SWEDISH TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPANY DONATES EQUIPMENT TO ENHANCE UN’S MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS DURING HUMANITARIAN EMERGENCIES

SWEDISH TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPANY DONATES EQUIPMENT TO ENHANCE UN’S

MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS DURING HUMANITARIAN EMERGENCIES

NEW YORK, 18 December (OCHA) –- On 14 December Emergency Relief Coordinator and Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Kenzo Oshima, signed an agreement with Ulf Pehrsson, Vice President for Public Affairs of the Swedish telecommunications company Ericsson, formally accepting the donation of a “Switch” to be located at the United Nations Logistics Base in Brindisi.  “We expect that this communications platform, or Switch, will significantly enhance United Nations mobile communications systems and lead to both better communications compatibility and cost-savings in humanitarian relief efforts”, said Mr. Oshima.

The Global System for Mobile Communications system (GSM), known as a "Switch", is designed to enhance the quality of existing communications systems in Brindisi, the logistics hub of United Nations emergency operations.  The equipment to be provided by Ericsson consists of the Switch for enhanced GSM 900 cellular communications, a radio base station for use in the field for local GSM mobile communication, mobile phones, microwave transmission (mini-links) and other ancillary equipment and services. 

The Switch will improve the quality of telecommunications response in humanitarian emergencies by enabling the use of mobile phones by humanitarian agencies in disaster relief operations.  Ericsson will also provide the installation of the Switch, testing, training and remote support for a period of two years after the system launch at no cost to the United Nations.  Final completion of the project is expected in June 2002.

“Communications play an indispensable part in humanitarian relief activities”, Mr. Oshima said, “but systems used by different relief agencies during disasters and emergencies vary widely in quality and often suffer compatibility problems.  Acquiring new and effective systems has been a necessity, but due to costs and other reasons it remained problematic for the Organization.”

In response to this challenge, Mr. Oshima continued, Ericsson had proposed the “first on the ground” programme, through which it would provide and maintain mobile communication technologies for the humanitarian agencies, free of charge, in disaster relief operations.  The Secretary-General had announced that this initiative -- one of the four ‘Millennium Initiatives’ -- was an excellent example of the positive partnership between the private sector and the United Nations system.

“The official signing today of the agreement on the Brindisi Switch marks the culmination of a process that has been underway for some time”, said Mr. Oshima.  He thanked the inter-agency technical teams who had worked together with Ericsson, focusing on harmonizing the respective approaches.  The Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO), the Office of Legal Affairs, the Controller’s Office, the United Nations Fund for International Partnerships, and OCHA staff were to be commended for the harmonious inter-departmental collaboration that had contributed to, and been a hallmark of, this successful conclusion.

 “We very much appreciate the private sector for taking a responsible interest in humanitarian affairs and for sharing their technologies and expertise with the humanitarian community in such a generous manner”, The Emergency Relief Coordinator said, thanking Ericsson for their generous and timely donation.  “The Swedish Government and people have always been both generous in funding and active in engaging with the humanitarian activities of the United Nations.  The offer coming from one of Sweden’s most prominent corporations follows in this tradition and is an example of generosity and foresight.”

Concluding, Mr. Oshima said that he hoped the partnership between Ericsson and the United Nations humanitarian community “will serve as a model for the complimentarity that can exist between public and private organizations where humanitarian affairs are concerned.  We would naturally welcome that other private sector partners from other parts of the world emulate the Ericsson initiative.”  

The signing ceremony was attended by Sweden’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations Inga Eriksson-Fogh, and other guests including Amir Dossal, the Executive Director of the United Nations Fund for International Partnerships, and Bruce Rashkow, the Director of the General Legal Division in the Office of Legal Affairs.  Also present were representatives from the DPKO, Ericsson, and OCHA.

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