# Ground broken for Peace Highway linking eastern Somaliland

> Somaliland Standard reported on 3 January 2020 that the transport minister presided over a ground-breaking for the Peace Highway linking Wadaama-goo…

- By: Editorial Team, Somali Construction Review (https://somaliconstructionreview.com/about)
- Published: 30 September 2026
- Format: News story (reported from one named public source)
- Publication: Somali Construction Review (https://somaliconstructionreview.com)
- Subject: Infrastructure and Services
- Tags: roads, construction-safety, utilities
- Web version: https://somaliconstructionreview.com/blog/peace-highway-groundbreaking-eastern-somaliland

## Key points

- On 3 January 2020, Somaliland Standard reported a ground-breaking ceremony for the Peace Highway connecting Wadaama-goo and Buhodle.
- The transport minister and other officials spoke at the event, but no contractor, funding, budget, or timeline was disclosed.
- The article does not establish that construction has begun or that the road has been completed.

On 3 January 2020, Somaliland Standard reported that Somaliland's Minister of Transport and Road Development, Abdullahi Abokor Osman, presided over a ground-breaking ceremony for a road connecting the towns of Wadaama-goo and Buhodle, named the Peace Highway.

The ceremony, as reported, brought together several cabinet ministers and local administration officials from Wadaama-goo, Qorilugud, Buhodle and Saraar regions. The road is described as a major route linking three regions of eastern Somaliland: Saraar, Togdheer and Buhodle.

The report contains only statements made at the event; it does not establish what has happened since.

**What was said**

According to Somaliland Standard, the road construction committee chairperson, Mr. Hassan Matan, said the road should promote peace and development in Saraar and Buhodle regions and promised his commitment to supporting completion of the road.

The managing director of the Somaliland development agency pledged to help build the peace corridor linking the three eastern regions, and said the road will be used by vehicles transporting commuters and goods between Somaliland, Somalia and Ethiopia.

The Minister of Home Affairs, Mr. Mohamed Kahin Ahmed, said the road will be a complimentary road and will play a significant role in development and security, particularly in the areas and regions it links.

The Minister of National Planning and Rural Development, Mr. Hassan Mohamed Ali 'Gaafaadhi', said that people living abroad and in those areas should contribute money for construction of the road.

The Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, Mr. Jama Mahmoud Egal, said construction work for the road linking Wadamo-goo and Qori-Lugud and areas bordering Ethiopia has already begun in earnest.

The Transport Minister thanked all of those who contributed towards the construction of the road, and said the government of Somaliland is committed to completing the road construction works that are part of the ruling KULMIYE party campaign pledges made during the 2017 presidential elections. He also said the government will assist by providing running costs, whether fuel, engineering or technical terms, whenever the need arises.

**What is not established**

The Somaliland Standard report does not name a contractor, consultant, or implementing agency. It gives no contract value or total project cost, no funding source or budget allocation, and no timeline for construction or completion. There are no technical specifications, length, or alignment details.

The only statement that works have begun is the energy and mineral resources minister's assertion, reported by Somaliland Standard. No independent evidence of actual construction is provided. The ground-breaking ceremony itself does not equate to construction start in the evidence available.

No post-2020 updates or progress reports are included in the available evidence.

## Questions

### When did the groundbreaking for the Peace Highway happen?

Somaliland Standard reported on 3 January 2020 that a ground-breaking ceremony was held, presided over by the transport minister.

### Who attended the Peace Highway groundbreaking?

According to Somaliland Standard, cabinet ministers including the transport minister, home affairs minister, national planning minister, and energy minister attended, along with local officials from Wadaama-goo, Qorilugud, Buhodle and Saraar regions.

### What is the planned scope of the Peace Highway?

Somaliland Standard reported that the road is intended to connect Wadaama-goo and Buhodle and link the Saraar, Togdheer and Buhodle regions.

## Sources

- [Transport minister presides over ground breaking ceremony for the peace highway](https://somalilandstandard.com/transport-minister-presides-over-ground-breaking-ceremony-for-the-peace-highway/) — Somaliland Standard, 2020-01-03