Minister of Environment Tables NEMA Bill in the Senate.

Minister of Environment Tables NEMA Bill in the Senate

Mogadishu, 17 October 2026, The Minister of Environment and Climate Change of the Federal Republic of Somalia, H.E. Lt. Gen. Bashir Mohamed Jama, today tabled the Bill establishing the National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) before the Senate of the Federal Parliament of Somalia for its First Reading.

In his address to the Senate, the Minister set out the importance of the Bill for strengthening environmental protection, ensuring the enforcement of national legislation, and establishing a national institution mandated to manage, regulate and monitor environmental affairs in Somalia.

He noted that Somalia faces serious environmental challenges, including recurrent droughts, floods, deforestation, land degradation and pollution, which affect livelihoods, public health, the economy and the country’s natural resources. Effective implementation of environmental laws, he stressed, requires an institution with the legal, technical and administrative capacity to ensure their enforcement and to monitor compliance with environmental standards.

The NEMA Bill comprises 26 articles setting out the Authority’s establishment, objectives, powers and functions, governance structure and financial framework. The Authority will operate under the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change and will be mandated to implement, regulate and oversee environmental legislation.

The Minister also underlined the importance of cooperation between the Federal Government of Somalia and the Federal Member States in strengthening coordination of environmental protection efforts and the implementation of relevant laws.

He added that the establishment of NEMA will help ensure that development projects and investments across the country comply with environmental laws, so that economic growth goes hand in hand with the protection of natural resources and the well-being of communities.

In conclusion, the Minister called on Senators to give the Bill careful and thorough consideration, recognizing its national importance and its role in promoting good governance, accountability and sustainable development.

The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change of the Federal Government of Somalia remains committed to strengthening the legal framework and national institutions for environmental protection, in order to safeguard the country’s natural resources and ensure a healthy environment for present and future generations.

Ministry of Environment and Climate Change | Federal Republic of Somalia.