Somali President Asks Iraq to Help Rebuild 1974 Oil Refinery in Baraawe

Somalia has requested Iraq to help rehabilitate an oil refinery built by the Iraqi government in 1974, which has since fallen into disrepair and been largely forgotten, according to Iraqi media reports.

During the 34th Arab League Summit held in Baghdad, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud appealed to Iraq for support in restoring the refinery, located in the northeastern part of Baraawe, in the Lower Shabelle region.

The facility was originally constructed by the Iraqi General Company for Oil Projects and had the capacity to refine 10,000 barrels of crude oil per day—equivalent to 500,000 tons annually.

Under the original agreement, Iraq funded the construction while Somalia was to repay half of the cost within three years of the plant becoming operational.

The refinery functioned until 1980, when supply disruptions caused by the Iran-Iraq War severely affected its operations. By 1989, its output had dropped to just 6% of its original capacity.

The outbreak of Somalia’s civil war in the early 1990s led to the collapse of the refinery along with much of the country’s economic infrastructure.

Now, Somalia is renewing its interest in rebuilding the refinery as part of broader efforts to tap into its natural resources.

The government has signed oil and gas exploration agreements, including with Turkey’s national oil company, TPAO, which is expected to complete seismic surveys by the end of 2025.

Mustaqbal