Telecoms & IT

Djibouti has witnessed a steady expansion in opportunities for telecommunications investment, mostly due to increasing consumption and regional demand for high-bandwidth international connectivity. Over the past two years more than $100m has been invested in gateway connections, with the country now linked to six submarine data cables. These capital expenditures are in line with government efforts to strengthen the role of telecommunications and IT in national development, and to increase the role the sector plays regionally. Given the rapid development of Djibouti’s IT sector, the country possesses significant potential in terms of data provision for the wider region. Challenges nonetheless remain in terms of ensuring the affordability of tariffs and in building a competitive market for the future. This chapter contains an interview with Mohamed Assoweh Bouh, Director-General, Djibouti Telecom.