ITU calls for data-driven risk management to mitigate submarine cables disruptions

The International Telecommunications Union (ITU) has called for improved risk management to protect submarine cables, which are disrupted between 100 to 200 times annually.

Doreen Bogdan-Martin, the ITU secretary-general, spoke at the international submarine cable resilience summit on Wednesday in Abuja.

She said meaningful connectivity requires resilient infrastructure and also proactive and data-driven approaches to risk assessment that can anticipate and mitigate submarine cable disruptions.

“By better anticipating risks, we can better prepare for swift, coordinated action in response,” she said in her opening remarks.

“Our strategies have to be environmentally responsible if they’re going to be truly sustainable.

“In the global digital compact that was adopted by UN member states back in September, member states committed to ensuring digital infrastructure and equipment are sustainably designed to address environmental challenges by 2030.”

The secretary-general said the new international advisory body on submarine cable resilience had its first face-to-face meeting earlier on Wednesday.

Bogdan-Martin said the meeting finalised the structure for the work ahead, expressing optimism that the summit would explore many dimensions of cable resilience in depth.

“Submarine cables are put in line by an interplay of technology, business, and policy that has to be considered holistically,” she said.

“That’s why this summit includes a diversity of stakeholders that are essential to this conversation.

“We also see this diversity in ITU’s very own global membership and our new advisory body on cable resilience.

“The advisory body will provide best practices for governments and industry players so that we can ensure timely cable deployments and repairs, improve service continuity, and reduce the risk of disruption.”

GLOBAL DIGITAL ECONOMY TO REACH $16.5 TRILLION BY 2028

Bogdan-Martin said the global digital economy is surging ahead of the global GDP growth, with projections indicating it would hit $16.5 trillion by 2028.

“As our economies and digital ambitions grow, and as we seek to bring meaningful connectivity to all, so does our reliance on digital infrastructure like submarine cables,” she said.

“This global undersea network is emblematic of the innovation and the investment required to connect the world meaningfully, and just how dependent we’ve become on digital infrastructure.

“The past two decades have seen a vast, emphasis vast, digital shift, with new socioeconomic opportunities as well as challenges, since the 2005 World Summit on the Information Society.

“The number of internet users back then, in 2005, stood at one billion. At the end of last year, we had 5.5 billion internet users.”

“And today, the global digital economy is growing faster than global GDP, and is expected to reach 16.5 trillion U.S. dollars by 2028.

“Over the next decade, some estimate that more than two-thirds of the new value creation could come from digitally enabled platforms.”

‘A FOUNDATION FOR LONGTERM RESILIENCE PLANNING’

Bosun Tijani, Nigeria’s minister of communications, innovation, and digital economy, said the summit’s outcomes would drive policy and investment decisions while laying the groundwork for global cooperation and long-term resilience planning.

Tijani, who co-chairs the international advisory body on submarine cable resilience, said the summit highlights the need for global collaboration to address vulnerabilities and ensure a resilient and secure communications network.

“This is not just a technical or industry-specific challenge. It is a global imperative that affects financial markets, digital trade, education, health systems, and even governance,” he said.

“Under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Nigeria is committed to strengthening its digital infrastructure and advancing policies that support connectivity, innovation, and economic growth.

“We are taking decisive steps as a nation to recognise and protect telecommunications infrastructure as critical national infrastructure, aligning with our broader efforts to enhance digital resilience across all sectors.

“As a government, we are also deeply invested in leveraging digital public infrastructure, promoting open access, and expanding broadband penetration, ensuring that connectivity remains a catalyst for economic transformation and inclusion.”

‘NIGERIA TO INSPIRE ACTION ON SUBMARINE CABLE RESILIENCE CHALLENGE’

Sandra Maximiano, chairperson of Autoridade Nacional de Comunicações (ANACOM) and co-chair of the advisory body, expressed confidence that Nigeria and Africa will inspire the advisory body and summit participants to tackle the submarine cable resilience challenge.

She said the ITU, in partnership with the international cable protection committee, established the advisory body to foster a global multistakeholder dialogue and address a critical gap.

“Our role is to promote open conversation, build trust, and ensure that submarine cable networks remain protected and resilient for the benefit of the global community, not just individual interests,” Maximiano added.

She said the advisory body must remain committed to ensuring that submarine cables are safe and resilient and continue to support global connectivity.