Somalia: Somalia Cabinet Approves Landmark Culture and Arts Bill to Protect National Heritage

What the report says

AllAfrica, carrying a Shabelle Media Network report from Mogadishu, reported that Somalia’s Council of Ministers has approved a Culture and Arts Bill intended to establish a legal framework for safeguarding and promoting the country’s cultural heritage and artistic traditions. The report was dated July 23, 2026, and described the measure as the first legislation of its kind in Somalia.

According to Shabelle, the bill was prepared by the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism. It is designed to support preservation of national heritage, encourage artistic production and give the cultural sector clearer legal backing. Areas cited in the report include Somali literature, traditional arts, creative works and other forms of cultural expression.

Information, Culture and Tourism Minister Abdulfatah Qasim Mahmoud welcomed the cabinet decision, saying the legislation represented an important move to protect Somali culture and pass it on to future generations, according to the report. The ministry also linked the proposal to wider goals, including protection of national identity and support for artists, writers and other cultural practitioners.

The bill has not yet become law. Shabelle reported that it will proceed through the next stages of Somalia’s legislative process. If enacted, the measure could give the government a more formal basis for cultural preservation and arts development, while officials frame culture as contributing to peacebuilding, social cohesion and unity among Somali communities.