MOGADISHU, Somalia – Somalia’s Council of Ministers on Thursday discussed the country’s overall situation, including security, economic development and progress on the production of a new third-generation polycarbonate electronic passport aimed at improving travel procedures and strengthening passport security.
The weekly cabinet meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre, received a detailed briefing from the Ministry of Internal Security on the new e-passport system, including its design features and statistical information. The ministry said changes to personal data contained in passports had been completely halted as part of efforts to protect the credibility and integrity of Somali travel documents.
The new polycarbonate e-passport is expected to modernize Somalia’s passport system, simplify access procedures for citizens and improve the reliability of the country’s official travel documents.
The cabinet also reviewed performance reports from federal ministries covering the first and second quarters of the year, as well as plans to develop the E-Cabinet System to improve government workflow and coordination.
Ministers approved, by a majority vote, a bill on the origin of goods submitted by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. The cabinet also amended the appointment of a member of the Judicial Service Commission, replacing Ali Maalin with legal expert Adan Kulow Maalin Qaasim following a proposal from the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs.
Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre briefed the cabinet on his recent visit to the Northeastern State, praising cooperation between the public and regional administration. He also congratulated Galmudug on holding direct one-person, one-vote local elections.
The prime minister urged government officials and senior state representatives to use Somali passports when travelling abroad, saying the move would preserve the dignity and reputation of public officials. He praised Deputy Prime Minister Jibril Abdirashid Haji Abdi for returning a foreign passport and using the Somali travel document.
