• Somalia launches “Centennial Vision 2060” to become a peaceful, inclusive, middle-income nation.
• President Mohamud urges national unity to overcome conflict, poverty, and climate threats.
• UN and IMF see signs of resilience despite fragile conditions and economic hardship.

On June 23, 2025, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud launched the Centennial Vision 2060 (CV2060), a 35-year national development roadmap. The long-term plan aims to transform Somalia into a peaceful, inclusive, and middle-income country by 2060, marking the centenary of its independence.

Highlights of President Hasan Sheikh Mohamud’s speech at the official launch of the Centennial Vision 2060. pic.twitter.com/cYfn6QmgoH

— Villa Somalia (@TheVillaSomalia) June 23, 2025

The Vision outlines goals for sustainable economic growth, stronger human capital, inclusive governance, and environmental resilience. It rests on three principles: strengthening national values, promoting local solutions, and prioritizing national interests.

“It is national blueprint for change and a guiding light for our transformative journey over the next 35 years,” President Mohamud declared during the launch event in Mogadishu. “Somalia must rise above the forces that have long held us back- conflict, insecurity, poverty, droughts, and floods,” he added.

Somalia continues to grapple with deep structural challenges. Decades of civil war have left the country vulnerable to insecurity, economic disparity, and environmental shocks. The World Bank estimates that over 70% of the population lives on less than $1.90 a day, ranking Somalia among the world’s poorest and most fragile states.

The country also suffers from recurring droughts, floods, locust outbreaks, food insecurity, and population displacement—all worsened by global market volatility and climate change.

Despite these challenges, Somalia’s economy is showing signs of recovery. The International Monetary Fund revised its real GDP growth forecast upward to 4% for both 2024 and 2025, compared to 2.8% in 2023. This growth is driven by increased exports and remittances from the Somali diaspora.

Claver Gatete, Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa, praised the plan’s ambition. “Through its Centennial Vision 2060, the country is reclaiming its voice, rewriting its story and reinventing its future with collective resolve. The CV2060 is a clear declaration that Somalia will no longer be bound by the weight of its past, but is committed to carving a future defined by its own ambition," he said.

This article was initially published in French by Lydie Mobio (intern)