Central Bank of Somalia

The Central Bank of Somalia (CBS) (Bankiga Dhexe ee Soomaaliya, البنك المركزي الصومالي) is the monetary authority of Somalia. Somalia has struggled to reestablish a functioning state since the collapse of an authoritarian regime in 1991. Somalia has been cited as a real-world example of an anarchist stateless society and a country with no formal legal system. The Transitional Federal Government, formed in 2004, was recognized as the central government of Somalia. Among other duties, it is in charge of ensuring financial stability, maintaining the internal and external value of the local currency, and promoting credit and exchange conditions that facilitate the balanced growth of the national economy. Within the scope of its powers, it also contributes to the financial and economic policies of the State. On 15 November 1920, the Banca d'Italia opened a branch in Mogadishu. This was the first banking institution in Italian Somaliland. Then in 1938 Banco di Napoli established a branch in Mogadishu. (Banco di Napoli replaced Cassa di Risparmio di Torino, which had opened an office in Mogadishu in 1932). In 1952, National Bank of India (NBI), which later merged with Grindlays Bank to form National and Grindlays Bank, established branches in Berbera and Hargeisa in British Somaliland (now Somaliland). NBI was the first bank in British Somaliland and was the banker to the colonial government until the State of Somaliland (the former British Somaliland) joined the Trust Territory of Somalia (the former Italian Somaliland) to form the Somali Republic in 1960. After the union, National and Grindlays opened a branch in Mogadishu. In 1940, there were five local bank branches in Italian Somaliland. Banca d'Italia had three: in Mogadishu, Kismayo and Merca. Banco di Roma had two branches; one in Mogadishu and another in Merca. Banco di Napoli had one in Mogadishu. Both Banco di Roma and Banco di Napoli also had branches in other parts of the region, in Eritrea and Ethiopia.