As part of its contract to provide support for the Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) Sector of the World Bank Group (WBG), Albany completed the second subject specialist workshop in Nairobi. This workshop was produced at the request of the Minister of Post and Telecommunications for the Somali Parliamentary Communications Committee.
Albany has been working with the WBG in their support for the ICT sector in Somalia, specifically assisting with facilitating the implementation of the 2015 Communications Act, creating support for an effective ICT regulatory agency, and support for implementing an ICT licensing framework.
The Parliamentary Communications Committee attending this workshop was comprised of experienced parliamentarians whose role is to assess and propose to Parliament the legislation that regulate telecommunications in Somalia. This workshop brought together the Committee, members of the Ministry of Post and Telecommunication (MPT), and Albany and WBG subject experts from around the world to provide a forum for presentations and discussion on international and regional best practise, and experience in communications legislation and regulation.
Two reports prepared by the Albany team for MPT were presented and discussed within the workshop: ‘Establishment of the National Communication Commission’ and ‘Licensing Framework and Business Plan.’
Other presentations provided for the discussion of the draft Communications Act (which had its first reading by the Committee in 2014); Somali telecommunication in the context of regional and international cooperation; Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) revenues that will derive from regulation and government, and business and social developments that can follow from telecommunications regulation. It was recognised that in addition to significant development across all sectors, there would be strong benefits from sound regulation for each of the particular stakeholders: the FGS, the telecommunication operators, and the consumers of the services provided.
Of particular concern to the Parliamentary Committee was the management of the Somali country code, the management of the .so suffix, and the accountability of the regulator. The MPT was particularly interested in looking at the model provided by the Afghanistan telecommunications regulation. Using the expertise assembled for the workshop, with one of the specialists having assisted in drafting the Afghanistan law and Albany’s Doug Griffin continuing to provide consultation to the Afghanistan Telecommunication Regulatory Authority, an informed and detailed discussion was possible.
HE Jamal Hassan Ismail declared that the workshop provided an important opportunity for the Parliamentary Committee, the Ministry, and Somali legal advisors. The World Bank Country Director, Bella Bird, confirmed the Bank’s support for Somalia, with the passage of the law central to their on-going programme.
Albany remains committed to support the WBG and the Somali stakeholders, applying its unique experience in Somalia and expertise in telecommunication regulation. For more information on our work in Somalia, please contact anna@albanyassociates.com.
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Steve Turner is an Albany Associates consultant working out of Nairobi and Mogadishu.