Somaliland Adopts UK-Backed Solid Waste Management Laws

By: Mohamed Duale

HARGEISA, Sept. 14 (Horndiplomat) — Somaliland’s government has adopted a solid waste management regulation with British support, establishing a framework for municipal waste collection, disposal and recycling, according to government and programme statements.

The Local Government Solid Waste Management Regulation No. 01/2026 was formally endorsed on Sept. 10 at the Sarovar Hotel in Hargeisa, the Sinaan Programme said.

Louise Hancock, head of the British Office in Hargeisa, welcomed the development on Monday, saying local and national authorities had adopted the framework with UK support through the Sinaan programme.

“Big step forward for environmental sustainability in Somaliland,” Hancock wrote on X.

She said the measures would transform waste management across municipalities, adding: “Next challenge: implementation.”

The endorsement followed consultations and validation in Hargeisa, Wajaale and Burao, according to Sinaan. The event brought together ministers responsible for local government, planning and the environment, alongside Hargeisa’s mayor and mayors and representatives from 18 local governments across Somaliland.

The regulation covers waste collection, transportation and disposal, recycling and resource recovery, as well as licensing, financing, enforcement and public participation, the programme said.

It also provides opportunities for licensed private operators and public-private partnerships, while supporting recycling, composting and the recovery of reusable materials.

Somaliland’s Ministry of Local Government and Urban Development said Minister Hassan Ahmed Duale, known as Maalin, signed the regulation following a two-day meeting during which participants examined its provisions and implementation.

The ministry prepared the regulation in cooperation with DT Global. Sinaan said the minister’s formal signature and issuance brought it into force.

The framework was developed under the Sinaan Programme, supported by the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and implemented by DT Global.

Its success will be measured by practical improvements in the cleanliness of neighbourhoods, markets and public spaces, the programme said.

(Reporting by Mohamed Duale; Editing by Horn Diplomat Desk)