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By Dr Ismail I Ahmed
The average incomes in Somaliland have dramatically increased after the war and are now significantly higher than those in the regions of Somalia, according to a joint study by the World Bank and UNDP. The Socio-Economic Survey which was published on 14 January 2004 compares the per capita income of 18 Somali regions. The results show that the five regions of Somaliland top the income league table.
The study says the regions around Mogadishu were richer before the war because of heavy concentrations of commerce, industry and services. In the last income and expenditure survey conducted some 20 years ago, Somaliland regions came at the bottom of all the 18 regions. Now average household incomes in Somaliland regions are 50% higher than those in Somalia.
The North-west region (Hargeisa & Sahil) is the richest with average incomes three times the level in the poorer regions such as Mudug, Gedo, Bay and Bakool.
Awdal region has the second highest per capita income. The income level in Awdal with predominantly rural population is even higher than those of entirely urban population in Mogadishu region. The study says urban population have generally much higher annual incomes than nomadic and rural people. This means that on average rural households in Awdal villages enjoy higher incomes than urban families in cities such as Mogadishu.
The survey results support earlier studies that estimated Somaliland’s per capita income to be the same level as those of the lower-middle income countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. Studies also confirm that the quality of life has dramatically improved in the post-war period.
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