Hargeisa (Hornpost) The Government of the Republic of Somaliland and the Government of France have officially launched a major cultural heritage initiative titled “Preservation and Development of Somaliland’s Heritage”, aimed at safeguarding and economically enhancing the country’s historical and archaeological sites.
The project was formally inaugurated in Hargeisa by the Minister of Trade and Tourism of Somaliland, Abdirahman Hassan Nur, alongside the Deputy Ambassador of France to Kenya, Romain Joly. The initiative is valued at USD 2 million and represents one of the most significant international investments to date in Somaliland’s cultural heritage sector.
According to officials, the project will focus on transforming key historical and archaeological sites into sustainable economic assets—particularly through tourism—so that they can generate revenue for their long-term conservation and development. Core components include strengthening institutional capacity and expertise in heritage management, enhancing protection mechanisms for historical sites, and promoting globally significant locations such as Laas Geel.
The funding is being channeled through the French Development Agency (AFD) and will be jointly implemented by Expertise France and Somaliland’s Ministry of Trade and Tourism.
The launch ceremony was attended by the Presidential Adviser on Strategy, Kamal Marjan, and marked the largest-ever official French delegation to visit Somaliland at one time. The delegation included AFD East Africa Director Aïssatou Kumagangue, France’s Trade Representative in Somaliland Mohamed Sahardid, and Professor Xavier Gutherz, the archaeologist who first introduced the Laas Geel cave paintings to the international community in 2002, along with senior experts in heritage preservation, tourism, and cultural development.
Somaliland is home to numerous sites of outstanding global importance, encompassing prehistoric rock art, ancient archaeological remains dating back thousands of years, and historic towns that testify to the region’s deep and diverse past.
France has supported Somaliland’s archaeological and heritage promotion efforts since 2002, particularly in raising international awareness of ancient civilizations that once inhabited the territory.
Deputy Ambassador Joly expressed gratitude for the warm reception and the strong cooperation extended by the Somaliland government, noting the project’s significance for cultural preservation and bilateral collaboration. Minister Abdirahman Hassan Nur, in turn, thanked the French government for its continued support, expressing hope that the initiative would serve as a cornerstone for a lasting partnership—enabling Somaliland to benefit from France’s extensive experience in heritage management while introducing Somaliland’s unique cultural legacy to the world as a sustainable source of income.
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Hornpost staff Reporter
