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Somaliland Telecommunications & Posts Laws

Telecommunications

The Somaliland House of Representatives has finally passed, on 10 April 2011, the long awaited law on Telecommunications.  The Somaliland Telecommunications Law - Law No. 50/2011 was passed with a vote of 34 for, 29 against and 3 abstaining.

This Law which has been subject of much controversy has been mooted by the government previously on many occasions as far back  as 2004 when a bill to connect the mushrooming private telecommunication companies’ services was consulted upon by the relevant Ministry.  The pre 1991 and outdated legislation (the 1975 Telecommunication Law and the 1979 Telecommunication Regulations) has not been in force in Somaliland.

There has been an evident need for interconnectivity of services and a regulatory regime that does not stunt competition and growth, and the proponents of the Law see it as the foundation of the new  regulatory process. 

The controversy over some of the provisions of the Law can be seen in the following documents:

• Press statement by TELESOM company.
• Response of the Ministry of Posts & Telecommunications to TELESOM statement (in Somali).

UPDATE:  On 13 June 2011, the House of Elders passed the law, without any amendments, on an overwhelming majority of 75 for, 1 against and none abstaining.  On 6 July 2011, the President signed the law which is no in force.