Somalia participates in EACO assembly following EAC accession
Date: 2025-07-03
Somalia made its debut participation in the 30th East African Communications Organization (EACO) Annual Assembly this week, signaling its active engagement in regional ICT integration following its recent admission to the East African Community. The National Communications Authority (NCA) of Somalia joined regulators, operators, and service providers from across the region at the June 9-13 forum hosted by South Sudan's communications authority.
The assembly
served as a strategic platform for Somalia to align its communications policies
with regional frameworks, particularly in areas of cross-border roaming,
digital platform harmonization, and collective cybersecurity measures. "In
today's interconnected world, communication transcends national boundaries
through roaming services, shared digital ecosystems, and transnational cyber
threats that demand regional cooperation," emphasized Mustafa Yasin
Sheikh, Director General of NCA Somalia.
Somalia's
participation comes as the country implements sweeping reforms to modernize its
telecommunications sector and position itself as a competitive digital player
in the Horn of Africa. The engagement enables knowledge exchange with
established regional counterparts like Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda while
addressing Somalia-specific challenges in infrastructure development and
regulatory frameworks.
The Juba
meetings also reviewed EACO's five-year strategic plan (2025-2030) focusing on
digital transformation, postal service modernization, and universal
connectivity – priorities that align with Somalia's national ICT development
agenda. As the newest EAC member state, Somalia's active involvement in such
technical forums demonstrates its commitment to regional economic integration
through digital infrastructure harmonization.
By: Robert Annor
