Digital infrastructure summit kicked off in Mogadishu today with a lot of excitement as leaders and tech experts gathered to talk about how to bring the country into the modern age. This is the first time the nation has ever held such a big event dedicated purely to the cables and towers and systems that make the internet work for everyone.
When you think about the Digital infrastructure Forum you realize it is not just about faster social media but it is about making sure hospitals and schools can finally connect with the rest of the world. The government wants to show that they are serious about building a strong foundation so that young people can start their own tech companies right here at home. It was a very proud moment for the ministers as they stood on the stage and explained how the Digital infrastructure summit is going to attract big investors from across the globe.
People from all over the country came to see the latest gadgets and listen to the plans for laying down more fiber optic cables under the streets and the sea. The Digital infrastructure Forum is a huge step because for a long time the web was slow and very expensive for the average person living in the city. If the goals of this Digital infrastructure Forum are reached it will mean that even someone in a small village could use their phone to access banking or education without any trouble. It really feels like the country is turning a corner and moving away from the problems of the past and toward a future that is bright and full of data.
Read Also: ISIS Leader Presence in Somalia and Its Impact on Regional Security
Why the Digital infrastructure summit matters for everyone
One of the main things they talked about during the first session of the Digital infrastructure Forum was how to make the internet safer for the people using it every day. Since more people are going online to pay their bills and do business the Digital infrastructure Forum organizers invited security experts to teach people about protecting their private information. They also discussed how to lower the taxes on tech equipment so that more families can afford to buy computers for their kids to study. This part of the Digital infrastructure Forum was very popular because everyone knows that the cost of entry is still too high for many hardworking families in the region.
The energy in the room during the Digital infrastructure Forum was very positive with lots of young students asking questions to the big bosses of the telecom companies. It is clear that the youth are the ones who are going to drive this change and they see the Digital infrastructure Forum as their chance to get the tools they need to succeed. There were also many discussions about how to use solar power to keep the internet towers running even when the regular electricity goes out in the middle of a storm. These are the kind of practical solutions that the Digital infrastructure Forum is trying to find so that the progress doesn’t stop just because of a power cut.
Building new partnerships at the Digital infrastructure summit
Another big win for the event was the number of international groups that showed up to support the vision of a connected nation. By hosting the Digital infrastructure summit Somalia is proving that it is a safe place for big business to come and build new things that benefit everyone. We saw people from the World Bank and other big organizations talking to local entrepreneurs during the breaks of the Digital infrastructure summit which is exactly what the country needs right now. These partnerships are the secret sauce that will make the ideas from the Digital infrastructure summit actually come to life in the next couple of years.
Read Also: Mogadishu Plane Crash After Takeoff
As the meeting goes into its second day everyone is waiting to see the final list of projects that will be funded as a result of the talks. The Digital infrastructure summit is expected to end with a clear roadmap that tells the world exactly where the new towers and cables will be placed. If the government can stick to this plan the Digital infrastructure summit will be remembered as the day the digital revolution really started for the whole nation. It is a long road ahead for sure but having everyone in one room to agree on the path forward is a great way to start the journey.
In the end the success of the Digital infrastructure summit will be measured by how many people can finally get online for a cheap price. It is not just about the big speeches or the fancy hotels where the meetings are held but it is about the kid in a rural town who can finally watch a lesson on YouTube.
Read Also: Somalia A3 meeting: can they lead the way in Africa?
The Digital infrastructure summit has set the stage for a lot of growth and now it is up to the leaders and the private sector to make it a reality. We are all watching closely to see what happens next in this exciting new chapter for the country.
