Malawi Hosts Regional Emergency Telecommunications Workshop
The workshop covers spectrum management, temporary licensing, priority call routing, and early warning systems, among other topics.
LILONGWE, Malawi — Malawi is hosting its first regional workshop on emergency telecommunications planning this week, bringing together delegates from across southern Africa to improve disaster response coordination, writes Esther Banda.
The three-day event, ending Oct. 11, focuses on implementing the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Model National Emergency Telecommunications Plan (NETP) and Early Warning systems.
"In times of crisis, effective communication is crucial. It can mean the difference between life and death," said Bridget Chibwana, board chairperson of the Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA), during Wednesday's opening.
The workshop aims to build capacity among SADC member states for emergency communications and promote early warning systems.
It comes as Malawi continues to recover from recent cyclone damage that highlighted telecommunication vulnerabilities during disasters.
George Ah-Thew, senior programme officer from the SADC Secretariat, emphasized the plan's significance.
"People take emergency telecommunications for granted, but NETP will ensure proper coordination and preparedness in ICT infrastructure so that when disaster hits, all systems of communication will be there and working," Ah-Thew said.
Malawi has established an Emergency Telecommunications Operational Center as a hub for coordinating network services during crises.
The country also developed its own emergency telecommunications plan with assistance from the International Telecommunication Union.
The workshop covers spectrum management, temporary licensing, priority call routing, and early warning systems, among other topics.
Alinafe Kalombo Mitiyani from the United Nations World Food Programme said the event allows countries to share strategies for implementing emergency plans.
"Learning from what other countries have done, we can enhance how we are going to implement our NETP and our preparedness for responding to telecommunication emergencies," Mitiyani said.