Wednesday October 24, 2018
People use computers at an internet cafe in the Hodan area of Mogadishu October 9, 2013. Reuters/Feisal Omar.
MOGADISHU, Oct. 24 (Xinhua) -- Somali government said Tuesday it is
implementing a raft of measures aimed at revamping the information and
communication technology (ICT) sector which was affected by more than
two decades of civil war.
Abdi Ashur, Minister of Post, Telecom and Technology, told an ICT
forum in Mogadishu that the government is also supporting reforms that
create a level playing field for all in the sector to speed up its
development.
"Some of you have one, two or three SIM cards and mobile phones
because our telecom operators are not interconnected. As a government,
we are committed that this time next year, you will be able to make
calls throughout Somalia with just one SIM card," Ashur said during the
official opening of the Mogadishu Tech Summit.
He said his ministry is undertaking a number of measures aimed at
developing the sector, including drafting policies, developing
e-government strategy and government portal, promoting tech innovation,
and promoting ICT literacy.
Ashur noted that the world has made the largest number of tech
advancements in the past 30 years than any time before, at a time when
Somalia has been dealing with security challenges.
However, he said, there is hope when the country's young generation are now thinking about technology.
The forum which was organized by iRise Tech Hub came barely a week
after Mogadishu hosted the Somali Network Operators Group conference.
Ashur said that he is impressed by the increasing awareness in the
public about the role of technology in daily lives as evidenced by the
growing number of tech-related events in the country.