Throughout the last decade, as Somali waters remained unsettled by piracy that followed almost twenty years of conflict, one man pursued the idea that his country’s future lay under those troubled seas. Mohamed Ahmed Jama, founder of telecommunications company Dalkom Somalia, believed that dependable, affordable access to the Internet would transform Somalis’ economic prospects. Laying submarine fiber-optic cable that reached his country’s far corners was the first step forward.
Both the World Bank and IFC were already pioneering an underwater network to connect East Africa to the rest of the world, and Dalkom’s efforts made it possible to extend the cable to Somalia. Before Somalis had this virtual connection, its citizens went without anything that required fast, dependable online communication—like mobile banking, online health services, digital classrooms, and electronic government facilities.
Lacking these opportunities, most Somalis were left behind, and the country’s Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector had no way to develop and attract investment. Dalkom’s efforts have changed that: today, the country’s telecoms sector is competitive.
Somalia’s tech transformation has also facilitated legislative advances that pave the way for long-term economic expansion. For example, in 2017 government officials passed Somalia’s landmark Communications Act, which would not have been possible without the public-private dialogue initiated by IFC and the World Bank. The Communications Act provides the legal starting point for investment and competition in Somalia’s ICT sector.
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