Mogadishu — Somalia's cabinet on Thursday approved the establishment of a centralized public service centre aimed at streamlining government services, as it also endorsed a key United Nations maritime agreement, officials said.
Meeting in its weekly session chaired by Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre, the Council of Ministers signed off on the creation of the "Halmeel" one-stop service centre, which will operate under the Prime Minister's Office.
The centre is designed to coordinate, standardize and improve delivery of federal government services, allowing citizens to access multiple services through a single platform.
Authorities said it would reduce bureaucratic layers, simplify procedures and enhance data-sharing between state institutions, eliminating the need for citizens to repeatedly submit the same information at different offices.
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The cabinet also approved an agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) concerning the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction, known as the BBNJ Agreement.
During the meeting, ministers were presented with reports on security, public finances and the condition of the country's rivers, including a comprehensive assessment by the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation.
Prime Minister Barre praised Somalia's security forces after a briefing indicated significant improvements in national security, with a notable decline in incidents of violence across the country.
