Riyadh, 3 September 2025 — A delegation from the National Communications Authority (NCA) of Somalia, led by Director General Mr. Mustafa Yasin Sheikh, participated in the 25th Global Symposium for Regulators (GSR-25), organised by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The symposium, which ran for three days, brought together leaders of telecommunications authorities from across the globe to exchange experiences and best practices on the latest developments in digital and technology regulation.
During the symposium, Mr. Mustafa joined a high-level panel on building a sustainable digital future. The discussion centred on how regulation can strengthen climate resilience and ensure equitable access to digital services.
In his remarks, Mr. Mustafa highlighted three priorities: ensuring access to trusted public-interest data with strong privacy safeguards, keeping networks operational during emergencies, and reducing costs so communities can fully benefit from digital tools. He pointed to examples where anonymised mobile data supported flood response efforts in Somalia.
He also urged regulators to integrate sustainability into licensing requirements, including renewable and backup power at critical sites, safe device recycling, higher energy standards for data centres, and readiness to deliver nationwide emergency alerts. To measure progress, he proposed a national sustainability scorecard with clear indicators such as renewable energy share, backup power duration, emissions per data unit, and safe disposal of old devices.
“Somalia’s priority is to move from pilots to performance — enabling trusted data, embedding sustainability into rules, and measuring what matters,” Mr. Mustafa said. “Only then can digital systems be affordable, reliable, and life-saving for the people most affected by climate change.”
The NCA’s engagement at GSR-25 reflects Somalia’s growing voice in global regulatory discussions and its commitment to building a resilient and sustainable digital future.