By Asha Elmi - Reporter
Mogadishu, 13 September 2026 Somalia's Upper House of parliament on Saturday approved a mining law and amendments to the national procurement law, in moves aimed at strengthening the legal framework governing the country's natural resources and public procurement.
The Senate approved the mining bill by 28 votes to two, with no abstentions, after lawmakers considered a third-reading report presented by Senator Zaynab Ismail Mohamed, chair of the Senate's Natural Resources Committee.
The legislation had been debated during its second reading, with senators raising issues including the rights of communities in areas where minerals are found, compensation for environmental damage and the management of the country's mineral resources.
Somalia's Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Dahir Shire Mohamed, who attended the session, welcomed the approval, describing the law as an important step toward managing and benefiting from the country's minerals and other natural resources in a transparent, lawful and sustainable manner.
The minister thanked the Senate committee and lawmakers for their work on the legislation, saying the law had undergone extensive review before its approval.
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The Senate also approved amendments to Section 6 of the National Procurement Law by 29 votes, with one senator abstaining and none voting against.
The amendments followed a review of recommendations raised by senators during the bill's second reading. Among the changes was the replacement of the English term "procurement" with the Somali term for purchasing, while provisions were also discussed on oversight and reporting of public projects.
Senators also questioned why a national procurement committee had not been established. The government said the creation of such committees depended on the state's financial capacity.
The approval by the Upper House does not by itself bring the mining law into force. The legislation still requires the president's signature and must subsequently be published in the Official Gazette before it can take effect.
The passage of the mining law marks a significant development in Somalia's efforts to establish a legal framework for its mineral resources. The petroleum and minerals minister said lawmakers approving the legislation were among the first to pass a mining law since 1984.