In brief
- Somaliland Standard reported on 14 May 2026 that the government signed the construction agreement for the Lawya-Addo to Borama road.
- The RDA director, Mohamed Farah Abdi, called it the largest project implemented by the current administration.
- The RDA said the first phase covers 30 kilometres from Lawya-Addo to Saylac district, with AfDB financial support, and named two contractors.
Contents
Somaliland Standard reported on 14 May 2026 that the Government of Somaliland signed the construction agreement for the Lawya-Addo to Borama road, an initiative the outlet linked to connectivity across Somaliland, Ethiopia and Djibouti. The report covered the signing ceremony and the remarks made there by the Roads Development Agency.
What the source records
At the ceremony, the RDA Director, Mohamed Farah Abdi, called the project the largest implemented by the Unity and Progress government, according to Somaliland Standard. The report states that the RDA, with financial support from the African Development Bank, said the first phase will cover a 30-kilometre stretch connecting Lawya-Addo to the district of Saylac. It names the contractors for the work as Tianjin Tainer Construction Engineering Co., Ltd and ADCON Somaliland.
What it means on site
A signed construction agreement is a contractual step, not a finished road. For a contractor, supplier or diaspora client watching this corridor, the first practical question is what the agreement documents cover: the scope of the first phase, the roles of the two named firms, and who supervises the works. Ask the Roads Development Agency which office or project unit holds the contract documents and site correspondence, and whether an engineer's representative has been appointed. Until the source publishes a start date and programme, treat the 30-kilometre first phase as stated intent rather than a schedule.
What the source does not establish
The report gives no contract value, no construction schedule and no start date. The first-phase length and the AfDB support are as stated by the RDA at the ceremony, not confirmed elsewhere in the source. The source does not describe mobilisation, land access, design completion or supervision arrangements, and nothing in it confirms the present condition of the corridor. The record that would show the current state is the signed agreement and the RDA's own project reporting, which this article has not seen.
What to do next
Ask the Somaliland Roads Development Agency in Hargeisa which office holds the signed agreement, the first-phase scope and any programme of works, and request the name of the supervising engineer and the contact point for the Lawya-Addo section.
Frequently asked questions
Has construction started on the Lawya-Addo to Borama road?
Somaliland Standard reported on 14 May 2026 that the construction agreement was signed. The report does not say whether works had started, and no start date was published. Ask the Roads Development Agency for the programme of works.
Which companies will build the road?
The report names Tianjin Tainer Construction Engineering Co., Ltd and ADCON Somaliland as carrying out the construction work jointly. The agreement documents held by the Roads Development Agency would set out each firm's scope.
Sources
Local reporting: this article is written for building work in Borama and Somaliland. Ground conditions, prices and rules differ between places; confirm the details for your own site.