In brief
- Somaliland Standard reported on 14 May 2026 that the Roads Development Agency signed the Lawya-Addo to Borama construction agreement.
- The RDA said the first phase covers 30 kilometres from Lawya-Addo to the district of Saylac, with African Development Bank financial support.
- Construction is to be carried out jointly by Tianjin Tainer Construction Engineering Co., Ltd and ADCON Somaliland, with no contract value or schedule published.
Contents
On 14 May 2026, Somaliland Standard reported that the Government of Somaliland signed the construction agreement for the Lawya-Addo to Borama road, and that the Roads Development Agency (RDA), with financial support from the African Development Bank (AfDB), said the first phase covers a 30-kilometre stretch connecting Lawya-Addo to the district of Saylac.
What the source records
The report of the signing ceremony quotes RDA Director Mohamed Farah Abdi describing the project as the largest implemented under the current administration and setting out the corridor's role as a link for Somaliland, Ethiopia and Djibouti. The agency stated the first phase runs 30 kilometres from Lawya-Addo to Saylac district, and that Tianjin Tainer Construction Engineering Co., Ltd and ADCON Somaliland will carry out the work jointly, according to Somaliland Standard.
What it means on site
Hedges along a 30-kilometre alignment in the western region can carry thorn, salt-laden wind and seasonal runoff, so unbound shoulders and side drains are where a new formation usually shows wear first. Ask the RDA office which section the contractor is opening first and whether survey control points are in place before any clearing starts. Where the line crosses a watercourse, request the cross-drainage drawing rather than a typical section. Treat all of this as general practice and confirm it against the project's specification and the engineer's instructions.
What the source does not establish
The report documents a signing, not completed work. The RDA's statement is a first-phase scope with AfDB financial support, as given at the ceremony. No contract value, start date, completion date or lane configuration was published, and nothing here describes the road's present condition. The design report, the contractor's work programme and a signed contract with bills of quantities would show the actual scope; the RDA or the implementing ministry can say whether those are public.
What to do next
Write to the RDA office in Hargeisa and ask for the first-phase scope drawing, the chainage limits, the work programme and the name of the resident engineer for the Lawya-Addo to Saylac section. Ask the district office in Saylac which corridor plots are affected.
Frequently asked questions
Which companies will build the first phase?
Somaliland Standard reported that Tianjin Tainer Construction Engineering Co., Ltd and ADCON Somaliland will carry out the construction jointly. The RDA said this at the signing ceremony.
Is the road finished?
No. The report covers a signed construction agreement and an announced first-phase scope, not completed work.
Sources
Local reporting: this article is written for building work in Zeila and Somaliland. Ground conditions, prices and rules differ between places; confirm the details for your own site.