06 December 2023

The Somali government has launched the National Emergency Telecommunications Plan (NETP) with technical assistance from the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), which aims to establish a unified and effective communications framework to streamline communication and disaster response efforts.

The launch of the NETP comes as Somalia has been facing, since October a flood episode of a magnitude that, statistically, is only likely to occur once in 100 years, according to the Bureau of the United Nations Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). The floods have already caused around 30 deaths, as well as the displacement of nearly half a million people. In total, this disaster disrupted the lives of more than 1.2 million people.

“In the face of unpredictable emergencies, our collaboration on the National Emergency Telecommunications Plan strengthens Somalia’s resilience. Together, we are building a safer and better connected nation,” said Jama Hassan Khalif, minister of communications and technology.