World Bank grants Somalia $58 Million To Develop Regional Transport Infrastructure 

The World Bank approved a $58 million International Development Assistance (*IDA) grant to help lay the foundation for the future development of Somalia’s transport infrastructure. Somalia will develop a pipeline of projects and establish the capacities to plan for, implement, and manage the sector…

The Somalia – Horn of Africa Infrastructure Integration Project will benefit from an additional $5 million investment from the Horn of Africa (HoA) Initiative Multi-Donor Trust Fund which seeks to foster economic trade and integration in the Horn. The project will contribute to the overarching objective of the HoA Program Series of Projects which is to enhance connectivity among the HoA countries and access to seaports; facilitate domestic and regional trade and economic integration; and improve road safety.

“The World Bank is strongly committed to the regional integration of the Horn of Africa, with major investments in countries across the region,” said Boutheina Guermazi, World Bank Director for Regional Integration in Africa and MENA. “We continue to support our clients in the Horn with the tailored and substantial investments they need to unlock the region’s considerable potential.”

The HoA Initiative has over $8 million regional integration portfolio of active and pipeline operations. The Initiative, which consists of seven member countries (Djibouti, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan and South Sudan), offers opportunities to transform the economies of the region and create jobs; reduce poverty, conflicts, and inequality; and boost the economic performance of the region. As part of the proposed HoA Initiative, Somalia is engaging with its neighbors to rebuild links to regional and global economies. Within the HoA Initiative’s infrastructure pillar, economic corridor road connections linking to the port cities serving the HoA are high on the agenda.