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Working
Party 8 A:
Received:
16 October 2001
Canada
Global Cross-Border Circulation Of Radiocommunication
Equipment In Emergency And Disaster Relief Situations
1 Introduction
In Resolution 645
(WRC-2000), the ITU-R, in particular WP 8A, was invited to conduct studies
for the development of a resolution identifying the technical and operational
basis for global cross-border circulation of radiocommunication equipment in
emergency and disaster relief situations. Furthermore,
the Chairman of WG 8A3 encouraged contributions on this matter be submitted to
this meeting since the responses to the ITU-R survey stated that it was
generally accepted that the removal of regulatory barriers and the strengthening
of cross- border co-operation between countries would facilitate the rapid
deployment and effective use of radiocommunications for emergency and disaster
relief operations. Therefore, in response to resolves (3) of Res.
645, this contribution is presented to ITU-R WP 8A to help further this
issue. In addition, this
contribution may be used to develop a PDNR.
2 Background
Disaster relief operations have evolved over the years to
make use of radiocommunication systems as a reliable and effective means of
communication for the crucial success of the disaster relief operation.
It is also well known that many international disaster relief
organisations utilise telecommunication networks for co-ordinating their efforts
and for linking to their clients and authorities when providing emergency care.
Furthermore, providers of international humanitarian assistance depend on
and employ radiocommunication equipment, which is widely in use and available,
including amateur radio and mobile and portable satellite facilities for their
telecommunications during international disaster relief operations.
Therefore, radiocommunication equipment operating in the HF, VHF, UHF,
ISM, amateur and satellite radio frequency bands is used.
The importation and circulation of radiocommunication
equipment is usually required when the local telecommunication infrastructure is
damaged, overloaded or non-existent in the area of the disaster.
Understandably then, the speed of the response is critical.
However, the efforts of disaster and emergency relief workers are often
delayed by a number of factors. These
include actions by administrations that:
-
restrict or prohibit the import and use of radiocommunication
equipment;
-
have lengthy and/or costly immigration and customs procedures;
-
lack an expedient processes for the authorisation to operate
radiocommunication equipment or for
the permission to use the radiocommunication equipment in border areas; and
-
insist on the use of certain types of fixed frequency radios
making it technically difficult to operate in changing situations.
3 Other
Agreements & Activities
In addition to ITU Resolution 645, there are several other
international agreements and activities related to this issue. In 1990, the
United Nations declared the beginning of the International Decade for Natural
Disaster Reduction. There were many activities related to telecommunications
which were undertaken during this period, including the following:
·
The World Customs Organisation (WCO) has developed two
international agreements which are applicable to radiocommunication equipment
intended for disaster relief operations:
-
the Istanbul
Convention, which binds countries to eliminating customs duties on
personal effects and professional equipment carried by visitors;
-
the Professional
Equipment Convention, which has so far been adopted by about 40 countries,
which exempts from customs duties equipment used by professionals, e.g. journalists,
doctors, relief workers, businessmen, etc.
·
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian
Affairs (UN-OCHA) which has the mandate to co-ordinate international
humanitarian assistance, disaster relief and disaster mitigation convenes the
Working Group on Emergency Telecommunications (WGET), an inter-agency forum of
entities concerned with humanitarian assistance.
·
WGET is following up on potential applications of the ITU-R
Resolution 645 to deal with regulatory issues, specifically regarding the
trans-border use of telecommunications equipment during acute emergencies.
·
The 1994 ITU World Telecommunication Development Conference (WTDC
- Buenos Aires) adopted Resolution 7, which related to the need for effective
communications for disaster relief.
·
The 1994 ITU Plenipotentiary Conference (Kyoto, rev. PP-98,
Minneapolis 1998) adopted Resolution 36, which endorsed Resolution 7 and
instructed the ITU to take appropriate action.
·
The 1998 Intergovernmental Conference on Emergency
Telecommunications (ICET-98), with the participation of 76 countries and various
intergovernmental and non-governmental organisations, focused on the Tampere
Convention on the Provision of Telecommunication Resources for Disaster
Mitigation and Relief Operations. In
1998, thirty-three states signed this comprehensive convention which also
contains an article dealing with the removal of regulatory barriers.
To date (October 2001), there are 51 signatories and ten ratifications.
Thirty ratifications or definitive signatures are needed for entry in
force.
·
The World Radiocommunication Conference (2000), has revisited
Resolution 644 which:
-
urges administrations to take all practical steps to facilitate
the rapid deployment and effective use of telecommunication resources for
disaster mitigation and disaster relief operations by reducing and where
possible removing regulatory barriers and strengthening trans-border
co-operation between States;
-
invites the ITU-R Sector to continue to study, as a matter of
urgency, those aspects of radiocommunications that are relevant to disaster
mitigation and relief operations.
·
The Information Technology Agreement (ITA) of the World Trade
Organisation (WTO) aims at eliminating import duties on all information
technology equipment including wireless terminals.
4
Discussions
In an attempt to progress with the issue
of global cross-border circulation of radiocommunication equipment in emergency
and disaster relief situation, the following opinions are presented at this
meeting:
1.
When discussing circulation of radiocommunication equipment in emergency
and disaster relief situations, the present needs as well as the future
solutions should be taken into account.
2.
Although, a resolution is called for in Resolution 645 resolves 3, an ITU-R recommendation may be more appropriate.
3.
Administrative arrangements for circulation may lead to over- regulation,
which must be avoided. Any such arrangements should be aimed at simplifying
existing regulation. Inter-administration measures facilitating cross-border use
of radio equipment should be recognised.
4.
The ITU-R should recognise and encourage other related agreements and
activities.
5.
The need of providers of international humanitarian assistance to be able
to use all established and emerging advanced technologies, which are applicable,
should be recognised. The use of these technologies on one or more frequency
bands, including those identified for public protection and disaster relief, is
beneficial.
6.
To facilitate telecommunications in disaster and emergency situations, it
is recommended that national administrations should liase with appropriate
customs and other authorities in order to develop agreements and regulations
that:
-
exempt radiocommunication equipment intended for use in disaster
and emergency situations from all import, export and transit duties (fees).
7.
In order to facilitate a speedy authorisation process for the operation
of radiocommunication equipment in disaster and emergency situations, it is
recommended that the regulatory authorities have plans and rules in place before
a possible disaster that:
-
allow the operation of radiocommunication equipment in the
territory of the disaster/emergency by visiting disaster relief personnel; and
-
facilitate the use of all widely available radiocommunication
equipment that disaster relief organisations employ.
8.
In order to establish the technical basis for global circulation of
radiocommunication equipment in disaster and emergency situations, such
equipment should fulfil the requirement for avoiding harmful interference in any
country where they circulate by conforming to standards, harmonised frequency
bands identified for PP&DR future advanced solutions and emission limits
according to ITU-R Recommendations.
5 Conclusion
The ITU-R should develop a proposed draft new
recommendation (PDNR) highlighting the importance of radiocommunication for
disaster relief operations, explaining the associated difficulties disaster
relief agencies face in their use of radiocommunication equipment and offering
some recommendations as proposed in this contribution.
__________________
Home Page: http://www.reliefweb.int/
Email:
wget-secretariat@un.org
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