali Minister of Justice Hassan Moalim Mohamud during a ceremony in Mogadishu, marking the anniversary of the 1948 massacre of Italians in the city…

The digital archive, provided by Roma Tre University, contains crucial legislative and administrative documents from the period of Italian Trusteeship over Somalia through to the Somali Democratic Republic. These records were published in Italy until 1973 and later in Somalia following the adoption of the written system in the Latin alphabet in 1972. The documents serve as a key foundation of Somalia’s current legal system. However, many of these documents were lost or damaged during the civil war, making this donation a valuable addition to Somalia’s archives.

Minister Mohamud appreciated the donation, emphasizing its importance for Somali legal scholars and students as they work to rebuild the country’s legal framework. The archive, now available in Italian and Somali, will provide vital resources for understanding Somalia’s legislative history during a transformative period for the nation.

This digital archive is part of Italy’s commitment to supporting Somalia’s recovery, which has worked closely with Somali institutions since the 1980s to preserve and document the country’s cultural heritage. It follows Italy’s previous donation of approximately 2,000 rare books to the Somali Language Academy last month.

The Somali government and legal community have welcomed Italy’s efforts, recognizing the archive as integral to preserving the country’s legal heritage. The materials will be a critical resource for Somalia’s legal professionals, offering historical context and a deeper understanding of the country’s legal evolution.