GSMA-PITA Workshop on Leveraging Cell Broadcast (CB) for Disaster Preparedness, Response, and Recovery in the Pacific Islands
| From 28 July to 1 August 2025, ITU delivered sessions on the role of the Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) in effective early warning dissemination during the GSMA-PITA Workshop on Leveraging Cell Broadcast (CB) for Disaster Preparedness, Response, and Recovery in the Pacific Islands. The event, organized by GSMA and the Pacific Islands Telecommunications Association (PITA), was attended by approximately 50 participants from Fiji, Solomon Islands, Cook Islands, Samoa, Kiribati, representing telcos, intergovernmental organizations, including SPREP, UNDRR, WMO, Metrology departments, and Cell Broadcast vendor OmniTouch. The sessions included an introduction to CAP as ITU-T X.1303 standard, national infrastructure required for CAP, security, CAP profile, and CAP policy, among others. Simulated scenarios to help understand the correct use of CAP and requirements of internal SoPs to effectively deliver the message to the public were also part of the training. In addition, a detailed error-finding in wrong CAP messages was also part of the exercise session.
During the panel on EW4ALL on day 2 of the event, ITU emphasized the role of developing a strong legal basis to use CB effectively in the country. The role of CAP governance and stakeholder responsibilities should be part of any national regulatory framework governing the dissemination of EW messages nationally through disseminators.
| Role of Broadcasting in Effective Early Warning Dissemination – ITU Masterclass at 20th Asia Media Summit 2025
| On 21 July 2025, in Siem Reap, Cambodia, the ITU successfully conducted a masterclass, held as a pre-event to the 20th Asia Media Summit (AMS 2025), in collaboration with the Asia-Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development (AIBD) and the Government of Cambodia. The workshop focused on Pillar 3: Warning Dissemination and Communication of the Early Warnings for All (EW4All) initiative and emphasized the crucial role of broadcasting in effective early warning dissemination. It featured a live demo of Cell Broadcast, as part of the partner-to-connect (P2C) initiative, in collaboration with the Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT), India, and the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications, Cambodia.
The workshop also featured a tabletop exercise on early warning dissemination using a CAP-implemented scenario. The masterclass brought together participants from ITU member countries, including Tonga, the Solomon Islands, Kiribati, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Indonesia, India, Lao PDR, and Cambodia, as well as representatives from mobile service providers, disaster management authorities, and UN agencies including UNDP and WFP. This successful event underscored the pivotal role of both traditional and digital broadcasting technologies in disaster preparedness and response, enabling the timely and accurate delivery of emergency alerts to vulnerable communities.
| Raising Community Awareness for Early Warnings in Tamana Island, Kiribati
| On 7 July 2025, ITU, in collaboration with the Ministry of Information, Communications, and Transport and the Office of Te Beretitenti (OB), which also serves as the National Disaster Management Office, conducted a community awareness workshop on Tamana Island, Republic of Kiribati. The workshop followed the launch of the Smart Islands digital hub in Tamana, as part of ITU’s Smart Villages and Smart Islands (SVSI) initiative. The session aimed to raise awareness about the Early Warnings for All (EW4All) initiative. Ms. Taala Tiaeki from the OB emphasized the importance of disaster risk management and the key role of the Island Disaster Committee (IDC) in enhancing local preparedness. The event also showcased how the digital hub can support future training sessions and virtual coordination meetings between the OB and IDC, strengthening community resilience.
| National Emergency Telecommunication Plan (NETP) for Kiribati
| On 3 July 2025, ITU successfully conducted a workshop on the National Emergency Telecommunication Plan (NETP) for the Kiribati National Expert Group on Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management (KNEG). The event was organized in collaboration with the Ministry of Information, Communications and Transport, and the National Disaster Management Office of the Republic of Kiribati, as part of the country’s efforts to reduce disaster risk through the strategic use of ICTs in disaster management.
Developed by ITU, the NETP provides a framework to:
✅ Ensure communications availability across the disaster risk management cycle (mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery)
✅ Foster coordination across all levels of government
✅ Identify critical emergency response capabilities
✅ Define roles and responsibilities through a robust governance structure
The successful completion of this workshop marks a key milestone in Kiribati’s roadmap toward the Early Warnings for All (EW4All) initiative, helping protect lives and critical assets from various hazards, both natural and human-induced. ITU remains committed to supporting its Member States in implementing and operationalizing the NETP, contributing to a secure and resilient ICT environment across the region.
| Development of a National Emergency Telecommunication Plan (NETP) and a Cell Broadcast-based Early Warning System in Bangladesh
| The workshop supported the development of a National Emergency Telecommunication Plan (NETP) and a Cell Broadcast-based Early Warning System in Bangladesh. The event was held from 18 to 19 June 2025 and attended by 62 participants representing the Bangladesh Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (BTRC), Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief (MoDMR), Department of Disaster Management (DDM), Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD), Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC), Armed Forces Division (AFD), Mobile Network Operators, Swedish Embassy, UNRCO, IFRC, WFP, NGOs, INGOs, Academia, and several national stakeholders in disaster management. The workshop reinforced the role of NETP in ensuring communications availability throughout disaster risk management phases and aligned stakeholders on the Cell Broadcast Early Warning System's technical approach and regulatory needs. These outcomes, including the drafted NETP implementation plan with assigned responsibilities and timelines, directly contribute to the implementation of Bangladesh's EW4All national roadmap.
| Early Warnings for All (EW4All) simulation exercise on cyclone preparedness
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On 2 December 2024, an Early Warnings for All (EW4All) simulation exercise on cyclone preparedness was conducted in Badurtala village of Patharghata Upazila in Borguna district of Bangladesh, involving around 50 households (approximately 250 individuals). This exercise was carried out in collaboration with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), Bangladesh Red Crescent Society (BDRCS), Cyclone Preparedness Programme (CPP), World Food Programme (WFP), German Red Cross, Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD), and senior officials from local government and non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
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