SADC WRC-15 Preparatory Meeting AGENDA 9.1, Issue 9.1.7 Spectrum management guidelines for emergency and disaster relief radiocommunication Kingdom of Lesotho

Resolution 647 (Rev. WRC-12) Under Working Party 1B (WP 1B) Relevant Resolution Resolution 647 (Rev. WRC-12) Under Working Party 1B (WP 1B)

Background Resolution 647 (Rev.WRC-12) deals with emergency and disaster relief radiocommunications. Studies with respect to this issue were identified by CPM15-1 as issue 9.1.7 under agenda item 9.1. The Director’s report to address the following issues, among others, from the resolution: resolves to encourage administrations to communicate to the BR, as soon as possible, the frequencies available for use in emergency and disaster relief and reiterate to administrations the importance of having frequencies available for use in the very early stages of humanitarian assistance intervention for disaster relief; and, invites ITU-R to conduct studies as necessary, and as a matter of urgency, in support of the establishment of appropriate spectrum management guidelines applicable in emergency and disaster relief operations. It is important to note that all proposed modifications should not affect the work under agenda item 1.3 of WRC-15. .

Frequency Bands Under Consideration All frequency bands assigned for PPDR (public protection and disaster relief )

Summary of technical and operational Studies ITU-R considered the issue together with the number of available frequencies within the terrestrial and space databases maintained by the BR. Only some administrations had provided information about available frequencies for use in emergency situations. This limited number information seems not appropriate to satisfy the need of spectrum harmonisation and coordination in emergency situations as outlined in Resolution 647 (Rev.WRC-12). Mindful of the requirement that fast and effective response is essential in emergency situations, which leads also to the requirement of interoperable and seamless communication to allow efficient disaster relief operations, ITU-R concluded that further developments in that regard should also encourage administrations to provide up-to-date point(s) of contact within the administration and information about spectrum planning for emergency and/or disaster relief operations to the BR. ITU-R considered some regulatory considerations how this could be implemented, which are outlined in Section 6/9.1.7/4 and noted that consequential changes of Resolution ITU-R 53 may be required regarding the databases of available frequencies for disaster relief radiocommunication.  

Results of the studies by ITU-R Study Groups ITU-R has developed a Handbook as well as many Recommendations and Reports within Study Groups relating to emergency and disaster relief (Section 6/9.1.7/3.2).   Recommendations include: ITU-R F.1105, ITU-R M.1042, ITU-R M.1637, ITU-R M.1826, ITU-R M.1854, ITU-R M.2009, ITU-R M.2015, ITU-R S.1001 and ITU-R RS.1859. Reports: ITU-R M.2033, ITU-R M.2085, ITU-R M.2149, ITU-R S.2151 and ITU-R BT.2299 Handbook: “ITU-R Emergency and Disaster relief” .

Methods to satisfy the Agenda Item Three options of regulatory and procedural considerations to satisfy this issue; the options are: Option A: modification to Resolution 647 (Rev.WRC-12) and consequential suppression of Resolution 644 (Rev.WRC-12) → because of similarities were noted between the two; Option B: modification of Resolution 647 (Rev.WRC-12) only; {as Resolution 644 (Rev. WRC-12) deals with the Radiocommunication resources for early warning and disaster relief operations} Option C: suppression of Resolution 647 (Rev.WRC-12) and the consequential modification of Resolution 644 (Rev.WRC-12); {Resolutions 644 and 647 overlap in many areas → it may be possible to combine them}

urges administrations Summary of Methods Option A [consolidation of Resolutions 644 and 647]: resolves to encourage administrations to communicate as soon as possible to the BR, at the very minimum, focal point contact information and any relevant instructions or procedures, and, where possible, the frequencies available for use in emergency and disaster relief, and in particular, the relevant up-to-date contact information; to reiterate to administrations the importance of having up-to-date information referred to resolves 3 above available for use in the very early stages of humanitarian assistance intervention for disaster relief, urges administrations to participate in the emergency communication preparedness activities described above and to provide to the Bureau their information and, in particular, up-to-date contact information related to emergency and disaster relief radiocommunications for inclusion in the database, taking into account Resolution ITU‑R 53; to assist in keeping the database up to date by advising the Bureau on an ongoing basis of any modifications to the information requested above. SUP RESOLUTION 644 (REV.WRC‑12) :Radiocommunication resources for early warning, disaster mitigation and relief operations

Summary of Methods (cont. 1) Option B [modification of Res. 647 only] : resolves 1 to encourage administrations to communicate to BR, as soon as possible, the frequencies available for use in emergency and disaster relief, and in particular, the relevant up-to-date contact information; 2 to reiterate to administrations the importance of having frequencies available for use in the very early stages of humanitarian assistance intervention for disaster relief, urges administrations 1 to participate in the emergency communication preparedness activities described above and to provide the relevant information to the Bureau concerning their national frequency allocations and spectrum management practices and up-to-date contact information for emergency and disaster relief radiocommunications, taking into account Resolution ITU‑R 53; 2 to assist in keeping the database up to date by advising the Bureau on an ongoing basis of any modifications to the information requested above.

Summary of Methods (cont. 2) OPTION C [Proposed suppression of Resolution 647]: resolves 1 that the ITU Radiocommunication Sector (ITU‑R) continue to study, as a matter of urgency, those aspects of radiocommunications/ICT that are relevant to early warning, disaster mitigation and relief operations, such as decentralized means of telecommunications that are appropriate and generally available, including amateur terrestrial and satellite radio facilities, mobile and portable satellite terminals, as well as the use of passive space-based sensing systems; 2 to urge the ITU‑R Study Groups, taking into account the scope of ongoing studies/activities appended to Resolution ITU‑R 55, to accelerate their work, particularly in the areas of disaster prediction, detection, mitigation and relief, instructs the Director of the Radiocommunication Bureau 1 to support administrations in their work towards the implementation of both Resolutions 36 (Rev. Guadalajara, 2010) and 136 (Rev. Guadalajara, 2010), as well as the Tampere Convention; 2 to collaborate, as appropriate, with the United Nations Working Group on Emergency Telecommunications (WGET); 3 to participate in, and contribute to, the Telecommunications for Disaster Relief and Mitigation − Partnership Coordination Panel (PCP‑TDR); 4 to synchronize activities between this Resolution and Resolution 646 (Rev.WRC‑12)to prevent a possible overlap. SUP RESOLUTION 647 (REV.WRC‑12): Spectrum management guidelines for emergency and disaster relief radiocommunication1

Proposed SADC Position No additional guidelines have been developed by the responsible group for agenda item 9.1, issue 9.1.7. Consequently, it may be appropriate to revise Resolution 647 [OPTION B ]to reflect the current status of available ITU-R documentation relating to emergency and disaster relief operations and the need to keep this information up-to-date and only develop additional information as needed.

Rapporteurs Comments SADC is in support of Resolution 647 (Rev. WRC-12) and revisions thereof, and encourages Member States to submit as soon as possible to the ITU in line with Resolution 647 (Rev. WRC-12) , the frequencies available for use in emergency and disaster relief. To this extent, SADC Member States are encouraged to note the CRASA document entitled “Framework for Harmonisation of Frequencies for Public Protection & Disaster Relief (PPDR) in SADC”

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