GET-2016 served as an international platform to discuss international Emergency Telecommunication policy and disaster risk reduction topics. It featured discussions on pertinent topics such as disaster preparedness, the Smart Sustainable Development Model initiative, the role of partnerships and financing, alongside country case studies and new developments in technology and innovation. 

 

What is GET-2016

First held in 2007 with the title, “Global Forum on Effective Use of Telecommunications/ICT for Disaster Management: Saving Lives”, the ITU Global Forum on Emergency Telecommunications has evolved to become the main global event focusing on emergency telecommunications and climate change mitigation and adaptation. The Forum brought together delegates from all over the world, ranging from Government Ministers to Regulators, national disaster management stakeholders, lead academicians, private sector leaders, United Nations entities and non-governmental organizations.

The 2nd Global Forum on Emergency Telecommunications: Saving Lives – known as GET-2016, addressed issues of high importance on how information and communication technology can help in implementing the Sendai Declaration adopted by the United Nations Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction held in Sendai, Japan, in March 2015. The event provided an opportunity for policy makers and other participants to debate and adopt concrete strategies on how effective disaster risk reduction and management supported by information and communication technology can contribute to the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals recently adopted by the United Nations General Assembly.
 

Outcomes

The adopted outcomes of GET-2016 will provide strategic guidance to the national and international community, including ITU, and will result in an increased knowledge of the role that each of the participating entities could play in giving telecommunications/ICT a central role in disaster mitigation and management.
 

Participants

GET-2016 attracted over 500 participants from around 70 countries worldwide, as well as from regional and national organizations. Panelists and speakers included Ministers, Director-Generals of Regulatory Authorities and of UN organizations, National Heads of Public Protection entities, Chief Executive Officers of private sector companies and experts in the field of ICT for disaster management. Several members of Academia also attended the Forum.