In brief
- On 30 May 2024, Somali Dispatch reported that Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre visited Bal 'ad to oversee the commencement of the third phase of the road connecting Mogadishu and Jowhar.
- The report does not establish whether construction on the third phase has started, nor does it provide a contractor, project cost, or completion date.
- The Prime Minister attributed project funding to the Government of Qatar, according to Somali Dispatch.
On 30 May 2024, Somali Dispatch reported that Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre visited Bal 'ad to oversee the commencement of the third phase of the road connecting Mogadishu and Jowhar. The report places the visit within a project it describes as having three parts: the roads connecting Mogadishu-Afgooye, Mogadishu-Bal 'ad, and Bal 'ad-Jowhar.
According to Somali Dispatch, the Prime Minister received an update from the engineers overseeing the road's construction on preparations for the third phase. The report says he was accompanied by several members of the Cabinet, military commanders, the Governor of Banadir Region, and the Ambassador of Qatar. It does not name any of the accompanying individuals, nor the engineers.
Somali Dispatch reported that the Prime Minister expressed gratitude to the Government of Qatar for funding the project. The report does not state a funding agreement, an amount, or a currency for that funding. It also does not name a contractor, engineering firm, or consultant, and provides no project cost, contract value, or budget figures.
The Prime Minister's own remarks, as carried by Somali Dispatch, described the road as a facilitator for trade, the movement of people and vehicles, economic growth and essential services. He said the road would reduce travel time and costs. The report gives no baseline or figures for those claimed reductions, and they are the Prime Minister's stated expectations, not reported outcomes.
What the 2024-05-30 report does not establish matters for anyone tracking the corridor. It does not confirm that construction on the third phase has started, only that the Prime Minister visited to oversee its commencement. It gives no completion date and no current status for the phase. It does not say what has happened on the third phase since that date.
For contractors and agencies planning around the Mogadishu-Jowhar corridor, the confirmed record as of the report is narrow: a named visit, a stated three-part project structure, a stated funding source attributed to Qatar as gratitude, and official expectations for the completed road. The engineering, procurement, financing terms and schedule behind the third phase remain outside the published account.
Frequently asked questions
What percentage of the road is complete?
Somali Dispatch's 2024-05-30 report does not provide a completion percentage for any part of the road or for the third phase.
Who is the contractor and what is the contract value?
Somali Dispatch's 2024-05-30 report does not name a contractor, engineering firm or consultant, and does not state a contract value or project cost.
What challenges or delays have been encountered?
Somali Dispatch's 2024-05-30 report does not report any challenges or delays on the third phase.