17. Sudanese tech got its first foreign funding in 30 years alsoug, the largest digital marketplace in Sudan, raised a $5 million investment round co-led by Egyptian fintech unicorn, Fawry, and a "wider consortium of Western venture capital firms". This investment marked the first foreign venture capital investment into the Sudanese tech ecosystem since international sanctions on the country were lifted in 2020, following a 30-year isolation period. 18. Somalia got its first Visa card payment service Visa partnered with the International Bank of Somalia (IBS Bank) to launch Somalia's first Visa card payment service. This came six years after Mastercard became the first international payment network to enter the Somalia market.