Somali Cabinet approves Rules of Origin Bill
Cabinet approval advances a bill that would set out how Somali products qualify for Certificates of Origin under regional trade agreements.
Somalia’s Cabinet approved the Rules of Origin Bill on 6 August 2026. The bill proceeds to Parliament for consideration as part of the legislative process.
Rules of origin determine where a product is considered to have been made. The proposed framework would provide a basis for issuing Certificates of Origin to qualifying Somali goods, helping exporters use applicable preferences under East African Community and AfCFTA trade arrangements once the necessary procedures are in place.
The Ministry of Commerce and Industry developed and validated the proposal with support from HoA DRIVE Somalia. The Ministry has linked the reform to stronger local manufacturing, value addition and better access to regional markets.
