The National Conference on Finding Solutions to Road Traffic Accidents concluded today at the Serene Sarovor Hotel in Hargeisa with the unanimous adoption of a sweeping 17-point resolution aimed at halting the rising tide of road deaths and injuries that the Ministry of Transport has declared a “national disaster.”
The two-day summit brought together representatives from government ministries, transport cooperatives, freight and passenger companies, public transport operators (buses, taxis, and public vehicles), vehicle repair garages, universities, local and international organizations, academics, and delegates from friendly countries.
Following in-depth discussions and analysis of Somaliland’s road safety crisis, participants issued the following historic recommendations:
- Immediate establishment of a National Road Safety Committee drawn from all road safety stakeholders and community sectors.
- Urgent call for the House of Representatives to fast-track amendments to Traffic Law No. 56/2013, mandating seat-belt use, banning handheld mobile phones while driving, and requiring every vehicle to carry a first-aid kit.
- Creation of a dedicated Road Safety Fund to finance essential safety programs.
- Strict and full enforcement of all existing traffic laws, policies, procedures, and guidelines.
- The Ministry of Transport to urgently develop specific policies and regulations for vehicles transporting school and university students, with compulsory vehicle roadworthiness checks and complete driver documentation.
- Joint development by the Ministries of Transport & Road Development, Urban Development, local governments, and the Traffic Police of a comprehensive plan to upgrade and regulate public transport while maintaining current traffic standards.
- All public and private hospitals directed to establish easily accessible emergency services including 24-hour hotlines, ambulance services, and trauma centers, even in rural areas.
- Substantial increase in the number, training, and equipment of the Traffic Police to ensure effective enforcement of road traffic laws.
- Urgent decision to align vehicle types with the actual capacity and condition of Somaliland’s roads.
- Strengthening and formalizing coordination between all relevant ministries and agencies, including Transport, Urban Development, Health, Interior, and Religious Affairs.
- Accelerated rollout of speed governors, mandatory vehicle safety inspections (MOT centers), and modern technology such as cameras at checkpoints and on inter-regional highways, supported by centralized data systems.
- Completion of essential road safety infrastructure (signage, pedestrian crossings, and road markings) by local authorities and the Road Development Authority.
- Nationwide rollout of compulsory vehicle insurance.
- Full alignment of the National Road Safety Policy with Somaliland National Vision 2030, the National Development Plan III (NDP-III), and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
- Major nationwide awareness campaigns targeting drivers and the public on the risks and prevention of road accidents.
- Incentives for importing brand-new (zero-mileage) vehicles through reduced customs duties, while increasing taxes on older used vehicles to encourage fleet modernization.
- Decision to make the National Conference on Road Traffic Accidents a permanent biennial event.
Closing the conference, organizers hailed the resolutions as a landmark turning point in Somaliland’s battle against road traffic deaths. The Ministry of Transport is expected to submit the 17-point plan to the Cabinet in the near future and to convene the first implementation task force in the early months of 2026
