ITU Forms Advisory Body for Submarine Cable Security
By International Telecommunication Union
September 30, 2024
In an increasingly interconnected world, telecommunications submarine cables serve as the lifelines of the global digital economy, facilitating over 99% of international data exchange. These cables enable communication, finance, cloud services, and critical infrastructure to operate seamlessly across borders. Yet, despite their critical importance, submarine cables face a range of vulnerabilities, from natural disasters to accidental damage. With the world's reliance on stable, high-speed internet growing every day, the resilience of these cables is paramount.
Multistakeholder dialogue among governments, regulatory authorities, industry leaders, and international organisations is vital for enhancing the resilience of submarine cables, safeguarding our digital future and global economic stability.
International Advisory Body for Submarine Cable Resilience
The ITU is setting up an International Advisory Body for Submarine Cable Resilience (hereinafter the “Advisory Body”) with an aim to promote dialogue and collaboration on potential ways and means to improve resilience of this critical infrastructure that powers global communications and the digital economy. With the current frequency of outages, submarine cables are more vulnerable than ever before.
This Advisory Body will serve as a platform for international multistakeholder collaboration, bringing together governments, regulatory authorities, industry leaders, and key stakeholders in areas related to enhancing the safety, redundancy, and protection of submarine cables.
Its primary role will include:
- Providing strategic guidance to improve cable resilience.
- Developing and promoting best practices to improve the protection of subsea cable systems.
- Facilitating international cooperation on technical development, policy frameworks, and investment models.
Advisory Body Composition and Co-Chairs
The Advisory Body will serve a term of two years, starting 1 November 2024, and will be co-chaired by:
- H.E. Minister Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
- Prof. Sandra Maximiano, Chair of ANACOM's Board of Directors.
