Federal government: ministries and agencies
Ministry of Livestock, Forestry and Range of Somalia: what it does
Somalia's federal Ministry of Livestock, Forestry and Range is responsible for animal health, livestock export certificates, forests and grazing land. Livestock is Somalia's largest export: about US$970 million in 2024, according to Central Bank data, mostly sheep and goats sold to the Gulf. Hassan Hussein Mohamed was minister in 2025, and the ministry's budget is US$21.4 million for 2026.
What it does
The ministry is the federal body for livestock, forests and rangeland. Its work, as reported:
- Animal health: it runs veterinary services and the checks that export animals must pass. Its director of animal health, Qaasim Abdi Moallim, spoke for the ministry on exports in 2025 (Ecofin Agency, 28 October 2025). A veterinary laboratory funded with the African Development Bank opened to support exports (Eastleigh Voice).
- Markets: it seeks access to new markets. In 2026 Somalia sought wider access to Gulf markets and held talks with Libya on live animal exports (Dawan Africa; AllAfrica, November 2026).
- Forests and rangeland: it makes policy and rules for forests and grazing land, and works on restoring degraded rangeland (SONNA, 10 February 2025).
Who leads it
Hassan Hussein Mohamed was minister in 2025, when he met FAO's regional head for Africa, Abebe Haile-Gabriel, and FAO's Somalia representative, Etienne Peterschmitt (SONNA, 10 February 2025). The ministry's official Feysal Ali spoke for it at a COP29 side event in November 2024 (IISD Earth Negotiations Bulletin).
Livestock exports in numbers
From Central Bank data reported by Ecofin Agency (Ecofin Agency, 28 October 2025):
- 2018: US$311 million.
- 2024: about US$970 million.
- 2018 to 2024: 31.5 million animals exported in total.
- Herd: about 56 million head, by official estimates.
- Share: livestock is about 9 percent of GDP and more than 60 percent of export earnings; sheep and goats make up about 90 percent of shipments.
The ministry projected more than US$1 billion for 2025. The ministry's official said Somalia "capitalized on the decline of Sudan and Australia's market positions" in the Gulf (same source). In 2026 the National Bureau of Statistics said livestock exports weakened in 2025 because of severe drought (Dawan Africa). See Trade, exports and imports.
The money
From the federal budget (Appropriation Act for 2027, as submitted):
| Line | 2025 actual (US$) | 2026 budget (US$) | 2027 proposed (US$) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ministry of Livestock and Forestry | 5,065,094 | 21,390,995 | 18,047,353 |
The rise from 2026 comes mainly from the World Bank's project for pastoral economies in the Horn of Africa (De-risking, Inclusion and Value Enhancement of Pastoral Economies), budgeted at US$13.0 million in 2026 and US$18.7 million in 2027. On the income side, export duty on livestock products raised US$51,099 in 2025 (same source).
How the work is shared
Somaliland and Puntland run their own livestock ministries and export checks, and each member state has its own livestock ministry. See Ports.
Its legal basis
The ministry's mandate from the Council of Ministers under the 2012 Provisional Constitution, as amended in 2024 and 2026.
Sources
- Ecofin Agency, 28 October 2025 · ecofinagency.com
- Eastleigh Voice · eastleighvoice.co.ke
- Dawan Africa · dawan.africa
- AllAfrica, November 2026 · allafrica.com
- SONNA, 10 February 2025 · sonna.so
- IISD Earth Negotiations Bulletin · enb.iisd.org
- Dawan Africa · dawan.africa
- Appropriation Act for 2027, as submitted · mof.gov.so
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Where this matters
- Muqdisho (Mogadishu) and BanaadirMogadishu (Muqdisho) is Somalia's capital and makes up the Banadir region, with about 2.97 million people in 20 districts.
- Hargeysa (Hargeisa) and Woqooyi GalbeedWoqooyi Galbeed is the north-western region that holds Hargeisa (Hargeysa) and the port of Berbera, with about 1 to 1.45 million people.
- Boosaaso (Bosaso) and BariBari is Puntland's north-east region, with the port city of Bosaso (Boosaaso) as its capital and about 1.28 million people.
Same era
- Australia18,401 people of Somali ancestry and 8,101 born in Somalia lived in Australia at the 2021 Census, more than half in Victoria. History, work, issues.
- Birmingham (Somali diaspora)About 17,000 to 21,600 Somalis live in Birmingham (Census 2021), mostly in Nechells, Newtown, Small Heath and Alum Rock. History, work, health and ties home.
- Bristol (Somali diaspora)9,167 people in Bristol identified as Somali or Somalilander in Census 2021, the city's largest minority group. Where they live, work, housing, leaders and ties home.
- Calgary, Alberta, Canada2,845 people of Somali origin lived in Calgary at the 2021 Census, plus 890 in Brooks. How they came, who serves them and what they face.
- Denmark (Somali diaspora)21,885 people of Somali origin lived in Denmark in 2026, half born there. Numbers, history, work, permit reviews, and ties home.
- DjiboutiAbout 13,900 refugees from Somalia live in Djibouti (Aug 2026): numbers since 1990, Ali Addeh, Holl-Holl, the 2017 refugee law, Arta 2000 and 2025 returns.
Keep reading
- Every federal government body in Somalia and its budget, 2025 to 2027A directory of every body in Somalia's federal budget: ministries, agencies, courts, commissions and security forces, with 2025 spending, 2026 budget and 2027 proposed budget in US dollars, and a CSV download.
- The Federal Government of Somalia: how it is organisedHow Somalia's federal government is built: its history since 2012, its branches, ministries, agencies and independent offices, how it relates to the member states, its staff and budget, and where to find each part.
- Somalia's federal government: the President, the Prime Minister and the Council of MinistersHow Somalia's federal executive works: the President's powers, the Prime Minister, the Council of Ministers, the list of ministries, and presidents since 1960.
- Ministry of Education of Somalia (Wasaaradda Waxbarashada): what it doesWhat Somalia's federal education ministry does: curriculum, national exams, teachers, school counts and higher education, how it shares the work with the member states, and the separate ministries in Puntland and Somaliland.
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Somalia (Wasaaradda Arrimaha Dibadda): embassies and diplomacyWhat Somalia's foreign ministry does, who leads it, where Somalia has embassies, the main issues in 2024 to 2026, and what Somalis abroad can get from an embassy.
- Ministry of Health of Somalia (Wasaaradda Caafimaadka): what it doesWhat Somalia's federal health ministry does: policy, vaccines, medicines, coordination of aid; who leads it; its budget 2025 to 2027; what it reports doing in 2026; and how the work is shared with Puntland, Somaliland and the member states.