Bridgetown, Barbados, September 17, 2013 (CDEMA) - A multi stakeholder forum on the Role of Telecommunications and Information Communications Technology (ICT) in Disaster Management and Climate Change will be held in Bridgetown, Barbados from the 18th – 20th September, 2013.
This meeting will bring together representatives from national agencies involved in disaster risk reduction and disaster management, private telecommunications entities, United Nations Agencies, and Non-Governmental Organizations. They will share knowledge, discuss and exchange views on how to assist countries and communities to prepare for, respond to and cope with natural disasters and the effects of climate change through the use of ICTs.
Strengthening of ICTs in disaster management agencies has been one of the priority areas identified under the regional Comprehensive Disaster Management Programme. Included among CDEMA’s interventions in this area are, the development of core standards for ICT capability levels for National Disaster Offices, provision of emergency communications equipment and training of personnel to support some states in achieving basic core standards.
This work shop will broaden the discussions and support to countries by engaging key actors in the ICT industry and will also seek to develop an action plan covering the regulatory, legal and, technical aspects of ICT, standard operating procedures and the designing of National Emergency Telecommunications Plans.
The three day event is jointly organized by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA), the United Nations Development Progtramme (UNDP) and the Telecommunications Unit of Barbados.
It is one of the collaborative interventions between the ITU and CDEMA in their agreement for cooperation in Disaster Preparedness and Response through the use of Information and Communication Technologies.
The Meeting is also supported by the Enhancing Resilience to Reduce Vulnerability in the Caribbean (ERC) project. The ERC project is funded by the Government of Italy, executed by UNDP Barbados and the OECS and implemented by the Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology and CDEMA.
For more information, please contact:
Mr. Oronde Lambert
Information & Communications Technology Manager
Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA)
Building #1 Manor Lodge Complex
Lodge Hill, St Michael, Barbados
Tel: (246) 425-0386
Fax: (246) 425-8854
E-mail: