Reconnecting After War

A special category of LDC has been targeted for assistance. These ‘Countries in Special Need’ include those that have been through war, civil strife and other forms of conflict that have resulted in untold suffering and damage. One of the first casualties of war is often the telecommunication infrastructure. While ITU recognized this special need, finding the financial resources to fulfil the need was a challenge.

Nonetheless, the countries of Burundi, Liberia, Rwanda, Sierra Leone and Somalia have benefited from a partnership between ITU, the US Federal Communication Commission and the Leland Initiative of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The three institutions agreed to pool both financial and in-kind resources in order to reconnect these war-torn countries with the global telecommunication community.