Somalia: Internet cut off in south, including Mogadishu

Event

Access to the internet has been cut off since June 23 in the south of the country, including in the capital Mogadishu. The suspension is due to damage to a section of an undersea cable, reportedly caused by a commercial vessel. According to the government, the ongoing internet outage is costing the country USD 10 million per day.

The Posts and Communications Ministry has announced that the internet should be restored this week.

Context

This internet outage comes as Somalis become increasingly dependent on internet services. Since 2014, the country’s tertiary web sector has been steadily growing; web developers, graphic designers, media, and retailers, as well as government and banking services, rely heavily on email and online databases.

Satellite internet is available but users complain that it is costly and slow.

Advice

Individuals present in Somalia are advised to monitor the situation and to avoid any associated protests due to the possibility of violence.