Business
SOMALILAND: Former President adviser calls for new EASSy cable bidding
August 19, 2010 · 19 Comments
HARGEISA (Somalilandpress) — A FORMER adviser of former President Dahir Riyale Kahin says businesses, national security and the sovereignty of Somaliland could gain a major boost if the new administration terminates the old EASSy submarine cable agreement and starts a new competition.
Dr Ahmed Juma, former technology adviser to President Riyale, said in a press release, Somaliland could benefit from a raise in broadband penetration and access speeds if the Silaanyo administration could stimulate a new competition in accordance with the constitution and telecommunication legislation.
Dr Juma disapproved a claim by a company that claims to be a local company called Somaliland Cable (SomCable Ltd), which says it won the right to deploy the submarine fibre optic cable in the Somaliland port town of Berbera.
He added SomCable is a subsidiary of Djibouti’s state-owned and primary telecommunication provider, Djibouti Telecom.
“SomCable will connect Somaliland via Djibouti and comes directly under Djibouti Telecom while Dalkom Somaliland will land the cable directly to Berbera via the red sea,” he said in the statement.
“Somaliland is non-landlocked country, its communication cables should never come under another state or a third-party,” he added.
He says the new $300 million international cable should be linked directly to Somaliland for its own national security, business benefits and sovereignty.
Ever since the announcement of EASSy cable, a 10 000km fibre optic cable that has landing points in nine countries including Somaliland, Dalkom Somalia and Djibouti Telecom have been vigorously fighting over the rights to deploy the cable in the country. The two companies have each created a subsidiary entity in the country to try to win over the locals, each claiming to be locally based.
The cable was originally planned to land in Mogadishu however due to the instability and the rise in piracy along Somalia’s coastline it was changed to Somaliland instead.
In early May, SomCable issued a press release claiming it was granted the full and exclusive right to deploy the EASSy submarine cable at the cost of $33 million and generate 10, 000 jobs for locals. It added they would drag the cable from Djibouti to the Somaliland red sea port of Berbera.
However, a number of local businessmen and elders from the town dismissed the claims and argued SomCable is directly under Djibouti Telecom and they will never accept such company to hijack what could become the national backbone network.
A number of sources close to the former President claim Mr Riyale inked the contract with SomCable but it was never rectified nor brought in front of Somaliland’s bicameral parliament.
Dr Juma says the former President signed the agreement after becoming under pressure from members of his cabinet and the presidential election [funds].
“It’s unfortunate the former administration did not give the much needed attention to the cable due to the elections,” he recalls.
He urged President Silaanyo to reverse the agreement and put forward the national security, local businesses and workers.
At the start of August, EASSy’s chairman, Trevor Martin said the cable was open for business after its completion ahead of schedule and almost 10 per cent under its $300-million budget according to South Africa’s Mail & Guardian Online.
If the cable is successfully delivered and becomes profitable, it could create opportunities for more cables to be constructed in the region and allow for a better flow of communication between east Africa and the world.
Somalilandpress | Thursday, 19 August 2010
Cast your vote in the poll below: SomCable (Djibouti Telecom) vs Dalkom Somaliland (Dalkom Somalia). Its now clear none of them are from Somaliland. Who’s telecom will reign supreme?
Email this story
Tags: Berbera, cable, EASSY, Somaliland, Somcable, Telecommunication
Readers Comments (19)
Somaliland
BREAKING NEWS: Somaliland army overpowers surprise attack from militia
LAS ANOD — Heavy fighting between Somaliland troops and a tribal militia broke out early Wednesday morning in the village of Sool-Joogto in Buhoodle ...
London conference “an opportunity” for Somaliland
HARGEISA – More than two decades after it unilaterally asserted its independence from the rest of Somalia, Somaliland plans to lobby hard at a major ...
Somaliland: President departs for Ethiopia
HARGEISA — Somaliland President Ahmed Mohamed Silanyo left the country Monday leading a delegation to the Ethiopian capital for talks with senior officials. Silanyo ...
Somaliland to increase defense budget
HARGEISA — Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury Ali Hassan Mohamed revealed on Thursday that the country’s national budget has surpassed the US$90 million target which ...
Somaliland to pass central bank law within 3 weeks: cbank
HARGEISA — Somaliland’s central bank governor said on Thursday parliament is expected to pass a law within three weeks that will formerly establish a central ...
Just what I told you weeks ago, nothing new really.
If Silaanyo wants to see this succeed he has to do 40% Dalkom Somalia, 20% SomCable, 20% to foreign companies (Middle East/West) and 20% government's hand.
Dont relay too much on taxes, the government has to start investing in companies as well until they take off and Somaliland is ready to privatize them completely.
At first i thought that it was almost obvious that it should be under the somalian/somalilland company but now when i start thinking. Even if i am socialist.
I see the world is globalized, this should stand on the company who the ppl benefit the most on even if it would mean the Djibouti company. But i think a company under Somaliland (with no corruption) will be gained on the most. The government should start tax major companies (the former administration didn't take their share) how ever the taxes should be low (even if i prefer high) to stimulate trade and job creation and later on when it's stable and ppl have a greater income( maybe in 10 years if recognized very soon!!!!) start raising taxes
concerning the latest press release of somcable company it's 100% somaliland owned company, therefore, i do not see a reason that somalia involved firm come into this project.
I think Somaliland has stay connection with Djibouti for better connection, because has experience and work for the submarine cable for 25 years ago it has been started in Djibouti and was the first country in Africa has submarine cable in 1984 between Djibouti and Singapoor and Djibouti to France see the Atlantic Cable see the link in google,.
there was is another Submarine Cabe in 1991 between Djibouti,Australia, Saoudi Arabia and Italy, Djibouti was only African state has Submarine cable,
In this time in 2010 the African sea cost has frist time Submarine Cable in 2010, However Djibouti has 25 years ago, check GOOGLE search 1984 Djibouti Submarine cable & 1991 included the 2010,
For Somaliland the cable has already try to land in Mogadishu, However because the war, The solution is, “Somaliland” use the Cable as Somalia, or Stay with Djibouti
It's big NO to Djibouti. This little tiny desert wants to steal every thing from Somaliland. Djibouti's telecom is so bad people from Djibouti come to Hargeisa just to use internet cafes and buy laptops and mobiles during the hot seasons.
Djibouti is unproductive and one man show [omar gelle], while Somalia has thrieving telecom industry with over 20 private companies. Djibouti has just one.
Poor place with nothing.
No to somcable
Dr. Juma's new recommendations for President Silaanyo to revoke the old
unconstitutionally approved by Riyaale without the study approval or rejection of
the Sland's Bicameral Parliment is the right course of action.
This Eassy Cable Bidding must be direct business benefitting both
the Local private sectors and the Govt. Treasury.
Cheers.
Cont'd.
No third party gimmicks should be entertained.
Also to study if this system is really the best as compared to other systems
before engaging to accepting it.
Cheers.
who owns Somcable and Dalkom Somaliland?
Waar Reer kii ba leeh Dalkom iyo Somcable?
There is no need for these double dealing and self interest groups with no clear agenda except to dominate and exploit the people of Somaliland. Somaliland government should take the initiatives and make use of its governmental responsibility to deliver communications to its people than leaving to private foreign companies.
Your query misses what really is best for Somaliland and its neighbours: To open the market for anyone to be able to compete freely!
NO TO DJABOUTI, NO TO THEFT, NO TO TREACHERY, and NO TO DISHONESTY.
LOL@abdulWhile you absolutely right, still a capable and responsible Somaliland
Govt., could get away with the area code 252 Somalia transformed to
Somaliland since Somalia is in shambles for the same purpose which
in fact gave this chance to the unrecognized Somaliland because of
it's suitablity of safety and security!. So for this reason the 252
should be a direct Somaliland with no third party gimmicks whatsoever.
Still Somaliland has to check if there are other better systems around.Cheers.
I have a Feedjit installed in my website – http://www.medeshivalley.com –
( http://live.feedjit.com/live/medeshivalley.com/0/ ) and all of those who access my site are marked as from " Djibouti " because of this cable company that provides service to Somaliland.
Somaliland has a population 6 times more than Djibouti and is as much larger in size and should not depend or be host to this small and semi-independent nation ( Djibouti is hostage to both the French legionnaire and the American Africom ).
I advise that Somaliland should have its own cable company operating the net for its national security and public interest.
As you rightly said, the people of Somaliland deserve recognition as telecoms industry users and not subjected to a state of perpetual hostage to foreign countries. Arrangements similar to Taiwan’s independent communications sector should be swiftly arranged as its wrong to not meet the populations demand.
Online communities can serve Somaliland better if Somaliland traffic was transparent. However, this task is much harder if they are put behind Ethiopian, Djibouti or Kenyan firewalls. Somaliland users are already subjected to Arabic controls since the majority of providers use the cheaper ArabSat. What kind of freedom is that?
There's also the Arabsat GCC Telecommunications, area code
252-1 for somalia and 252-2 for Somaliland thru James Bond Djiboutien,
anyway, since this Project is shifted to the Somaliland seas the whole
focus of Somalia is dead business and the ball game shifted to Somaliland
directly.
Cheers.
As Djiboutian – if Mr. Silaanyo is became a hostage of Ismael Omar Guelleh if he makes that move. He will follow Dahir Riyale Kahin path of be a Ethiopian hostage for centure. Somaliland doesn't need a country that Baby site after 20 years of self control. If I was a somalilander, I will never second guest of your topics.
Cable companies are already offering bundled internet and cable tv services at a cheap price ::
Did it take you a while to discover the internet hosting firm? I remember the amount of a hassle it was to do that when I began my web page. I wish you very good luck. It looks like you’re doing nicely!