Somalia Eyes Role As Africa’s Digital Gateway At Korea-Africa Economic Forum

GOOBJOOG NEWS|SEOUL: Somalia has an opportunity to position itself as a digital gateway to Africa by investing in infrastructure needed to support artificial intelligence and the wider digital economy, Finance Minister Bihi Iman Egeh said on Wednesday.

Egeh made the remarks during an address to the 8th Korea-Africa Economic Cooperation Conference in Seoul, attended by finance ministers and other representatives from African countries.

This year’s forum is being held under the theme, “Harnessing AI Through Infrastructure Development to Accelerate Africa’s Transformation,” with discussions focusing on how technological development can support economic growth across the continent.

The Somali finance minister said Africa’s ambitions should go beyond adopting artificial intelligence technologies and instead focus on building the infrastructure required to sustain them.

He highlighted investment in reliable energy, fibre-optic connectivity, data infrastructure and accountable financial systems as critical foundations for expanding digital economies and accelerating economic transformation.

Egeh said Somalia’s strategic geographical position, coupled with its growing digital economy, could enable the country to emerge as a digital gateway connecting Africa with other regions.

He also stressed the importance of greater regional economic integration, pointing to the Horn of Africa Initiative as a platform through which countries in the region could strengthen cooperation and promote shared economic growth.

The Korea-Africa Economic Cooperation forum, known as KOAFEC, is marking 20 years since its establishment in 2006. The platform brings together governments, businesses and development institutions from Korea and African countries to discuss economic cooperation, investment and development opportunities.

The Seoul meeting comes as African governments increasingly examine how investment in energy, digital connectivity and other infrastructure can enable them to take advantage of emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence.