Rail transport in Somalia Somalia-Ethiopia border. Somali troops from the First and Second Somali divisions of the Italian colonial army helped during the construction. Rail transport in Somalia Railway transport in Somalia consisted of the erstwhile Mogadishu–Villabruzzi Railway and secondary tracks. The system was built during the 1910s by the authorities in Italian Somaliland. Its track gauge was , a gauge favoured by the Italians in their colonies in the Horn of Africa and North Africa. The railway was dismantled in the 1940s by the British during their military occupation of Italian Somaliland, and was subsequently never rehabilitated. The 114 km of the Mogadishu-Villabruzzi
Balad, Somalia market (currently not operating). Textiles are produced at the Somalitex plant in Balcad which supplies virtually the entire domestic market. Balcad Textile Factory was upgraded and funded by West Germany and Somalitex facilities were greatly expanded. It is considered among the best equipped textile plant in Africa. The investment in cotton showed fewer long-term results than the investment in bananas. The Administration of Balcad District of the Middle Shabelle region supported by the Somali Federal Government encourage the local and foreign investment in the region. Balad, Somalia Bal'ad District () is one of the districts of Middle Shabelle region of