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ITU’s emergency telecommunications efforts make headway
Australia, Canada
and China
extend financial support
Geneva, 6 April 2011— ITU’s response to the spate of natural
disasters in rapidly deploying emergency equipment to restore vital
telecommunication links has evoked support from governments, development banks,
regional financial institutions, UN agencies and the private sector.
Most recently, financial support has poured in
from the governments of Australia,
Canada and China. Previous donors include El Salvador,
Indonesia,
Kyrgyzstan, Malawi, Peru,
Samoa, Suriname
and Uganda.
The aid is provided under the aegis of the ITU
Framework for Cooperation in Emergencies which gives priority to
telecommunications as a means of saving lives.
“Recent natural disasters have caused immense
loss of life and destruction of property and infrastructure,” said ITU
Secretary-General Hamadoun Touré. “In response to these tragedies, ITU has
deployed emergency telecommunications assistance to the far corners of the
world, and I am very pleased that our efforts have been recognized and supported
by our Member
States
and other partners. In particular, I am thankful to the generous financial
support extended by the governments of Australia,
Canada and China.”
ITU deployed satellite-based assistance for
the first time in 2005 in the aftermath of the December 2004 Asian earthquake
and tsunami. Since then, ITU has provided emergency telecommunications services
to several countries around the world, including assistance to those affected by
the earthquake in Pakistan in 2005 and the floods in 2010, the cyclone in
Myanmar and the Sichuan earthquake in China in 2008, the earthquakes in Haiti
and Chile in 2010 and, most recently, following the 9.0 magnitude earthquake and
tsunami in Japan.
Re-establishing communications is a critical
tool especially in the immediate aftermath of disasters to ensure timely
intervention and support for the victims and to assist in rescue and
rehabilitation efforts.
Mr Brahima Sanou, Director of ITU’s
Telecommunication Development Bureau, said, “As the specialized UN agency for
ICT, ITU is mandated to provide telecommunications/ICT assistance to Member
States and other entities affected by natural disasters. ITU depends on our Member States
and partners to help us in delivering this much-needed assistance, and I am
thankful to the governments of Australia,
Canada and China for stepping forward.”
For more information, please contact:
Sanjay Acharya,
Chief, Media Relations and Public Information,
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Cosmas Zavazava
Chief, Projects and Initiatives Department,
ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau
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