Somalia: Somaliland Adopts UK-Backed Solid Waste Management Laws

What the report says

Somaliland has adopted a new solid waste management regulation with British support, creating a formal framework for municipal collection, transport, disposal, recycling and related oversight, according to the Horn Diplomat report distributed by AllAfrica. The Local Government Solid Waste Management Regulation No. 01/2026 was endorsed in Hargeisa on Sept. 10 and then signed into force by Somaliland’s Ministry of Local Government and Urban Development, the report said.

The measure was developed through the Sinaan programme, which is backed by the UK government’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and implemented by DT Global. Officials said the regulation followed consultations and validation meetings in Hargeisa, Wajaale and Burao, and involved ministers, the Hargeisa mayor and representatives from 18 local governments across Somaliland. British Office head Louise Hancock welcomed the move as a step toward environmental sustainability, while noting that implementation will now be the main test.

The regulation is intended to broaden waste services beyond basic collection by including recycling, resource recovery, licensing, financing, enforcement and public participation. It also opens the door for private operators and public-private partnerships. In practical terms, the initiative matters because waste management is often a visible public-service and health issue in urban areas, and its success will depend on whether municipalities can turn the new rules into cleaner neighbourhoods, markets and public spaces.