Highlights:

• Somalia and UNDP signed an MoU to support digital governance and public service innovation.
• The deal aims to boost human capital, e-government infrastructure, and digital inclusion.
• Somalia ranks near bottom in global digital and cybersecurity indices.

Somalia has signed a memorandum of understanding with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to accelerate its national digital transformation agenda. The agreement was inked on Wednesday, July 16, in Mogadishu and aims to enhance cooperation in digital governance, innovation, public service delivery, and human capital development.

Lionel Laurens, UNDP’s resident representative in Somalia, said the MoU would serve as a framework for strengthening Somalia’s digital infrastructure and inclusion strategy, particularly in areas such as e-governance and capacity building.

The move is part of a broader international outreach by the Somali government to close its digital gap and promote socio-economic development. Earlier this month, Somali officials reiterated their commitment to international collaboration during a high-level meeting in Switzerland, holding talks with representatives from the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, and Djibouti.

Topics under discussion included youth digital skills development, telecommunications infrastructure, governance, cybersecurity, and investment in emerging technologies.

Somalia remains one of the world’s least digitally developed countries. According to the UN’s 2024 E-Government Development Index, Somalia ranks 191 out of 193, with a score of just 0.1468—far below the African average of 0.4247. In the 2024 Global Cybersecurity Index by the ITU, Somalia is placed at level 4 out of 5 with a score of 37.38 out of 100, underscoring the country’s significant technical and regulatory challenges.

Laurens reaffirmed UNDP’s support for the Somali federal government and emphasized the role of the Ministry of Telecommunications as a key driver of the nation’s digital transition. However, he noted that this is only an initial framework agreement, and its practical outcomes will depend on subsequent implementation steps.

This article was initially published in French by Isaac K. Kassouwi.

Edited in English by Ola Schad Akinocho.