PM Barre inspects Balcad–Jowhar road phase, Qatari funding confirmed

Mustaqbal Media reported on 30 May 2024 that Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre and a delegation visited Balcad district to assess the third phase of the Mogadishu–Jowhar road project. The report does not state the date of the visit itself, only the publication date.

The prime minister listened to a detailed progress report on the third phase from the project engineer and thanked the Qatari government for funding the project, according to Mustaqbal Media. He also thanked engineers and workers who sacrificed their lives to build the road. The names of the engineer and any progress figures were not reported.

The prime minister said the road is important as it will boost transport, business growth in the region and economic development from the movement of goods and people, as reported by Mustaqbal Media.

Mustaqbal Media reported that the delegation included ministers, members of parliament, diplomats, the Governor of Banadir region who is also Mayor of Mogadishu, the Qatari ambassador and other top government officials. The report did not name these individuals.

The report describes the project as consisting of three parts: roads connecting Mogadishu–Afgoye, Mogadishu–Balcad and Balcad–Jowhar. It states that the first two phases, connecting Mogadishu–Balcad and Mogadishu–Afgoye, are complete. Mustaqbal Media did not provide independent verification, contractor details, costs or completion dates for any phase.

The known unknowns include the date of the visit, the name of the engineer, the progress status of the third phase, any funding amounts or agreements, and technical specifications. No subsequent updates have been identified in the supplied evidence.