Always Moving Always Sharing Somaliland

IN SUMMARY:
Somaliland provides a unique landscape, politically
and economically, for new business.
DISTRIBUTED, EXPERIMENTAL GOVERNMENT
The combination of a democracy and tribal structures allows for
solutions to be formed and carried out on a hyper-local level.
STRONG LOCAL PLAYERS + LOW BARRIER TO
ENTRY
An increasing international knowledge base from which to draw
and little regulation with few barriers from local government
has meant that getting going with a technology solution has
been relatively easy. Telesom and Dahabshiil have both been
able to leverage their own infrastructure, built over the past
three decades, as well as rapidly build and deploy new
infrastructure. Through Dahabshiil’s acquisition of Somtel and
Telesom’s establishment of Daar Salaam bank, each party now
has the capability in-house to offer both sophisticated banking
and telco products.
GEOGRAPHIC RELATIONSHIP WITH
NEIGHBOURS
As much an Arab nation as an African one, influence from the
Middle East comes in all forms, from fashion and language to
behaviours around technology. The channels between Dubai and
Somaliland (many between individual vendors and their
partners who are diaspora) bring exposure to and expectation of
new tech. On the other hand, historic, complicated relationships
with Somalia, Puntland and Ethiopia exist. The presence of
ethnic Somalis across these places (meaning individuals have
relatives across them) necessitates seamless money and
communication flowing across them.
SAPPHIRE: CONFIDENTIAL & PROPRIETARY - FOR INTERNAL USE ONLY STUDIO D RADIODURANS
DECEMBER 2014 21