In response to a call for action from the World Telecommunication Development Conference (WTDC-06) to develop ICT-based solutions to cope with emergency situations, the International Telecommunication Union along with the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organization (CTO) is organizing the Caribbean Forum 2006 on Using ICT for Effective Disaster Management. The event, which will be held in Ocho Rios, Jamaica, Sept. 26-28, 2006, aims at improving early-warning communication and disaster preparedness in the Caribbean region while reducing vulnerability to natural disasters and mitigating their effects through the effective use of information and communication technologies (ICT).
The three-day forum will address policy, regulatory and technological issues related to emergency telecommunications and look at practical ways by which ICT can help mitigate disasters.
It will assess the impact of recent disasters, discuss the role of ICT in disaster risk reduction and examine the role of governments, regulatory authorities, United Nations humanitarian organizations, non-governmental organizations, and telecommunication providers during and after emergency situations. The objective is to put in place the necessary ICT platform for disaster prevention, preparedness and relief in the region.
The event is intended for senior government and telecommunication regulatory officials, private sector organizations, disaster management agencies from the Caribbean Region, Western Caribbean Donor Groups, and civil society.
