# Somalia and Djibouti Sign Road Agreement, Details Unclear

> Somalia and Djibouti signed a road construction agreement on 26 May 2023, but the report leaves financing, alignment and construction status unverified.

- 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, drainage
- Web version: https://somaliconstructionreview.com/blog/somalia-djibouti-road-agreement-2023

## Key points

- Somalia and Djibouti signed a road construction agreement on 26 May 2023 at the 17th Horn of Africa Finance Ministers meeting in Sharma Sheikh, Egypt.
- The report does not state the road's route, length, cost, funding amount, or contractor, and does not confirm any construction has taken place.
- A second phase connecting Somalia and Kenya was described as a future intention, not a funded or scheduled project.

On 26 May 2023, Mustaqbal Media reported that the finance ministers of Somalia and Djibouti signed an agreement to build a road connecting the two countries. According to that report, the signing took place at the 17th meeting of the Horn of Africa Finance Ministers in Sharma Sheikh, Egypt.

The report names Somalia's finance minister, Dr Elmi Mohamud Nur, and Djibouti's finance minister, Ilyas Muse Daware, as the signatories. It states that special attention was paid at the conference to connecting Somalia, Djibouti, Ethiopia and Kenya with major roads to promote trade, and that the first phase of the Horn of Africa project has been launched in Somalia and Djibouti, with the African Development Bank responsible for implementation, according to the report.

What the report does not establish about what has happened since 26 May 2023 is substantial. Mustaqbal Media's account contains no agreement or memorandum text, no road length, route, alignment or design standard, and no project value, contract value, budget or financing amount. It cites no procurement, tender or contractor selection. It gives no start-of-works date, no target completion date, and no explanation of what "launched" means. No African Development Bank statement, project record or board document is cited, and no Somali or Djibouti government statement beyond the reported signing.

Mustaqbal Media also reported that the road is expected to contribute to connecting communities and economic development in the Horn of Africa region. That is a stated expectation of future benefit, not an established or measured outcome.

On phasing, the report states that a second phase will be the construction of another road connecting Somalia and Kenya. This is a stated intention, not a committed or funded phase. The report does not say Ethiopia or Kenya have signed or committed to anything.

> **Note:** SCR has not independently verified the signing. The 26 May 2023 Mustaqbal Media report is the only source for the facts reported here.

For construction and logistics firms watching the Somalia-Djibouti corridor, the reported agreement is a signed document, not a started project. The financing, alignment, procurement and construction status remain unstated in the available record.

## Questions

### What is the planned route and length of the Somalia-Djibouti road?

Mustaqbal Media's 26 May 2023 report does not state the road's route, alignment or length.

### Who will fund and build the road?

According to Mustaqbal Media's 2023-05-26 report, the African Development Bank is responsible for implementation of the first phase. The report does not state a financing amount, modality, procurement process or selected contractor.

### When will construction start?

Mustaqbal Media's 2023-05-26 report gives no start-of-works date. It states that the first phase "has been launched," but does not define what that means or confirm construction has begun.

## Sources

- [Somalia, Djibouti sign an agreement to build a road connecting the two countries to boost economy](https://mustaqbalmedia.net/en/somalia-djibouti-sign-an-agreement-to-build-a-road-connecting-the-two-countries-to-boost-economy/) — Mustaqbal Media, 2023-05-26