Riyadh, SONNA – A delegation from the National Communications Authority (NCA) of Somalia, led by Director General Mr. Mustafa Yasin Sheikh, took part in the 25th Global Symposium for Regulators (GSR-25), organized by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in Riyadh.
The three-day symposium convened leaders of telecommunications and digital regulatory authorities from around the world to exchange experiences and best practices on emerging challenges and opportunities in the digital sector.
During the event, Mr. Mustafa Yasin Sheikh joined a high-level panel on “Building a Sustainable Digital Future”, which focused on how regulation can enhance climate resilience and ensure inclusive access to digital services.
In his intervention, the NCA Director General highlighted three key priorities:
Guaranteeing access to trusted, public-interest data with strong privacy protections.
Maintaining network operations during emergencies.
Reducing connectivity costs so that communities can fully benefit from digital technologies.
He shared Somalia’s experience of using anonymized mobile data to support flood response efforts and called for sustainability to be embedded into regulatory frameworks, including renewable and backup power at critical sites, safe recycling of devices, stricter energy standards for data centers, and preparedness for nationwide emergency alerts.
To monitor progress, Mr. Mustafa proposed a national sustainability scorecard with indicators such as renewable energy share, backup power duration, emissions per data unit, and safe disposal of obsolete 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 participation at GSR-25 underscores Somalia’s growing role in global regulatory dialogue and its commitment to building a resilient, inclusive, and sustainable digital future.
