MOGADISHU, March 9 (Xinhua) -- Somalia's newly established telecom regulator on Friday took full control of the country's top-level internet domain (dotSO).

The National Communications Authority (NCA) took control of the domain from the Somali National Information Center (SONIC) and Cloudy Registry, who ran the operations and the management of the domain Registry.

"Effective immediately SONIC will become a functional unit within the NCA and its technical operations personnel will report to the NCA management," the minister of Posts and Telecommunication Technology Abdi Ashur Hassan said in a statement.

"This is an important milestone for the ICT industry in Somalia and another achievement for the ministry on the heels of the passage of the Communication Law and the establishment of the regulatory authority," he added.

The NCA has inked a deal with Cloud Registry, which provides registry and hosting services to the DotSO Domain. The agreement establishes a contractual relationship between the NCA and Cloud Registry.

"DotSO is a national asset and the 2017 Communication Law charges the NCA with its stewardship," Abdi Sheik Ahmed, NCA general manager, said, adding that the domain will be managed in the interest of the public and the internet community.