MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia’s Cabinet has approved a resolution to implement the country’s new constitution and appointed a ministerial committee to draft legislation defining the structure of the government, the number of ministers and their responsibilities.
The decision was made during an extraordinary Cabinet meeting late Tuesday chaired by Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre, according to a statement from the prime minister’s office.
The meeting focused on constitutional implementation, state-building and strengthening government institutions.
The committee, chaired by the minister of justice and constitutional affairs, has been given two months to prepare a draft law outlining the structure of the executive branch, including the number of ministers and the responsibilities of government institutions.
The prime minister’s office described the proposed legislation as the first of its kind since 1968.
The move comes as Somalia continues efforts to implement constitutional changes and establish a framework for the country’s political and institutional development.
Barre told the meeting that the constitution was in force and that its implementation would proceed through different stages, according to the statement.
He also reiterated the government’s plan to hold federal elections based on a one-person, one-vote system in 2027.
Somalia has faced prolonged political disputes over constitutional amendments, electoral arrangements and the distribution of powers between the federal government and regional administrations. The implementation of constitutional provisions and the transition toward direct elections have been central issues in the country’s political debate.
The government has presented direct voting as part of efforts to strengthen public participation in elections and develop the country’s democratic institutions.
However, disagreements among political stakeholders over constitutional changes and the electoral process have complicated efforts to reach consensus on Somalia’s future political arrangements.
The Cabinet’s decision to prepare legislation governing the executive branch is intended to provide a clearer legal framework for the composition and responsibilities of the government.
In a separate development, the Cabinet received a briefing from the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation on efforts to restore Somalia’s country code within the International Air Transport Association’s system.
The ministry said restoring the system was important for the administration and regulation of airline ticketing services, integration with international travel systems and the development of Somalia’s civil aviation sector.
The IATA system supports airline operations and travel-related services, including ticketing and coordination across international air transport networks.
The ministry did not provide further details on the timeline for restoring Somalia’s code or the specific technical and administrative steps required.
The briefing comes as Somalia seeks to strengthen its aviation infrastructure and improve its integration with international travel systems.
The Cabinet statement did not provide additional details on the draft legislation beyond the committee’s two-month deadline and its mandate to define the government’s composition and responsibilities.
