Disasters continue to exact a toll on lives and economies. The
Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction 2025 estimates the global cost of disasters at nearly USD 2.3 trillion. With climate change driving more frequent and intense weather events, the need for financing disaster preparedness and resilience has never been greater.
Early warning systems (EWS) are highly cost-effective: the World Bank estimates that
every dollar invested can generate up to ten dollars in avoided losses. But benefits depend on warnings reaching people at risk in time and in a form they can act upon. The
International Telecommunication Union (ITU) leads Pillar 3 (warning dissemination and communication) of the
Early Warnings for All initiative, supporting the global goal of protecting everyone with life-saving alerts. Reaching everyone, everywhere requires robust, inclusive and redundant communication systems, and a multi-channel approach that leverages digital technologies like
Cell Broadcast (CB), along with other means such as location-based SMS, satellite alerts, radio, television and community-based EWS.
A global planning benchmark covering 157 countries estimates that expanding mobile-based EWS towards universal coverage, particularly through CB, would cost approximately USD 500 million over three years, including capital expenditure (CAPEX) and operating expenditure (OPEX).
Sustainable EWS require predictable, long-term financing that extends beyond initial deployment. For warning dissemination and communication, this means embedding systems in national budgets and emergency telecommunications plans; combining grants, loans and co-financing from mobile network operators; and investing in capacity development and maintenance. Supporting multi-channel approaches and accessible, people-centred communication is equally essential to ensure warnings reach everyone, particularly the most at risk.
Financing the last mile: Dissemination and communication
 Cell Broadcast is a high-impact, affordable investment that turns existing telecommunications infrastructure into a critical component of national resilience. It allows authorities to send geographically targeted disaster alerts to compatible mobile phones within seconds without congesting networks. Once deployed, the cost of sending additional alerts is negligible.
While costs vary by country, transparent and competitive procurement that is open to qualified vendors ensures that countries secure value for money and avoid paying more than necessary.
Beyond the technology itself, investment or financing is also needed for institutional arrangements, regulatory frameworks, training and community engagement. These elements ensure that alerts are not only sent, but understood and acted upon. Warning dissemination is not the most expensive part of an EWS, but it is often the most decisive.
ITU developed these implementation briefs to provide an overview of indicative regional investment needs, funding opportunities, and country readiness for deploying CB. They are designed to help donors, development partners and other stakeholders identify opportunities to support implementation under the EW4All initiative. For Africa, ITU targets to cover 27 out of 54 countries by CB EWS.
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Become a partner of ITU and EW4All
Our key partners include governments, multilateral and financial institutions, and the private sector. Through collaboration and co-financing, we can help countries build inclusive, technology-driven public warning systems that reach everyone — instantly, reliably and accessibly.
Join us by:
Funding the mission
Fuel transformative impact by funding ITU’s work to build inclusive, technology-driven public warning systems. If you wish to support, you can reach us at ew4all@itu.int.
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