Somalia and Saudi Arabia have moved to deepen ties in emerging tech governance, agreeing in Riyadh to craft a joint framework for regulating artificial intelligence and space technology. The initiative—reached during the Global Symposium for Regulators (GSR-25)—aims to pair expertise-sharing with concrete steps on responsible growth, infrastructure cooperation, and aligned standards.

What Was Agreed—and Why It Matters

Somalia’s National Communications Authority (NCA) Director General Mustafa Yasin Sheikh and Saudi Arabia’s Communications, Space and Technology Commission (CST) Governor Haitham Al-Ohaly met in Riyadh to launch work on a cooperation framework covering AI and space-sector regulation, according to officials familiar with the talks. The focus includes “building regulatory cooperation, sharing expertise, and creating frameworks to guide responsible growth,” alongside exploring infrastructure-sharing and wider digital cooperation.

The timing is significant: GSR-25 convened regulators and industry from more than 190 nations and culminated in the “Riyadh Outcome Statement,” a set of best-practice principles that encourages innovation-friendly yet protective rules.

Quotes and Signals from Riyadh

At the opening of GSR-25, CST’s governor said, “Today, we have a golden opportunity to shape humanity’s future for the next 160 years… we announce a new roadmap with the ITU to connect humanity through affordable AI-era solutions.” The remarks underscore the event’s push to match rapid technological change with standards that expand access.

Somalia’s delegation framed the talks as a step toward global alignment: the NCA chief called it “a historic opportunity for Somalia to align with global best practices in AI and space governance,” while the Saudi side pledged to share expertise and collaborate on forward-looking projects.

The Connectivity Gap—and the Regulatory Push

Globally, an estimated 2.6 billion people remain offline, a persistent gap highlighted throughout GSR-25. “Regulators are the bridge to a future where everyone, everywhere, can thrive online,” the ITU stressed at the close of the symposium. The ITU also reiterated that 68% of the world was online in 2024, leaving the rest unconnected.

For Somalia, recent moves—such as cabinet approval of submarine-cable regulations and a broader “Regulatory Transformational Strategy and Roadmap”—point to an accelerated push to modernize the policy environment and attract investment into digital infrastructure.