In 2000, the budget of the Somaliland Ministry of Livestock accounted for 0.7% of the national budget, all of which was consumed by operational and personnel costs. Despite the livestock sector's central economic importance, the ministry has historically remained among the lowest-funded government institutions, with budget allocations largely unchanged as of 2019. In October 2000,
Saudi Arabia imposed a ban on livestock imports from the
Horn of Africa, including Somaliland, as a precautionary measure against
Rift Valley Fever. This embargo severely impacted the national economy, as the Gulf kingdom was the primary destination for the region's animal exports. As a result, Somaliland’s livestock exports suffered a devastating blow in 2001, but they bottomed out and recovered steadily thereafter. In May 2008, the Somaliland Ministry of Livestock, in collaboration with the Italian NGO Terra Nuova and the Somaliland United Livestock Professional Association (ULPA) veterinarians' association, launched an emergency veterinary campaign. Seven specialized teams were dispatched to provide free medical treatment and nearly $30,000 worth of medicine to livestock in several regions to mitigate the impact of persistent drought. In November 2009, Minister of Livestock Idris Ibrahim Abdi announced that
Saudi Arabia had lifted its nine-year ban on livestock imports, which was originally imposed in 2000 following an outbreak of
Rift Valley Fever. This decision revitalized the national economy and restored large-scale trade through the
Port of Berbera, leading to a significant surge in livestock prices and market activity. In December 2016, Saudi Arabia suspended livestock imports from Somalia and Somaliland due to suspected animal illnesses. In response, the Somaliland Minister of Livestock, Abdullahi Mohamed Dahir, asserted that the health status of all livestock exported via the Port of Berbera was officially approved and certified by the
Office International des Epizooties (OIE). Although this ban was never lifted, it was temporarily suspended in both Somalia and Somaliland during the
Hajj season. In December 2017, under the administration of President
Muse Bihi Abdi, the Ministry of Livestock and the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources were merged to form the
Ministry of Livestock and Fishery Development (, .) This structural reorganization was intended to streamline government operations and improve administrative efficiency by consolidating related economic sectors under a single ministry. In June 2018, the Ministry of Livestock officially announced the resumption of livestock exports, marked by the departure of transport vessels from
Berbera. The Deputy Minister expressed confidence that ongoing diplomatic negotiations and trade agreements would sustain the export flow, particularly during the high-demand period of
Eid al-Adha. In February 2019, the Somaliland Ministry of Livestock launched a vaccination campaign in the
Sheikh District within the Sahil Region. Veterinary teams targeted
Ovine rinderpest (PPR) and
sheep pox and
goat pox in local herds. This initiative aimed to safeguard the health of livestock, which serves as a primary economic pillar for the country's pastoralist population. In July 2019, Saudi Arabia rejected a shipment of 20,000 sheep and goats from Berbera because they lacked health certification from the Somali Federal Government in Mogadishu. The Somaliland Ministry of Livestock protested the move, opposing a new Saudi directive that required export approvals to be issued by Mogadishu authorities rather than Somaliland. In April 2020, Saudi Arabia temporarily lifted its ban on livestock imports from Somalia and Somaliland—which had been in place since December 2016, with the exception of the Hajj pilgrimage period—in order to stabilize its domestic meat supply. In March 2026, the Somaliland Ministry of Livestock inaugurated a modern veterinary laboratory in
Berbera, the capital of the
Sahil region. This facility was established to improve animal health monitoring and ensure the quality of livestock exports, which serve as a vital pillar of the national economy. ==Ministers==