Somalia Launches Restoration Project for Radio Mogadishu Archive to Preserve National Audio Heritage

In a step that reflects growing efforts to preserve Somalia’s national memory, the Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism, H.E. Abdullatif Qasim Mahmoud, inaugurated today in Mogadishu the restoration and maintenance project of the Radio Mogadishu archive.

The initiative aims to safeguard and modernize Somalia’s audio and historical heritage within the Federal Republic of Somalia.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by the Deputy Minister of Information, the Ministry’s Director-General, and several department directors, who toured the archive and inspected the recording equipment used in preservation and documentation processes.

The Director of Radio Mogadishu, Mr. Abdullatif Tahir Gedi, highlighted ongoing modernization efforts, noting that the archive is being upgraded toward a fully digital system to ensure long-term preservation of its historical recordings.

In his remarks, the Minister emphasized that the upgrade of the Radio Mogadishu archive is part of broader ministry efforts to protect thousands of audio tapes documenting Somalia’s history, culture, and national memory, praising the dedication of archive staff.

He also expressed gratitude to UNESCO and the JFIT program funded by the Government of Japan for their support to the “Memory of the World” initiative, including assessments of the archive and the upgrading of equipment and facilities.

Established in 1951, the Radio Mogadishu archive remains one of Somalia’s most significant historical repositories, with the Ministry of Information continuing its efforts to digitize and preserve its contents for future generations.