Aliyu Aboki, the Executive Secretary of the West Africa Telecommunications Regulators Assembly (WATRA) has been appointed to the international advisory body for submarine cable resilience.
In this new role, Mr. Aboki is expected to join forces with other global leaders to develop strategies that enhance the security and resilience of submarine cable infrastructure worldwide.
Speaking on his appointment, Mr. Aboki said “The recent disruptions to telecommunications services across West Africa, caused by damage to vital submarine cables, underscore the fragility of our digital infrastructure.
“These incidents, which affected countries such as Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria, and Liberia, resulted in significant connectivity issues and highlighted the urgent need for enhanced resilience in our submarine cable systems.
“As Executive Secretary of WATRA, I have witnessed firsthand the critical role that secure and reliable digital connectivity plays in driving economic development, supporting government operations, and enabling access to essential services across the region.
“This appointment to the International Advisory Body on Submarine Cable Resilience presents an opportunity to strengthen global collaboration and bring the perspectives of West Africa to the forefront of discussions on protecting these crucial infrastructures.
“It is vital that we work together with other experts and stakeholders to develop strategies that ensure submarine cables are more resilient to disruptions, safeguarding the continuity of services that are fundamental to the global digital economy.” He concluded.
International Advisory Body for Submarine Cable Resilience
The International Advisory Body for Submarine Cable Resilience was established by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the United Nations Agency for Digital Technologies, and the International Cable Protection Committee (ICPC) to strengthen the resilience of submarine cables, a vital telecommunication infrastructure globally.
Moving Forward, the Advisory Body is tasked with the responsibility of coming up with ways to improve cable resilience by promoting best practices for governments and industry players to ensure the timely deployment and repair of submarine cables, reduce the risks of damage, and enhance the continuity of communications over the cables.
Speaking on the establishment of the body, Doreen Bogdan-Martin, ITU secretary General stated “Submarine cables carry over 99 percent of international data exchanges, making their resilience a global imperative.
“The Advisory Body will mobilize expertise from around the world to ensure this vital digital infrastructure remains resilient in the face of disasters, accidents, and other risks,” she Concluded.
Membership of The Body
The advisory body is made up of 40 members comprising Ministers, Heads of Regulatory Authorities, industry executives, and senior experts on the operations of telecommunication cables globally.
The body is co-chaired by H.E. Minister Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and Prof. Sandra Maximiano, Chair of the Board of Directors of the National Communications Authority of the Republic of Portugal (ANACOM).
Significance
With the formation of this body, disruptions to digital connectivity globally are expected to be addressed with more attention given to safeguarding submarine cables globally to ensure no damage is done to critical Telecommunication infrastructure.
The inaugural physical meeting of the Submarine Cable Resilience Summit is slated to hold in Nigeria by early 2025 while a virtual meeting has been scheduled for December 2024 in the build-up to January’s physical meeting.
