The African Development Bank Group approved $76.37 million in additional financing to expand Somalia’s Road Infrastructure Programme under the Horn of Africa corridor project linking Somalia with Djibouti and Ethiopia. The funding will support full road upgrades, bridges, and trade facilitation measures to improve domestic and cross-border connectivity. The project aims to boost regional trade, reduce transport costs, and support economic recovery and stability in fragile regions of Somalia.

Somalia’s National Bureau of Statistics launched the country’s first official reports tracking environmental and energy indicators under the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The publications cover multiple environmental targets and energy access under SDG 7, using verified data from federal and state institutions. Officials said the reports will strengthen data-driven policymaking, guide investment, and support development planning as Somalia prepares for its 2026 Voluntary National Review to the United Nations.

Somalia’s Deputy Minister of Commerce and Industry, Mahmoud Ahmed Abdullahi, participated in the second Africa Continental Free Trade Area Business Forum held in Marrakech. The meeting brought together African trade ministers, trade institutions, and business leaders to discuss coordinated implementation of the AfCFTA. On the sidelines, Abdullahi held talks with senior AfCFTA officials and regional counterparts, focusing on strengthening bilateral ties, expanding trade cooperation, and advancing Somalia’s role in continental economic integration.

Somalia and Sweden agreed to advance economic cooperation and explore new investment opportunities following talks in Mogadishu between Finance Minister Bihi Iman Egeh and Sweden’s Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade, Benjamin Dousa. The discussions focused on supporting Somalia’s economic recovery, encouraging private-sector investment, and expanding development partnerships. Officials said the engagement reinforces international confidence in Somalia’s reform agenda and aims to deliver practical, investment-focused outcomes.

The European Union is expected to announce renewed funding for the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia in early 2026, following a two-year pause in direct financial support. EU officials said funding details will be confirmed once member states reach an agreement. The move could restore the EU as AUSSOM’s primary financier, easing budget shortfalls and improving funding predictability for Somalia’s security and economic stabilisation efforts.

Immigration enforcement operations in Minnesota are affecting small businesses owned by Latino and Somali communities in Minneapolis and St. Paul. Reduced foot traffic and employee detentions along Lake Street and in Cedar-Riverside have forced some shops to close temporarily or switch to delivery. Community leaders warn the slowdown disrupts local supply chains and could weaken commerce connected to Somali-linked and other immigrant-run businesses across the Twin Cities.