Somaliland has officially commenced the second phase of asphalt paving on the strategic Borama–Baki Road, marking a significant milestone in one of the country’s major infrastructure projects, with authorities emphasizing that the road is being financed entirely through domestic tax revenues rather than foreign aid.
Speaking during the launch, the Chairman of the Somaliland Roads Development Agency (RDA), Mohamed Farah Abdi, said the project has advanced to the paving stage after more than a year of intensive engineering work to construct the road’s foundation across some of the most difficult terrain along the route.
He explained that engineers spent over a year building the road base while overcoming mountainous sections and constructing drainage systems through valleys to ensure the highway meets long-term durability standards.
“Today, we officially began the second phase of asphalt paving on the Borama–Baki Road. For more than a year, we have been working on constructing the road foundation and building through the mountains and valleys to create a strong road that will serve the public for many years,” Mohamed Farah Abdi said.
The RDA chief noted that the highway is being built to high engineering standards, designed to withstand seasonal flooding and other environmental challenges that have historically affected transport infrastructure in the region.
In his remarks, Mohamed Farah Abdi also stressed that the Borama–Baki Road is being funded solely through taxes collected from Somaliland citizens by the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development, dismissing claims that the project relies on donor support or foreign financing.
“This road is not being built with money from abroad or donor funding. It is being financed through taxes collected from the people by the Ministry of Finance. That is something every Somaliland citizen should be proud of,” he said.
The Borama–Baki Road is expected to improve connectivity across the Awdal region, facilitate trade and transportation, and strengthen economic links between communities once completed. Authorities say the project reflects Somaliland’s growing commitment to financing key national infrastructure through its own domestic resources.