Role of Government Agencies, Challenges and Suggestions for Possible Avenue of Collaboration with Internet Community: Case of Vanuatu, by John Jack. A presentation given at the APNIC 40 Disaster preparedness BoF session on Tue, 8 Sep 2015.

1. Republic of Vanuatu
Role of Government Agencies, Challenges and
Suggestions for Possible Avenue of
Collaboration with Internet Community: Case of
Vanuatu
The Government
of the Republic
of Vanuatu
John Jack
Office of the Government CIO
Prime Minister’s Office, Government of the Republic of Vanuatu

2. Republic of Vanuatu
1
1. Role of Government Agencies
2. What was done during cyclone Pam
3. What was the role of Government Agencies after
4. Challenges
5. Plans for the Future: Emergency Communications
Outline of Presentation

3. Republic of Vanuatu
2
Source: APNIC
Bigfala Tank Yu Tumas APNIC!

4. Republic of Vanuatu
3
1. Role of Government Agencies
2. What was done during cyclone Pam
3. What was the role of Government Agencies after
4. Challenges faced
5. Plans for the Future: Emergency Communications
Outline of Presentation

5. Republic of Vanuatu
4
Role of Government Agencies - BEFORE
Prime Minister
Director General
OGCIO
NIDC
TAG
TRR
OGCIO – Office of the Government CIO
TRR – Telecommunication & Radiocommunication Regulator
NIDC – National ICT Development Committee
TAG – Technical Advisory Group
• Collaborate across the
Government between
Ministries and agencies
• An independent Regulator
creates a level playing field
for Network Providers and
customers

6. Republic of Vanuatu
5
Role of Government Agencies - BEFORE
NIDC – Chaired by Minister responsible for
ICT & Telecommunication
DGs
Directors
TAG – Chaired by CIO
ICT
Managers
Key ICT
Staff
Ministries & Agencies
ICT Staff & Users
3 Policies
• National
ICT
Policy
• Universal
Access
Policy
• Cyber
Security
Policy
ICT hemi
blong
Evriwan!

7. Republic of Vanuatu
OGCIO
TRR
6
NETWORK
OPERATOR
ICT
COMPANIES
NETWORK
OPERATIONS
ICT
COMPANIES
Role of Government Agencies - BEFORE
• Educational institutions
• Health Centres
• Citizens – 98% by January
1, 2018
• NIP
• UAP
• CSP • Commercial companies
• Tourism Operators
• Farmers
• Financial Institutions
• Government Offices
• International connectivity

8. Republic of Vanuatu
7
Role of Government Agencies - BEFORE
• December 2012 - 5 Network Operators signed the MOU to
establish VIX
• February 2013 – VIX switch and router server installed
(thanks to APNIC)
• February 2013 – first two operators established BGP
peering with VIX Router server
• August 2013 – Google Cache server installed
• November 2013 – i-Root server (from NETNOD) installed
• May 2014 – another Network Operator established peering
to VIX

9. Republic of Vanuatu
8
Role of Government Agencies - BEFORE
Successful & Getting Bigger
Every Year
http://ictdays.gov.vu
ICT
AWARDS

10. Republic of Vanuatu
9
Role of Government Agencies - BEFORE
Successful & Getting Bigger
Every Year
http://ictdays.gov.vu
ICT
AWARDS

11. Republic of Vanuatu
10
Role of Government Agencies - BEFORE
 CEOs of Network Operators contacted TRR and OGCIO regarding how best to collaborate in
the event of severe cyclone PAM (before and after) and come up with some concrete action
plan.
 Biggest concern was limited resources available incase of severe cyclone - Helicopters and
Planes.
 A meeting was convene and chaired by CIO on Tuesday, 10th of March at OGCIO office and the
following was agreed together;
– SMS warning alert to all citizens
– Initial task for each Operator to contact their care-takers to analyse situation on the ground
– Availability of helicopters
– Power shut-down procedures by the main power company – Unelco
– Share list of key contacts
– Government to provide clear curfew procedures incase of major curfew
 Contact established with ITU and Telstra to provide Satellite Phones
 Operators contacted their regional and international partners

12. Republic of Vanuatu
11
1. Role of Government Agencies
2. What was done during cyclone Pam
3. What was the role of Government Agencies after
4. Challenges faced
5. Plans for the Future: Emergency Communications
Outline of Presentation

13. Republic of Vanuatu
12
Role of Government Agencies - DURING
 Free SMS alert offered by Network Providers
 92% of the population received free SMS warning alerts
 Operators advise TRR to remove all special promotions to free
up Network
 A process was established between Vanuatu Meteo Weather
forecast section and the 2 Operators
– Group emailing list set-up
– Weather forecast section email the SMS text messages to
Operators every hour
 The SMS alert was recognized locally and internationally as
one of the 3 major factors contributing to low fatality rate,
ONLY 11 deaths
SMS Warning
alert to
citizens

14. Republic of Vanuatu
13
1. Role of Government Agencies
2. What was done during cyclone Pam
3. What was the role of Government Agencies after
4. Challenges faced
5. Plans for the Future: Emergency Communications
Outline of Presentation

15. Republic of Vanuatu
14
Role of Government Agencies - AFTER
 Before Cyclone PAM
– 92% of the population have mobile coverage
– Every Provinces were enjoying access to telecommunication services
– Very limited Radio coverage
 After Cyclone PAM
– On morning of 14th March, No communication services outside Port Vila
– For outer-islands, it took approximately 1 week to restore services
– Transmission towers were partially or totally destroyed
– Equipment on three provinces were totally damaged
– Damaged resulted on loss of service across, mobile ,fixed and Data services
including Radio and TV broadcast services
– International connectivity via newly installed Interchange Cable Network (ICN)
Submarine cable remains online unaffected through out the cyclone and allowing
Port Vila to remain connected to the outside World
Source:
Office of the
Government
CIO

16. Republic of Vanuatu
15
Role of Government Agencies - AFTER
Source: Vanuatu Humanitarian Team

17. Republic of Vanuatu
16
Role of Government Agencies - AFTER
Source: Vanuatu National Disaster Management Office
Emergency Telecoms Cluster
(ETC) group:
–World Food Program (WFP)
–Telecom with Boarders (TSF)
–British Telecom
–Ericsson
–Google
–NetHope
–Cisco
Other International
Partners:
– ITU
–Telstra
–Vodafone foundation
–APNIC
–ISOC
–Trend Micro
–Microsoft
–Baracuda
–VMWare

18. Republic of Vanuatu
17
Role of Government Agencies - AFTER
Source: Telecom
San Frontieres
1. Initiate discussions with operators to prepare for cyclone rebuilding
efforts;
2. Focal point for Telecommunication rebuilding efforts;
3. Coordinate with TRR to allocate spectrum for emergency
4. Deploy emergency communication to provinces
Source: World Food Programme Source: Telstra

19. Republic of Vanuatu
18
March 14th 2015 - 1% of telecom services
Source:
Office of the
Government
CIO
April 14th 2015 – 85% telecom services restored
Role of Government Agencies - AFTER

20. Republic of Vanuatu
19
1. Role of Government Agencies
2. What was done during cyclone Pam
3. What was the role of Government Agencies after
4. Challenges faced
5. Plans for the Future: Emergency Communications
Outline of Presentation

21. Republic of Vanuatu
20
Challenges Faced
 Regulatory powers to enforce sharing of resources and immediate collaboration
 2 Greatest hindrance affecting the speed of immediate recovery
– The logistics, time and effort required to ship required materials to locations through out
Vanuatu
– The fact that electricity, needed to power up telecommunications equipment, has been
unavailable in badly damaged areas (such as Tanna) or slows to be reestablished
 As a result of damages sustained, transmission networks must be rebuilt in worst
affected locations
– Significant investment in new towers and equipment's will be required by all Operators in 2015
– Investments will likely affect profitability of private sector
– However it is also assumed cost of damages in many cases will be recovered from insurance
coverage held by Operators
 Sharing of contacts between international partners and donors to facilitate coordination

22. Republic of Vanuatu
21
1. Role of Government Agencies
2. What was done during cyclone Pam
3. What was the role of Government Agencies after
4. Challenges faced
5. Plans for the Future: Emergency Communications
Outline of Presentation

23. Republic of Vanuatu
22
Plans for the Future: Emergency Communications Strategy
Photo: ETC
1. Develop a National
Telecoms/ICT Disaster
Emergency Response
Strategy;
2. A well coordinated relief
distribution strategy;
3. A well coordinated
network restoration plan
with telecom operators;
4. Establish emergency
communications in all
provinces;
5. Establish an emergency
communications
rebuilding fund
6. Capacity building in
disaster preparedness &
responses

24. Republic of Vanuatu
23
Tank Yu Tumas Olgeta!