SOMALIA / TECHNOLOGY SUMMIT
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STORY: SOMALIA / TECHNOLOGY SUMMIT
TRT: 3:13
SOURCE: UNSOM
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH /NATS
DATELINE: 25 OCTOBER 2018, MOGADISHU, SOMALIA
SHOTLIST:
1. Pan left, participants attending the 2018 Mogadishu Tech summit
2. Med shot, Abdullahi Hamud, the Federal State Minister speaking at the summit
3. Close up, youths attending the summit
4. Close up, a participant listening
5. Med shot, participants at the summit
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Abdullahi Hamud, Federal State Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister:
“Part of the commitment of the Office of the Prime Minister and the Prime Minister himself, to this city and Somalia in general, is to create an enabling environment that can attract investment from global investors and make Somalia the final destination for tourists and investors. Although not at satisfactory level as yet, the progress we have made so far is remarkably encouraging.”
7. Med shot, Minister Abdullahi Hamud speaking at tthe summit
8. Wide shot, participants attending the summit
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Marc Boyd, Programme Coordinator for the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) in Somalia:
“This summit has given voice to the Somali Diaspora by building bridges among the country and society. Diaspora members are a natural development enabler. Their talents are immense and varied. Let’s harness their capability for good.”
10. Wide shot, Awil Osman, Co-founder and CEO of iRise Hub moderating
11. Med shot, youths listening
12. SOUNDBITE (English) Ahmed Abdulkadir, Somali Innovation Hub:
“Our Innovation hub, Somali Innovation hub provides different services like working space, mentoring programmes and we build the youth to be able to work and create new ideas.”
13. SOUNDBITE (English) Esther Matte, Communication Technology Specialist based in Nairobi:
“I would say, a hub needs to first create a community. So it has to be a place where all different start-ups can come and interract with each other, of course create an envirnment where they can co-work together and check bounds of ideas from each other, create a place where investors can come together and and meet, use the space or the hub as a funnel to get some portifolio or even for the start-ups to get some investors.”
14. Wide shot, participants clapping
15. SOUNDBITE (English) Atul Shekhar, Acting Portfolio Manager for Effective Institution and Economic Recovery at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP):
"In Somalia particularly, we are helping youth to get into the employment process through innovation projects and incubation centers. We are using technology and other interventions. Thereby we are enabling the youth to create opportunities for themselves."
16. SOUNDBITE (English) Awil Osman, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of iRise Hub in Somalia:
“For the development agencies, there is donor fatigue. There are lots of funds put in Somalia for the last 20 years. What the development agencies can do is that they can invest in social enterprises, startups that are solving social problems. And they can invest in them in the first two years, and make sure that they work with them and then they can become sustainable in the future.”
17. Wide shot, end of summit
STORYLINE:
Hundreds of people – from young entrepreneurs to potential investors – gathered this week for the first-ever Mogadishu Tech Summit, backed by local innovation hub iRise, the Federal Government of Somalia, the United Nations and other partners.
For some people, technology and its applications in modern-day society are not what comes to mind when thinking of Somalia. Efforts are underway to change that.
Participants at the gathering shared perspectives on how digital technological innovations can drive sustainable development, while sharing perspectives on various issues ranging from environmental conservation and overcoming challenges linked to climate change to developing smart cities and building community resilience in the face of challenges that come with urbanisation.
Addressing the three-day event at its closing on Thursday, a senior advisor in the Office of the Prime Minister, Abdiqani Jama, outlined how the federal government was in the process of formulating favourable policies and regulations to help nurture and encourage young entrepreneurs develop technologies suitable to the country’s needs.
His comments were echoed by the Minister of State, Abdullahi Hamud: “Part of the commitment of the Office of the Prime Minister and the Prime Minister himself, to this city and Somalia in general, is to create an enabling environment that can attract investment, from global investors and make Somalia the final destination for tourists and investors.”
Participants at the Mogadishu Tech Summit emphasized the important role innovation hubs can play in driving development and technological transformation, with some discussions centred on ways in which more youth could be encouraged to join such centres.
“A hub needs to first create a community, so it has to be a place where all different startups can interact with each other and create an environment where they can co-work together and bounce ideas off each other, while at the same time creating a space where investors can come together, meet and use the space or the hub as a funnel for portfolios,” said a member of one of the summit’s panel discussions, Esther Matte, a technology specialist based in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi.
“Our innovation hub provides different services like working space and mentoring programmes, and we build up youth to enable them work and create new ideas,” said another panelist, Ahmed Abdulkadir, who operates Somali Innovation Hub.
Somalis under the age of 35 make up an estimated 70 per cent of the country’s population. But statistics indicate that the country’s high rate of unemployment is driving some to migrate illegally to foreign countries or turn towards radical politics and organizations. While much of the gathering’s focus was on how technology and innovation can help the country rebuild after decades of armed conflict and instability, there was also focus on creating job opportunities for and through the efforts of tech developers and entrepreneurs.
Representatives from UN agencies at the event underscored the importance of creating a conducive environment for young innovators who are keen on using technology to solve the social-economic problems facing their country, especially as advances in Somalia’s technology sector have been driven by diaspora Somalis who have returned to the Horn of Africa country.
“This summit has given voice to the Somali diaspora by building bridges among the country and society – diaspora members are a natural development enabler,” said the Programme Coordinator for the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Somalia, Marc Boyd.
"In Somalia, particularly, we are helping youth to get into the employment process through innovative projects and incubation centers. We are using technology and other interventions," said an official with the UN Development Programme, Atul Shekhar, charged with aiding economic recovery efforts. “We are enabling youth to create opportunities for themselves.”
The summit follows on from the launch last year of Somalia’s first-ever technology innovation hub, iRise, which promotes collaboration between innovators and investors, while also offering resources needed by budding entrepreneurs and startups, such as business training, mentorship, project evaluation and support during the incubation stages of their projects.
“What the development agencies can do is that they can invest in social enterprises, startups that are solving social problems,” said a co-founder of iRise, Awil Osman.
The United Nations has advocated for the role of technology in society, noting that in order to eradicate poverty and reorient current unsustainable development trajectories up until 2030, affordable technological solutions have to be developed and disseminated widely in the coming years.
TRT: 3:13
SOURCE: UNSOM
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH /NATS
DATELINE: 25 OCTOBER 2018, MOGADISHU, SOMALIA
SHOTLIST:
1. Pan left, participants attending the 2018 Mogadishu Tech summit
2. Med shot, Abdullahi Hamud, the Federal State Minister speaking at the summit
3. Close up, youths attending the summit
4. Close up, a participant listening
5. Med shot, participants at the summit
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Abdullahi Hamud, Federal State Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister:
“Part of the commitment of the Office of the Prime Minister and the Prime Minister himself, to this city and Somalia in general, is to create an enabling environment that can attract investment from global investors and make Somalia the final destination for tourists and investors. Although not at satisfactory level as yet, the progress we have made so far is remarkably encouraging.”
7. Med shot, Minister Abdullahi Hamud speaking at tthe summit
8. Wide shot, participants attending the summit
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Marc Boyd, Programme Coordinator for the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) in Somalia:
“This summit has given voice to the Somali Diaspora by building bridges among the country and society. Diaspora members are a natural development enabler. Their talents are immense and varied. Let’s harness their capability for good.”
10. Wide shot, Awil Osman, Co-founder and CEO of iRise Hub moderating
11. Med shot, youths listening
12. SOUNDBITE (English) Ahmed Abdulkadir, Somali Innovation Hub:
“Our Innovation hub, Somali Innovation hub provides different services like working space, mentoring programmes and we build the youth to be able to work and create new ideas.”
13. SOUNDBITE (English) Esther Matte, Communication Technology Specialist based in Nairobi:
“I would say, a hub needs to first create a community. So it has to be a place where all different start-ups can come and interract with each other, of course create an envirnment where they can co-work together and check bounds of ideas from each other, create a place where investors can come together and and meet, use the space or the hub as a funnel to get some portifolio or even for the start-ups to get some investors.”
14. Wide shot, participants clapping
15. SOUNDBITE (English) Atul Shekhar, Acting Portfolio Manager for Effective Institution and Economic Recovery at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP):
"In Somalia particularly, we are helping youth to get into the employment process through innovation projects and incubation centers. We are using technology and other interventions. Thereby we are enabling the youth to create opportunities for themselves."
16. SOUNDBITE (English) Awil Osman, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of iRise Hub in Somalia:
“For the development agencies, there is donor fatigue. There are lots of funds put in Somalia for the last 20 years. What the development agencies can do is that they can invest in social enterprises, startups that are solving social problems. And they can invest in them in the first two years, and make sure that they work with them and then they can become sustainable in the future.”
17. Wide shot, end of summit
STORYLINE:
Hundreds of people – from young entrepreneurs to potential investors – gathered this week for the first-ever Mogadishu Tech Summit, backed by local innovation hub iRise, the Federal Government of Somalia, the United Nations and other partners.
For some people, technology and its applications in modern-day society are not what comes to mind when thinking of Somalia. Efforts are underway to change that.
Participants at the gathering shared perspectives on how digital technological innovations can drive sustainable development, while sharing perspectives on various issues ranging from environmental conservation and overcoming challenges linked to climate change to developing smart cities and building community resilience in the face of challenges that come with urbanisation.
Addressing the three-day event at its closing on Thursday, a senior advisor in the Office of the Prime Minister, Abdiqani Jama, outlined how the federal government was in the process of formulating favourable policies and regulations to help nurture and encourage young entrepreneurs develop technologies suitable to the country’s needs.
His comments were echoed by the Minister of State, Abdullahi Hamud: “Part of the commitment of the Office of the Prime Minister and the Prime Minister himself, to this city and Somalia in general, is to create an enabling environment that can attract investment, from global investors and make Somalia the final destination for tourists and investors.”
Participants at the Mogadishu Tech Summit emphasized the important role innovation hubs can play in driving development and technological transformation, with some discussions centred on ways in which more youth could be encouraged to join such centres.
“A hub needs to first create a community, so it has to be a place where all different startups can interact with each other and create an environment where they can co-work together and bounce ideas off each other, while at the same time creating a space where investors can come together, meet and use the space or the hub as a funnel for portfolios,” said a member of one of the summit’s panel discussions, Esther Matte, a technology specialist based in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi.
“Our innovation hub provides different services like working space and mentoring programmes, and we build up youth to enable them work and create new ideas,” said another panelist, Ahmed Abdulkadir, who operates Somali Innovation Hub.
Somalis under the age of 35 make up an estimated 70 per cent of the country’s population. But statistics indicate that the country’s high rate of unemployment is driving some to migrate illegally to foreign countries or turn towards radical politics and organizations. While much of the gathering’s focus was on how technology and innovation can help the country rebuild after decades of armed conflict and instability, there was also focus on creating job opportunities for and through the efforts of tech developers and entrepreneurs.
Representatives from UN agencies at the event underscored the importance of creating a conducive environment for young innovators who are keen on using technology to solve the social-economic problems facing their country, especially as advances in Somalia’s technology sector have been driven by diaspora Somalis who have returned to the Horn of Africa country.
“This summit has given voice to the Somali diaspora by building bridges among the country and society – diaspora members are a natural development enabler,” said the Programme Coordinator for the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Somalia, Marc Boyd.
"In Somalia, particularly, we are helping youth to get into the employment process through innovative projects and incubation centers. We are using technology and other interventions," said an official with the UN Development Programme, Atul Shekhar, charged with aiding economic recovery efforts. “We are enabling youth to create opportunities for themselves.”
The summit follows on from the launch last year of Somalia’s first-ever technology innovation hub, iRise, which promotes collaboration between innovators and investors, while also offering resources needed by budding entrepreneurs and startups, such as business training, mentorship, project evaluation and support during the incubation stages of their projects.
“What the development agencies can do is that they can invest in social enterprises, startups that are solving social problems,” said a co-founder of iRise, Awil Osman.
The United Nations has advocated for the role of technology in society, noting that in order to eradicate poverty and reorient current unsustainable development trajectories up until 2030, affordable technological solutions have to be developed and disseminated widely in the coming years.
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Creator
UNSOM
Alternate Title
unifeed181026b
Asset ID
2288315