By: Nana Appiah Acquaye
The
National Communications Authority (NCA) of Somalia has convened the first
Somalia Submarine Cable Landing Technical Working Group (TWG) workshop in
Nairobi, bringing together key stakeholders in the telecommunications and
broadband ecosystem to improve the resilience and governance of the country’s
digital infrastructure.
The
two-day workshop, organised in collaboration with the International Finance
Corporation (IFC) under the Somali Unlocking Sector Investment Project
(Broadband Infrastructure Project), convened submarine cable operators,
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and technical experts. Discussions focused on
strengthening coordination across the sector, improving outage management
systems, promoting fair competition, and advancing the implementation of
Somalia’s submarine cable regulatory framework.
Participants
also reviewed findings from a recently completed assessment of Somalia’s
telecommunications market, using the session to validate insights and identify
priority areas for future sector development. The engagement is intended to
support evidence-based policymaking and guide investments in broadband
infrastructure.
Opening
the workshop, the Director General of the National Communications Authority,
Mustafa Yasin Sheikh Mustafa Yasin Sheikh, emphasised the importance of
collaboration in building a resilient digital ecosystem. He noted that
submarine cables remain critical to Somalia’s connectivity, underpinning
economic activity, innovation and access to essential public and private
services.
He
added that the Technical Working Group would serve as a platform to strengthen
cooperation between regulators and industry players, with the goal of enhancing
the reliability and sustainability of Somalia’s communications infrastructure.
