Somaliland’s Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Abdillahi Hassan Aden, held talks on Tuesday with a visiting World Bank delegation led by Hideki Matsunaga, the World Bank’s Country Manager , to review ongoing development projects and discuss future cooperation, officials said.
Matsunaga and his delegation arrived in Hargeisa for a working visit aimed at assessing World Bank-supported programs and exploring new areas of partnership with Somaliland’s government.
The meeting, attended by senior officials from the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development, focused on the progress of projects financed by the World Bank and the potential expansion of support for development priorities across Somaliland.
According to the ministry, discussions covered a range of sectors including education, water, healthcare, governance, telecommunications, public financial management reforms and other programs aimed at improving public services and strengthening institutional capacity.
Finance Minister Abdillahi Hassan Aden said World Bank-funded projects have played an important role in Somaliland’s development efforts by supporting essential public services, strengthening government institutions and helping implement development initiatives across the country.
“The support provided through these projects has contributed significantly to improving services for citizens and enhancing the capacity of public institutions,” the minister said during the meeting.
He reiterated Somaliland’s commitment to ensuring transparent and accountable management of development projects, emphasizing that programs supported by international development partners are being implemented in accordance with established public financial management systems.
Matsunaga praised the Somaliland government’s implementation of World Bank-supported projects and commended the cooperation between the World Bank and Somaliland’s public institutions.
He also highlighted the role of the Ministry of Finance in coordinating, managing and monitoring development programs, according to a statement released by the ministry.
The two sides agreed to deepen cooperation and accelerate the implementation of ongoing and planned projects aimed at improving public services, promoting economic growth, creating employment opportunities and strengthening government institutions.
The World Bank has supported a variety of development programs in Somaliland through international financing mechanisms, focusing on infrastructure, public sector reforms, social services and economic resilience.
Horn Diplomat
