Mogadishu (WDN)- In a significant step toward bolstering Somalia’s aviation sector and economic infrastructure, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud laid the foundation stone for the New Mogadishu International Airport, to be constructed in Warsheekh district, 61 Km north of Mogadishu in the Middle Shabelle region.

The proposed airport is expected to serve as a modern aviation hub for both domestic and international flights, with the president emphasizing its importance for national connectivity, economic recovery, and Somalia’s broader development agenda.

The President was joined at the groundbreaking event by several high-ranking officials, including Hirshabelle State President Ali Abdullahi Hussein, Mayor of Mogadishu and Banadir Governor Hassan Mohamed Hussein (Muungaab), Federal Minister of Commerce and Industry Mahmoud Aden Gessod, State Minister for Transport and Aviation Abdikarim Abdow Heydar, and Director General of the Somali Civil Aviation Authority Ahmed Maallin Hassan.

Ahmed Jama, a former senior staff at the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation (MoTCA),told WardheerNews, “The new Mogadishu airport is urgently needed, as the current Adan Adde airport has long exceeded its capacity. However, we’ve seen a recurring pattern where Somali leaders lay foundation stones in empty fields and make promises that never materialize. I hope this time will be different—that this project is real and will finally be completed.

“This airport project represents more than just infrastructure,” President Hassan Sheikh said at the ceremony. “It symbolizes Somalia’s recovery, resilience, and the Somali people’s capacity to liberate their land from terror and build their nation with pride and dignity.”

The president also noted that the new airport will be built by a Somali-owned company, as part of a wider push by the federal government to strengthen critical national infrastructure while asserting state presence in newly secured regions.

Although the construction of the new Mogadishu International Airport at Warsheekh is widely regarded as a critical infrastructure project that demands the knowhow and the collaboration of both international and local companies, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s statement—declaring that a Somali company will undertake such project has ignited significant controversy. While national ownership and local capacity-building are important goals, President Hassan’s track record on public tenders, the lack of project details and the opaque nature of the project raised serious concerns about favoritism. Many fear it could become yet another example of non-transparent governance rather than a genuine symbol of national progress.

This controversy adds to the growing perception that President Hassan’s administration is struggling with issues of accountability and integrity. Allegations of nepotism and corruption have begun to overshadow some of the government’s initiatives, including major government tenders and infrastructure projects meant to boost economic development and national pride. For a project of such magnitude—central to Somalia’s economic recovery and global image its expected the process to be open, competitive, and subjected to public scrutiny. Instead, the president’s announcement and the past records has triggered a wave of skepticism and concern, undermining public trust in an already fragile political environment.

Construction timelines and further project details is said to be released in the coming weeks as groundwork begins in earnest.

WardheerNews