A volcanic eruption that caused a tsunami in 2022 left Tonga without communications for weeks. UN-based international body to protect submarine cables Economic development
The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) announced on Friday the creation of an International Advisory Body on the Stability of Submarine Cables.
The initiative by the ITU and the International Cable Protection Committee comes as the investigation into the breakage of two fibre-optic cables in the Baltic Sea on November 17-18 continues.
Underwater cables carry about 99 percent of the world’s internet traffic. According to the International Cable Protection Committee, there are an average of 150 to 200 breaks per year worldwide, and about three repairs are required every week. Eighty percent of cable failures are caused by accidental human intervention or natural disasters, the ITU noted. Repairs typically take several weeks, but this depends on various factors such as the type of break, depth, and weather conditions.
For example, a volcanic eruption that caused a tsunami in the South Pacific in 2022 left the island nation of Tonga without communications for several weeks. It took almost 18 months to completely repair the damage. This, in turn, has limited the ability to respond to emergency situations and recover from natural disasters.
The new advisory body will aim to improve cable resilience by promoting best practices and principles for all governments and industry participants. It will aim to ensure the timely deployment and early repair of submarine cables, reduce the risk of damage and improve communications continuity.
The advisory body has 40 members, including government ministers, heads of regulators, industry leaders and telecommunications experts from around the world. They will meet at least twice a year. The first virtual meeting is scheduled for December 2024, with the first in-person meeting to take place during the Submarine Cable Resilience Summit scheduled for late February 2025 in Abuja, Nigeria.