By Isatou Fofana
In collaboration with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy (MoCDE) has made significant progress in the development of The Gambia’s National Emergency Telecommunication Plan (NETP). This initiative is part of a broader effort to strengthen national disaster preparedness and response mechanisms through the effective integration of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs).
The initiative forms part of a wider regional effort to strengthen emergency response capabilities through the integration of modern Information and Communication Technologies, aligning with the African Union’s Regional Emergency Telecommunication Plan.
In an interview, Mr. Seriegn Modou Bah, the Director of Telecommunications, gave background information on the development NETP for The Gambia.
He said The Gambia, through MoCDE, actively participated in the development of the African Union’s Regional Emergency Telecommunication Plan, supported by the ITU and the National Adaptation Process. “Following this, the ITU extended technical assistance to The Gambia to domesticate the regional framework into a country-specific National Emergency Telecommunication Plan.
He informed that series of consultations including virtual meetings were held with key national stakeholders for the development of the Plan.
Mr Bah made reference to a two-day consultation workshop that was organised in November 2024 in Banjul, attended by 51 participants from diverse sectors including government ministries, regulatory bodies, mobile network operators, and international partners such as the World Food Programme.
“The workshop also focused on such areas as integration of emergency telecommunications into national policies and legal frameworks, development of early warning systems and hazard mapping, the adoption of a multi-hazard, multi-technology, and multi-stakeholder planning approach and establishment of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to clarify institutional roles and communication protocols.
The inputs and feedback collected during the workshop were incorporated into the draft NETP, which was reviewed and validated by the ITU and the assigned consultant.
The MoCDE Telecoms Director revealed that following an internal review and endorsement of the final NETP document, it has been sent to cabinet for adoption and implementation.
“The ITU has informed MoCDE that it will support the implementation in The Gambia, including capacity building on Common Alerting Protocol and Cell Broadcasting, amongst others. We will continue to collaborate with stakeholders to ensure the Plan’s operationalisation and integration into national disaster management systems,” Mr Bah stated.
As The Gambia advances to towards a more resilient and responsive emergency communication system, the NETP represents a transformative step in safeguarding lives and infrastructure during disasters.
