The Smart Sustainable Development Initiative (SSDM) 2nd Advisory Board meeting was held in Geneva from June 26 to 27 .
The meeting reviewed reports prepared by the Board's Working Group on Volunteers for Emergency Telecommunication (VET), Working Group on the Global Emergency Fund for Rapid Response(GEF) and the Working Group on Regulatory Toolkit and Guidelines.
During the two day meeting, the Advisory Board discussed proposed actions and recommendations on the setting up of a rapid response fund to support a network of volunteers working at local, national and international levels to provide assistance prior and in the aftermath of a disaster and to facilitate the work of all emergency telecommunications practitioners.
The Board also discussed at length regulatory tools needed to ensure rapid trans-border movement of telecommunication equipment during emergency situations.
Mr Brahima Sanou said, "Technologies are changing fast and bringing new opportunities to link ICT for development and ICT for disaster management. Vulnerability is a risk factor in the attainment of sustainable development. As such we need to explore ways to incorporate new technologies such as Artificial Intelligence and Big Data to improve on how to mitigate and respond to disasters."
The SSDM Initiative is chaired by Mr John Nasasira.
The Initiative seeks to ensure that information and communication technologies are used for both development and for disaster management with the aim of improving the lives of millions of people across the globe.
The next meeting of the Advisory Board is tentatively scheduled for March 2018.
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