Somalia Introduces Updated Labor Law to Strengthen Workers’ Rights and Economic Growth

Somalia unveils revised labour code to strengthen worker protections, modernize employment rules

MOGADISHU — Somalia on Sunday launched a revised Somali Labour Code (Law No. 36), a sweeping update that officials say will reshape employment relations, reinforce protections for workers and help underpin long-term economic development.

Unveiled at a national ceremony in Mogadishu, the reform was presented as a cornerstone of efforts to modernize the country’s labour system and align it with international standards and constitutional principles. The event drew members of parliament, senior government officials, business leaders and trade union representatives.

Minister of Labour and Social Affairs Salim Aliyow Ibrow said the updated code offers a clearer, more balanced framework for how employers and workers interact across Somalia’s economy.

“The legislation is designed to protect workers’ rights, clarify employers’ responsibilities and create a predictable and conducive legal environment for employment and investment,” Ibrow said. He added that the reform aims to strengthen social stability, promote inclusive labour governance and ensure compliance with international labour standards.

Authorities said the overhaul was crafted by a tripartite technical committee that brought together the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, the Federation of Somali Trade Unions and the Somali Chamber of Commerce and Industry, with technical support from the International Labour Organization. Officials framed the process as a deliberate bid to ground the law in social dialogue among government, employers and workers—an approach widely regarded as best practice in labour governance.

The ministry outlined the reform’s core priorities, emphasizing a rules-based system that supports both job creation and fair treatment. According to officials, the revised code seeks to:

• Protect workers’ rights and improve access to labour justice
• Clarify employers’ obligations while recognizing legitimate business interests
• Establish predictable, transparent employment relations to bolster investor confidence
• Align Somalia’s labour framework with international standards and constitutional guarantees
• Institutionalize structured dialogue among government, employers and unions

Nasra Haji Ahmed, deputy president of the Federation of Somali Trade Unions, said unions had pressed for reforms for more than a decade to address persistent challenges facing workers. She said the new code strengthens labour justice, improves protections and formalizes cooperation between the government, employers and unions through structured dialogue.

From the private sector, Somali Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Mahmoud Abdikarin Gabeyre said the law could help deliver a more stable and predictable business environment, attract investment and improve workplace relations. He emphasized the responsibility of companies to comply with and implement the new legal framework.

Members of the tripartite technical committee received certificates of recognition during the ceremony for their role in drafting the code, underscoring the consultative process behind the reform.

Officials at the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs said the revised law sets clearer rules for employment relations, reinforces labour market governance and balances the duties of employers with legitimate business considerations. The ministry pledged to prioritize implementation and enforcement, calling the code a key tool to advance social justice, strengthen labour–business dialogue and support Somalia’s long-term development.

While details of the implementation roadmap were not immediately released, officials signaled that outreach to employers and workers, as well as regulatory capacity-building, will be central to putting the law into practice nationwide. The government and social partners said they view the reform as a foundation for stronger institutions that can manage Somalia’s evolving labour market and help translate legal protections into everyday reality for workers and businesses alike.

By Ali Musa
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.