MOGADISHU – The Minister of Education, Culture and Higher Education, Farah Sheikh Abdulkadir, has issued a directive ordering residents occupying property belonging to the Somali National University (SNU) to vacate the premises immediately. The order was announced during a ceremony marking the modernization of the university’s Gaheyr campus, where the minister emphasized that the land is public property intended for national development and community service.
The directive comes as part of broader efforts to reclaim and rehabilitate the university’s infrastructure. The Gaheyr campus, which serves as the headquarters of the Somali National University, has been the focus of international reconstruction efforts, including a 2020 agreement with Italy to finance its rebuilding. The campus was originally established with international support and has remained a central part of the university’s operations since its reopening.
University Rector Dr. Mohamed Mahmoud welcomed the redevelopment initiative, calling it a major advancement in restoring the institution. He also praised the Ministry of Education for its ongoing commitment to enhancing the nation’s education sector. “We value the Ministry’s dedication to reconstructing and enhancing the infrastructure of Somali National University,” he stated.
The Somali National University was re-established in August 2014 after being closed for over two decades due to the civil war. The institution celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2024, marking a decade of operations in fields including medicine, engineering, law, and social sciences. Since its reopening, the university has played a crucial role in rebuilding Somalia’s higher education sector and training a new generation of professionals.
The government has recently intensified efforts to reclaim public land and property that had been occupied during the decades of conflict. Somali National University has also been expanding its international academic partnerships, including agreements with Chinese institutions focused on collaborative research, expert exchange programs, and higher education quality improvement. The broader education sector has seen increased government investment, including the recruitment and deployment of thousands of teachers funded through domestic revenues.
