​​Submarine Cable Resilience  

In an increasingly interconnected world, telecommunications submarine cables serve as the lifelines of the global digital economy, facilitating over 99% of international data exchange. These cables enable communication, finance, cloud services, and critical infrastructure to operate seamlessly across borders. Yet, despite their critical importance, submarine cables face a range of vulnerabilities, from natural disasters to accidental damage. With the world's reliance on stable, high-speed internet growing every day, the resilience of these cables is paramount.

Multistakeholder dialogue among governments, regulatory authorities, industry leaders, and international organisations is vital for enhancing the resilience of submarine cables, safeguarding our digital future and global economic stability.

International Advisory Body for Submarine Cable Resilience

The ITU is setting up an International Advisory Body for Submarine Cable Resilience (hereinafter the "Advisory Body") with an aim to promote dialogue and collaboration on potential ways and means to improve resilience of this critical infrastructure that powers global communications and the digital economy. With the current frequency of outages, submarine cables are more vulnerable than ever before.

This Advisory Body will serve as a platform for international multistakeholder collaboration, bringing together governments, regulatory authorities, industry leaders, and key stakeholders in areas related to enhancing the safety, redundancy, and protection of submarine cables. 

Its primary role will include: 

• Providing strategic guidance to improve cable resilience.
• Developing and promoting best practices to improve the protection of subsea cable systems.
• Facilitating international cooperation on technical development, policy frameworks, and investment models. 

Advisory Body Composition and Co-Chairs 

The Advisory Body will serve a term of two years, starting 1 November 2024, and will be co-chaired by: 

• H.E. Minister  Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
• Prof. Sandra Maximiano, Chair of ANACOM's Board of Directors. 

​Call for nominations  

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Nominations are invited from governments, international organizations, telecommunications c​ompanies and service providers, submarine cable owners, vendors of submarine cable systems, providers of services related to deployment and repair of submarine cables (including operators of cable ships), regulatory bodies, and experts in submarine cable technology, network security, and network infrastructure. 

Eligibility Criteria 

To ensure a diverse and effective Advisory Body, the following eligibility criteria must be met: 

• Seniority: Nominees should be at the executive level of the respective organizations or should be experts with international name recognition.
• Expertise: Nominees should have demonstrated expertise in areas such as submarine cable engineering, network infrastructure, network security, telecommunications policy, international relations or risk management.
• Cross-Disciplinary Experience: Individuals with significant research contributions, experience in technical standards development, or investment in critical infrastructure are encouraged to apply.
• Commitment to Mission: Nominees should have a strong commitment to the mission of improving submarine cable resilience and the ability to engage in sustained, long-term efforts.
• Diversity and Inclusion: To promote a global perspective, final composition will seek to reflect gender diversity and include representatives from diverse regions, economies, and marginalized groups.
• Independence: Nominees must not use their position on the Advisory Body for personal financial gain and must declare any potential conflicts of interest. 

Responsibilities of Advisory Body Members 

As a member of the International Advisory Body for Submarine Cable Resilience, individuals are expected to: 

• Contribute to strategic direction: Provide expert input to shape the strategic priorities for improving submarine cable resilience, including in areas of resilience, policy, and technological advancement.
• Collaborate on Best Practices: Participate in the promotion of global standards, best practices, and solutions to ensure the robustness of subsea cable infrastructure.
• Strengthen engagement: Help enhance the impact and reach of the work if the Advisory Body, including through outreach to relevant stakeholders and strategic support to the programming and organization of regular Submarine Cable Resilience Summits.
• Attend regular meetings: Attend a minimum of two meetings per year, including one in-person meeting at the Submarine Cable Resilience Summit and one virtual meeting. Members are responsible for covering their own travel and accommodation expenses when attending the in-person meetings.
• Facilitate Working Groups: Facilitate expert working groups that focus on specific technical, policy, or network security issues, contributing expertise and fostering cross-sector collaboration.
• Uphold ethical standards: Adhere to the United Nations Code of Conduct and ITU Principles to ensure that all work is conducted with integrity, transparency, and accountability. 

The ITU encourages the nomination of outstanding professionals and thought leaders who can bring expertise, vision, and commitment to improving the resilience of submarine cables. By joining the Advisory Body, you will be at the forefront of efforts to protect the world's digital infrastructure and secure global connectivity. 

Next Steps 

Once nominations are received, the Co-chairs together with the ITU Secretariat, will review and select the members of the Advisory Body. The first virtual meeting will be convened in November 2024, where objectives and deliverables of the Advisory Body will be defined. Members will also contribute to the agenda for the upcoming Submarine Cable Resilience Summit in the first quarter of 2025.

Join us at the forefront of securing the world's digital infrastructure. Nominate outstanding professionals and thought leaders in the field to be a part of the Advisory Body. Together, we can build a more resilient and secure foundation for global connectivity.