Thank you for your thoughtful and nuanced analysis on Starlink’s introduction in Somalia.
Your framing of the “Starlink Paradox” is particularly insightful—highlighting both the potential and the pitfalls of such transformative technologies in fragile contexts like Somalia.
That said, I would like to offer a complementary perspective—one rooted in digital freedom, global connectivity, Ai’s revolution and forward-looking pragmatism.
While the risks you highlight—particularly around sovereignty, surveillance, and economic stratification—are real and valid, we must also recognize that digital exclusion carries its own profound dangers.
Somalia cannot afford to be isolated in a world where access to information and data is increasingly synonymous with power, opportunity, and resilience. The global digital/Ai race is already underway, and sitting on the sidelines out of fear will only deepen Somalia’s marginalization.
Satellite internet—whether via Starlink, China’s forthcoming constellations, or Amazon’s Kuiper project—represents a new era of decentralized connectivity that can leapfrog our infrastructural limitations. For rural communities, underserved schools, remote clinics, and diasporic entrepreneurs, this isn’t just an upgrade—it’s a lifeline.
Yes, regulatory safeguards and inclusive infrastructure strategies are essential. But we mustn’t allow the fear of what could go wrong to overshadow the opportunity of what could go right.
Somalia has always shown a unique ability to adapt and innovate amid adversity. The arrival of Starlink and others like it should be seen not as a threat, but as a catalyst for rethinking how connectivity can be a public good—shared, protected, and scaled.
In a world increasingly defined by data, let’s not debate whether to connect. Let’s focus on how to connect wisely, equitably, and on our own terms.
Thank you for your comment. Indeed, Somalia is neither isolated from the global community nor an anomalous entity detached from the broader dynamics of our planet. We are not temporary residents of the Horn of Africa, but integral participants in regional and international systems. However, the behavior of Somalia’s telecommunications and financial sectors often suggests a posture of insularity, as though these industries can function independently of global norms and markets. This insular orientation contributes to an entrenched internal digital divide, the concentration and misuse of technological and financial power, and a persistent disregard for the rule of law and the regulatory role of the state. The recent interest of entities such as Starlink does little to address these systemic challenges. In fact, there remains considerable opacity regarding their true motivations for entering the Somali market.
Thank you for your thoughtful and nuanced analysis on Starlink’s introduction in Somalia.
Your framing of the “Starlink Paradox” is particularly insightful—highlighting both the potential and the pitfalls of such transformative technologies in fragile contexts like Somalia.
That said, I would like to offer a complementary perspective—one rooted in digital freedom, global connectivity, Ai’s revolution and forward-looking pragmatism.
While the risks you highlight—particularly around sovereignty, surveillance, and economic stratification—are real and valid, we must also recognize that digital exclusion carries its own profound dangers.
Somalia cannot afford to be isolated in a world where access to information and data is increasingly synonymous with power, opportunity, and resilience. The global digital/Ai race is already underway, and sitting on the sidelines out of fear will only deepen Somalia’s marginalization.
Satellite internet—whether via Starlink, China’s forthcoming constellations, or Amazon’s Kuiper project—represents a new era of decentralized connectivity that can leapfrog our infrastructural limitations. For rural communities, underserved schools, remote clinics, and diasporic entrepreneurs, this isn’t just an upgrade—it’s a lifeline.
Yes, regulatory safeguards and inclusive infrastructure strategies are essential. But we mustn’t allow the fear of what could go wrong to overshadow the opportunity of what could go right.
Somalia has always shown a unique ability to adapt and innovate amid adversity. The arrival of Starlink and others like it should be seen not as a threat, but as a catalyst for rethinking how connectivity can be a public good—shared, protected, and scaled.
In a world increasingly defined by data, let’s not debate whether to connect. Let’s focus on how to connect wisely, equitably, and on our own terms.
Thank you for your comment. Indeed, Somalia is neither isolated from the global community nor an anomalous entity detached from the broader dynamics of our planet. We are not temporary residents of the Horn of Africa, but integral participants in regional and international systems. However, the behavior of Somalia’s telecommunications and financial sectors often suggests a posture of insularity, as though these industries can function independently of global norms and markets. This insular orientation contributes to an entrenched internal digital divide, the concentration and misuse of technological and financial power, and a persistent disregard for the rule of law and the regulatory role of the state. The recent interest of entities such as Starlink does little to address these systemic challenges. In fact, there remains considerable opacity regarding their true motivations for entering the Somali market.