ITU PLENIPOTENTIARY CONFERENCE (PP-98)

MINNEAPOLIS, MN, 12 OCTOBER - 6 NOVEMBER 1998

Resolution 36

TELECOMMUNICATIONS IN THE SERVICE

OF HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE

The Plenipotentiary Conference of the International Telecommunication Union (Minneapolis,1998),

endorsing

a) Resolution 644 of the World Radiocommunication Conference (Geneva, 1997) on telecommunication resources for disaster mitigation and relief operations;

b) Resolution 19 of the World Telecommunication Development Conference (Valletta, 1998) on telecommunication resources for disaster mitigation and relief operations;

c) the Valletta Declaration adopted by the World Telecommunication Development Conference (Valletta,1998), drawing the attention of ITU Member States and Sector Members to the importance of emergency telecommunications and the need for an international convention on this subject,

considering

that the Intergovernmental Conference on Emergency Telecommunications (Tampere, 1998) has adopted the Tampere Convention on the provision of telecommunication resources for disaster mitigation and relief operations,

noting

a) the Final Act of the Intergovernmental Conference on Emergency Telecommunications (Tampere, 1998), which reflects the recognition by the conference of the significant impact of disasters on societies and the environment and of the need for providing timely, effective telecommunication assistance and resources for disaster mitigation and relief;

b) the report of the Secretary-General on the,implementation of, inter alia, Resolution 36 (Kyoto,1994),

noting with appreciation

a) the efforts deployed by the ITU Secretary-General towards the adoption of the Tampere Convention;

b) the close cooperation between the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and ITU during the past four years,recognizing the seriousness and magnitude of potential disasters that may cause dramatic human suffering,

convinced

that the unhindered use of telecommunication equipment and services is indispensable for the provision of effective and appropriate humanitarian assistance,further convinced that the Tampere Convention provides the necessary framework for such use of telecommunication resources,

instructs the Secretary-General

to work closely with the United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator on the development of practical arrangements for the implementation of the Tampere Convention,

urges Member States

to work towards the earliest possible ratification, acceptance, approval or final signature of the Tampere Convention by the appropriate national authorities,

further urges Member States Parties to the Tampere Convention

to take all practical steps for the application of the Tampere Convention and to work closely with the operational coordinator as provided for therein.

The proposal was sponsored by

Barbados, Bosnia and Herzegovina (Republic of), Burundi (Republic of), Canada, Cyprus (Republic of), Denmark, United States of America, Finland, Gabonese Republic, Guyana, Indonesia, Italy, Kuwait (State of), Lebanon, Mali (Republic of), Malta, Nepal, Philippines (Republic of the), Poland, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Saint Lucia, Senegal(Republic of), Slovenia (Republic of), Switzerland (Confederation of), Zambia (Republic of);

it was in addition supported in the session by

Syrian Arab Republic, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Djibouti (Republic of).

and unanimously adopted by the Plenary Session.