Telecom News Bulletin

ITU Secretary-General Hamadoun Touré has issued a global appeal for contributions to assist the flood-affected victims in Pakistan. ITU’s emergency telecommunications team is also working with the Government of Pakistan towards rehabilitating the telecommunication infrastructure, which has been rendered inoperative in many parts of the country.

The floods ravaging Pakistan are the worst ever in living memory. Over 15 million people have been displaced and vast tracts of fertile agricultural land have been inundated, with many facing the prospect of a continuing battle with water-borne diseases and malnutrition. The livelihoods of several millions have been affected with severe long-term repercussions on the economic and social life of the country.

“The whole world is in deep shock as this tragedy continues to unfold,” Dr Touré said. “ITU stands in utmost solidarity with the people of Pakistan in their hour of need and I join UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in urging our stakeholders to respond generously to meet the urgent demand for relief and rehabilitation efforts.”

As a first step, ITU has dispatched 100 broadband satellite terminal units in order to restore the critical telecommunication resources urgently needed to assist in the humanitarian and relief work currently underway. The equipment is for use by the authorities to coordinate human logistics on the ground, provide basic communications for humanitarian actors, and for setting up telemedicine facilities to benefit the victims.

ITU will not be disbursing cash from this fund but will follow its stringent procurement and tracking procedures in utilizing the funds towards the rehabilitation of telecommunication infrastructure in Pakistan in the aftermath of the floods. Accurate estimates on the extent of the damage to telecommunication infrastructure can be made only after the flood waters recede. ITU intends to carry out assessment of network distruption and damage jointly with the Government of Pakistan and operators and will contribute in the reconstruction process.

Information provided on the Prime Minister’s Flood Relief Fund is explicitly at the request of the Pakistan Ministry of Information Technology, the focal point for ITU in the Government. ITU stands by the people of Pakistan in their hour of need.

ITU regularly contributes emergency telecommunications assistance in the wake of humanitarian disasters, such as in the immediate aftermath of the devastating earthquake in Haiti in January this year as well as in other parts of the world.

Financial contributions can be made to:

Prime Minister’s Flood Relief Fund 2010 – National Bank of Pakistan, A/c No. 898989

ITU Fund for Rehabilitation of Telecommunication Infrastructure in Pakistan

Or

Contact ITU Person:

Cosmas Zavazava

Chief of Division

Emergency Telecommunications, ITU