MINING POLICY FRAMEWORK ASSESSMENT Somalia

The assessment finds that while Somalia is modernizing its legal framework through the 2019 National Minerals Resources Policy and new environmental laws, its mining sector remains predominantly informal and artisanal. Key strengths include a clear fiscal regime for extractives and strong political will to align with international standards. However, significant gaps persist, including an outdated 1984 Mining Code, a lack of a comprehensive mining cadaster, unknown levels of artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) activity, and the cultural exclusion of women from the sector. The report recommends enacting a new Mining Bill, establishing a robust mining inspectorate, and developing a formalization roadmap for ASM.

• Somalia is updating its mining governance, but the primary legislation remains the outdated Mining Code of 1984. A new Mining Bill drafted in 2023 aims to address gaps in environmental management, local content, and community consultations, but it still awaits enactment.
• The fiscal regime for extractives is described as clear and simple, utilizing fixed royalties and a 30% corporate income tax. The 2023 Law on the Fiscal Regime for Extractives Industries provides specific rules on royalty computation and prevents double benefits for investors.
• Environmental management has seen recent progress with the 2023 update of the National Climate Change Policy and the 2024 enactment of the Environmental Protection and Management Law. Environmental and Social Impact Assessments (ESIAs) are now mandatory for industrial-scale mining, though they do not currently apply to the artisanal sector.
• The artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) sector is the only active mining segment in Somalia, but its actual size and impact are unknown. There is no inventory of operating or abandoned ASM sites, and the country is not a party to the Minamata Convention on Mercury, leaving mercury-related risks in gold mining unaddressed.
• Socio-economic protections and community engagement are severely lacking in the mining sector. The concept of Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) has not been adopted, and there are no formal grievance mechanisms or legal provisions for involuntary resettlement.
• Women are largely excluded from the mining sector due to cultural and religious norms, which contrasts with neighboring countries like Kenya and Ethiopia. This exclusion is a significant gap in the inclusivity goals of the National Minerals Resources Policy.
• Somalia lacks essential technical infrastructure for mining management, specifically a comprehensive and reliable mining cadaster and a national inventory of mineral resources. Geological data is not systematically collected and is often provided by external actors like the USGS.
• The framework for post-mining transition is in its infancy. While the 1984 Code defines the process for relinquishing mine sites, it lacks contemporary standards for climate-resilient land use, community consultation on closure, or an inventory of abandoned colonial-era mines.

APA

Hruschka, F., Ahmed, A. M., Halim, T., Ruete, M., & Tarus, V. (2025). MINING POLICY FRAMEWORK ASSESSMENT Somalia. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2025-08/mining-policy-framework-assessment-somalia.pdf

Chicago

Hruschka, Felix, Avvocato Mohamed Ahmed, Thelma Halim, Marina Ruete, and Viola Tarus. MINING POLICY FRAMEWORK ASSESSMENT Somalia. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2025. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2025-08/mining-policy-framework-assessment-somalia.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Hruschka |first1=Felix |last2=Ahmed |first2=Avvocato Mohamed |last3=Halim |first3=Thelma |last4=Ruete |first4=Marina |last5=Tarus |first5=Viola |title=MINING POLICY FRAMEWORK ASSESSMENT Somalia |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=August 2025 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2025-08/mining-policy-framework-assessment-somalia.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{hruschka2025mining, author = {Hruschka, Felix and Ahmed, Avvocato Mohamed and Halim, Thelma and Ruete, Marina and Tarus, Viola}, title = {{MINING POLICY FRAMEWORK ASSESSMENT Somalia}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2025}, month = aug, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2025-08/mining-policy-framework-assessment-somalia.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }