Hargeisa, Somaliland – The 43rd session of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Somaliland, chaired by H.E. President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdillahi (Cirro), was held today at the Presidential Palace in Hargeisa.
Following a comprehensive briefing on the national security situation by the Minister of State for Interior and National Security, Mr. Abdirashid Mohamed Ahmed (Magaalo), the 43rd session of the Council dedicated its agenda to a thorough review of the 2026 National Budget of the Republic of Somaliland.
Presentation of the 2026 National Budget:
The Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Mr. Abdilahi Hassan Aden, presented a detailed breakdown of the budget to the Council of Ministers. The session was also attended by the Auditor General, the Director General of Finance, and the Director and Deputy Director of the Budget Department.
The Minister stated that the 2026 General Government Budget, which is the 35th budget of the Republic of Somaliland, is also the largest budget the nation has ever prepared. He emphasized that this budget prioritizes the strengthening of social services, defense, security, the construction of economic infrastructure, and the safeguarding of the country’s financial and economic stability.
The Minister highlighted that the previous budgets for 2022, 2023, and 2024 had an average deficit financing of 11%, whereas the 2026 budget represents an 11% revenue increase compared to the 2024 budget. This indicates that the Ministry of Finance has covered the 11% deficit from the 2024 budget, while achieving an 11% revenue growth linked to the 2026 budget projections.
The Minister detailed the total amount of the 2026 Central Government Budget as: SLL 2,866,183,568,109.
This compares to the 2025 budget of: SLL 2,593,431,251,887.
The difference is an increase ofSLL 272,752,316,222. In percentage terms, the 2026 budget is 11% larger than the 2025 budget.
Furthermore, the Minister outlined the composition of the 2026 National Budget, which consists of:
- Central Government Budget (63%);
- Local Government Budgets (12%);
- World Bank and African Development Bank Projects (17%);
- Donor Agency Budgets (8%).
TOTAL ESTIMATED NATIONAL BUDGET FOR 2026: SLL 4,584,959,018,356
In conclusion, the Minister of Finance formally requested the honorable members of the Council of Ministers to approve the 2026 National Budget so that it can be submitted in a timely manner to the House of Representatives (Parliament) of the Republic of Somaliland.
Subsequently, the President of the Republic of Somaliland requested the members of the Council of Ministers to approve the 2026 National Budget with a show of hands.
The 43rd session was attended by 41 ministers. The budget was approved with 40 votes in favor and 1 abstention.
