Theme: “Building Trust, Strengthening Institutions, and Advancing Justice Throughout the Country”
The National Justice Conference of Somaliland was held in Hargeisa on 2–3 December 2025. The conference was led by the President of the Republic of Somaliland and attended by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, the Speakers and members of both houses of Parliament, members of the Cabinet, the Chairman of the WADDANI opposition party, and Sheikh Mohamed Omar Dirir.
A total of 310 participants attended, representing all justice sector institutions, including courts, the Judicial Commission, the Ministry of Justice, the Office of the Attorney General, the Solicitor General’s Office, the Police Force, the Custodial Corps, the Law Reform Commission, the Human Rights Commission, lawyers and legal professional associations, civil society organizations, universities, religious scholars, traditional leaders, media, and former senior justice sector officials.
This was the first national justice conference of its kind to be held in 14 years. It demonstrated a renewed national commitment to strengthening the justice system, judicial independence, access to justice, accountability, and restoring public confidence in all justice institutions.
The conference thoroughly analysed the findings of the data collection, assessments, and consultations conducted by the National Justice Conference Preparatory Committee 2025 with justice sector stakeholders.
The Committee’s report highlighted major challenges that have severely undermine the justice system and the delivery of justice services, including:
Dysfunction and delays in the work of the Judicial Commission
A broken case management system
Outdated laws and procedures in urgent need of reform and the enactment of missing laws
Widespread lack of coordination among justice institutions
Inadequate training, welfare, and very low salaries for personnel
Extremely poor equipment and infrastructure
Complete absence of transparency and accountability mechanisms
These combined factors have weakened the efficiency and public service delivery of justice institutions, resulting in a sharp decline in public trust.
All participants unanimously agreed that Somaliland urgently needs to commence implementation of the Justice Sector Reform Plan and the Justice Reform Roadmap (2026-2029) that was debated and refined during the conference on 2–3 December 2025.
Accordingly, the National Justice Conference issued the following communiqué:
RESOLUTIONS
Implementation of the Justice Sector Reform Plan (2026-2029): The Plan shall be recognized as the unified roadmap for all justice institutions, providing each institution with tailored reform objectives, measurable actions, and annual budgets.
Full operationalization of the Judicial Commission: The currently non-functional Judicial Commission shall be fully activated and provided with all necessary resources, technical support, personnel, and funding to enable it to perform its duties independently, particularly regarding judicial administration, financial autonomy, appointment, discipline, promotion, transfer, and performance evaluation of judges.
Establishment of Judicial Commission regional offices: Fully functional offices of the Judicial Commission shall be established in every region to receive complaints, register disciplinary cases, and monitor judges’ conduct, and strengthen oversight and accountability.
Significant increase in salaries, benefits, and establishment of a pension system for judicial personnel (2026-2028).
Increase the number of Supreme Court justices to 13 to reduce case backlog, expedite appeals from regions outside Hargeisa, and create a strong bench capable of developing consistent national jurisprudence.
Selection and appointment of judicial leaders, Judicial Commission members, and justice sector personnel must be merit-based and free from clan-, region-, or area-based quotas.
Modernization and digitization of case management across police, prosecution, courts, and prisons through an integrated digital system that tracks every case from arrest to final judgment.
Establishment of a National Justice Training Institute to provide continuous professional training for judges, prosecutors, police, custodial officers, lawyers, and support staff.
Creation of a unified, transparent public complaint and disciplinary mechanism for police, judges, prosecutors, lawyers, the Ministry of Justice, custodial services, and other justice actors.
Professionalization of police investigators and the Attorney General’s Office, standardization of investigation procedures, and strengthening oversight.
Strict adherence to the law in arrest, investigation, and detention; the President shall direct the police and security agencies to respect all constitutional safeguards.
Major investment in infrastructure, equipment, IT, vehicles, and modern facilities for justice institutions.
Restoration of the Ministry of Justice’s constitutional role in publishing Judicial Commission decisions on appointments, promotions, and disciplinary actions to enhance transparency.
Mandatory annual performance reports by every justice institution and the holding an annual judicial conference, with a national justice conference every five years.
Enactment of clear legal procedures governing presidential pardons, defining the roles of the Attorney General, Ministry of Justice, and Custodial Corps to prevent unlawful or politicized releases.
The Ministry of Interior shall issue clear procedures for the execution of court judgments and orders.
Strengthening and expanding community dispute resolution centres (attached to police stations) to reduce the burden on formal courts and facilitate resolution of minor disputes.
Within three months, all relevant ministries and institutions shall submit five legislative packages for comprehensive law reform according to the following timeline:
**Package 1 (Mar–May 2026): Judicial Independence & Justice Administration
Package 2 (May–Jul 2026): Core Civil & Criminal Laws and Procedures
Package 3 (Aug–Dec 2026): Laws on Children, Violence, and Family
Package 4 (Oct–Dec 2026): Regulation of Legal Profession & Specialized Courts
Package 5 (Nov 2026–Sep 2027): Custodial Corps and Medical Profession Laws
PART II – IMPLEMENTATION MECHANISMTo ensure the implementation of this communiqué and the recommendations of the 2025 National Justice Conference Preparatory Committee, every institution shall, within three months, submit:Formal endorsement of the objectives
An institution-specific annual action plan starting 2026
Budget requirements
Staffing needs
Training and infrastructure needs
CONCLUSION
The National Justice Conference reaffirms the commitment of the Republic of Somaliland to building an independent, efficient, modern justice system rooted in public trust.The adoption of the Justice Reform Roadmap (2026-2029) marks a historic milestone in the reform of the judiciary and the justice sector as a whole.
The Government, justice institutions, civil society, and Somaliland’s international partners pledge to work together to implement these reforms in order to deliver swift, impartial, transparent, effective, and equal justice for all.
Hon.Yonis Ahmed Yonis-Minister of Justice
Republic of Somaliland.