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Information and Communications Technology and Disaster Risk

Reduction Division

ICT and Development Section

Sub-Regional Workshop on E-resilience for the Asia-Pacific

Information Superhighway (AP-IS)

SUMMARY REPORT (DRAFT)

8 December 2016, Thimphu, Bhutan

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Background of the Workshop

1. Information and Communications Technology (ICT) has been recognized to be a key

enabler for achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (SDGs), the goals of

the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), as well as those in the Sendai

Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015 – 2030 (SFDRR). Furthermore, as meta-

infrastructure ICT supports a wide range of other infrastructure and activities across the

whole spectrum of human endeavor that promote sustainable development.

Notwithstanding the efforts that each country and sub-region is making towards enhanced

ICT connectivity, the broadband expansion in Asia and the Pacific are still slow with

widening gaps between countries.

2. Based on ESCAP analyses, some of the main causes of digital divide have been identified

as lack of investment in resilient ICT infrastructure; effective Internet traffic and network

management, conducive and enabling regulations for investment, and capacity and

awareness among policy makers and regulators, among others. Recognizing these

connectivity deficits, ESCAP member countries decided to pursue a regional broadband

connectivity initiative, the Asia-Pacific Information Superhighway (AP-IS)1, and recently

endorsed the AP-IS Master Plan and Regional Cooperation Framework Document during

the first meeting of the Committee on Information and Communications Technology,

Science, Technology and Innovation2 on 5-7 October 2016 in Bangkok, which outlined

the principles, deliverables, timeline and financing mechanisms towards narrowing the

digital divide and accelerating the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals

(SDGs).

3. The AP-IS initiative aims to increase the availability, resilience and affordability of

broadband Internet across Asia and the Pacific, by strengthening the underlying Internet

infrastructure in the region; promotion of terrestrial and submarine fibre-optic

connectivity. The AP-IS pillars are (1) Connectivity (promoting fibre-optic network); (2)

Internet traffic and network management (strengthen international traffic and network

management to ensure fast and reliable internet); (3) E-Resilience (boosting ICT network

resilience to support disaster risk management) and (4) Broadband for all (reduce digital

divide and provide affordable broadband access to underserved areas).

1 http://www.unescap.org/our-work/ict-disaster-risk-reduction/asia-pacific-information-superhighway

2http://www.unescap.org/events/committee-information-and-communications-technology-science-

technology-and-innovation-first

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4. E-resilience is one of the four pillars of focus for AP-IS. E-resilience puts emphasis on

how to design and implement more resilient ICT infrastructure from increasing exposure

to damage and losses caused by natural disasters in the region. Resilient ICT

infrastructure and effective use of ICT at all phases of disaster management has the

potential to reduce disaster risks and improve disaster risk reduction as envisioned in the

SFDRR.

5. Based on research and analysis conducted on e-resilience at the national and regional

levels3, an ESCAP study identified that the SPECA

4 countries face particular risks

associated with floods and extreme weather and earthquakes, noting that a seismic risks

are concentrated around populated areas in all these countries. Landlocked developing

countries (LLDC) in other sub-region might be interested in the approach as well as steps

to be taken to deepen an understanding natural hazards and its impact on existing and

planned ICT infrasfructure.

Objectives of the Workshop

6. The Sub-Regional Workshop on E-resilience for the Asia-Pacific Information

Superhighway (AP-IS) (8 December 2016) had the following objectives:

a) To build participant’s knowledge and capacity in enhancing the resilience of ICT

infrastructure for disaster risk management, best practices, lessons learnt and

policy options;

b) Provide an update on the recently endorsed Asia-Pacific Information

Superhighway Master Plan and Regional Cooperation Framework Document and

how this initiative can support countries through e-resilience.

Organization of the meeting

7. Senior government officials attended the workshops from ESCAP member countries

including other regional and international organizations focusing on the South and South-

3 http://www.unescap.org/our-work/ict-disaster-risk-reduction/asia-pacific-information-

superhighway/publications 4 United Nations Special Programme for the Economies of Central Asia (SPECA) was launched in 1998 to

strengthen subregional cooperation in Central Asia and its integration into the world economy. The countries of

SPECA are Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

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West Asia (SSWA) sub-region and LLDCs (Annex 2). The workshop’s agenda is

attached (Annex 1). The workshop was held in Thimphu, Bhutan, on 8 December 2016.

Session 1: Opening and setting the scene: Disaster Risk Reduction in South and South-

West Asia and LLDCs

8. Ms. Atsuko Okuda (ESCAP) and Mr. Sonam Tobgay (Bhutan) opened the workshop on

E-resilience. They welcomed participants to the workshop and outlined the agenda of the

workshop.

9. Mr. Pujiano Pujiano (ESCAP), delivered a presentation on E-resilience (video-recorded

presentation available from ESCAP’s ‘IDD & DRR gateway website’

http://www.drrgateway.net/). He defined e-resilience as “the ability of ICT systems to

withstand, recover from and change in the face of an external disturbance such as natural

disasters” and noted that e-resilience is contributing to SDG 9: building resilient

infrastructure (Target 9.c seeks to considerably increase access to ICT and provide

universal access to the internet in LDCs by 2020). He added that ICT is a growth sector as

well as a key enabler for sustainable development and stated that ICT can accelerate the

implementation of SDGs in the region, and therefore essential for sustainable

development.

10. Mr. Pujiano explained that some of the critical factors for e-resilience in the context of the

Asia-Pacific information superhighway include:

a) shortening the time needed for restoration after a disaster;

b) knowing disaster risks and designing for resilience;

c) ensuring last-mile connectivity; promoting mobile and other communication

means for redundancy and emergency communications; and

d) exploring innovative mobile, geographic information system (GIS) and space

applications and big data.

11. He stated that possible measures for enhancing e-resilience include:

a) promote the use of existing and innovative technology for connectivity and

disaster preparedness and response;

b) mainstream DRR and resilient ICT into national policies and plans; and

c) build regional cooperation for knowledge sharing and capacity building.

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12. Mr. Bill Ho, (ADPC) began his presentation by asking why DRR focuses on

development. He stated that disasters set back development programming by destroying

years of development initiatives. Development programmes can be designed to decrease

the susceptibility of countries to disasters and their negative consequences. Rebuilding

after a disaster provides significant opportunities to initiate development programmes.

13. Mr. Bill Ho noted that priorities on e-resilience and DRR need to look at the following;

a) Improving understanding of disaster risk

b) Providing access to risk information

c) Strengthening the ability of governments and institutions to manage disaster risk

d) Capacity building of sub-national level officials

e) Ensuring greater gender inclusivity

f) Improving coordination among relevant domestic and regional agencies

g) Allocating more financial resources to ensure long-term sustainability of

initiatives

h) Fostering greater private sector engagement

14. Following the presentation, the representative of Nepal suggested that ESCAP could

come up with a toolkit for e-resilience and noted that the University of Manchester

developed a toolkit to assess the resilience of infrastructure in Nepal and neighboring

countries. He also suggested that technical capacity on working with GIS data needs to be

enhanced in the Asia-Pacific region.

15. Mr. David Butcher (David Butcher and Associates) noted the importance of working

closely with the private telecom operators in times of disaster. In particular, advice on use

of SMS text messages instead of voice and the need for this information to be

mainstreamed and disseminated to online and media platforms.

16. The discussion also highlighted the need to establish and maintain a national emergency

call number. The meeting noted that in some countries, these emergency call numbers

either have limited capacity to handle mass communications or they are not free. The

meeting also recognized the need for ESCAP and regional partners such as APT to look

into this area of the existing capacity and effectiveness of national emergency call

numbers in the region.

17. The representative of APT agreed that APT will assist in the implementation of the Asia-

Pacific Information Superhighway Master Plan pillar on ‘E-resilience’.

Session 2: E-resilience - Opportunities and Challenge

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18. Mr. David Butcher began his presentation by sharing New Zealand’s experience on the

impact of the recent earthquake that struck parts of the country. He noted that even

quality ICT infrastructure can be destroyed and be vulnerable to natural disasters. He

therefore emphasized that DRR should be focused on ensuring the safety of the general

public during a natural disaster and immediately afterwards. In particular, the use of back-

up technologies (such as VSAT and emergency generators) and the important role of an

evacuation plan where stressed along with the for alternative routes and technologies to

provide timely backup.

19. Mr. Butcher further stated that resilient ICT infrastructure investment and appropriate

market policies including the introduction of competition which promotes efficient

investment are particularly key. In terms of shared infrastructure, some countries have co-

sharing with different types of systems, ranging from a commercial basis, to almost free

access. This implies more towers and overall better quality of services. Co-location and

managing capacity substantially reduces costs, and easement of right of way (which is

one of the most costly processes of laying the fibre) highlighting that the use of co-

location saved cost in the case of Rwanda. He also stated that redundancy was critical

with alternative routes for access to backbone networks which also increases e-resilience

as in the case of Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Lao PDR and Cambodia. He concluded that

shared infrastructure reduces cost of broadband. Roads and easements open to all

operators are also critical in shared infrastructure due that such are the first and most

common types of public undertakings where savings can increase quality of services and

increase redundancy; networks must be able to withstand modest movement of traffic,

ease of repair, thus an additional benefit of co-location.

20. The meeting’s discussions that followed focused on infrastructure sharing between ICT

and other utility sectors such as electricity. The representative of the Bhutan Power

Corporation explained that in the case of Bhutan, the electricity grid has been deployed to

the majority of the population, co-shared with more than 3000 kilometers of fibre-optic

cable. He moved on to explain that the government of Bhutan engaged the Bhutan Power

Corporation in a public contract of which the power company is to maintain the co-shared

infrastructure but government is the owner. The government is to pay 2.5 per cent of the

asset fund, to the power company for maintenance. The representative of Bangladesh

stated that his country in 1997 used co-location of fibre-optic cables along railway, with

the Russian Federation reporting a similar arrangement using railways.

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21. The meeting also discussed and identified the following issues as important towards e-

resilience in the region:

a) The need for ESCAP to examine the operational and policy challenges faced by

infrastructure deployment companies in laying fibre-optic cables.

b) The need for ESCAP to develop an online-community platform to share information

of good practices before disasters strike. The members of the general public who do

not access to ICT, are digitally illiterate or unable to afford smart phones needs to be

explored in order to ensure that critical information is received by all.

c) The importance for regional cooperation between sub-regions sharing similar

geographical features and challenges. In particular, international cooperation through

policy dialogue and capacity building to be facilitated by ESCAP for sharing

experiences and enhancing capacity of policy makers, operators, and emergency

response teams.

d) Recognized that cyber security is critical for resilient ICT infrastructure, some

countries may need capacity development assistance.

Session 3: E-resilience and Way Forward

22. Mr. Sangye Rinchhen, Director ENB (SAARC Secretariat) updated the meeting on the

work of SARRC in disaster risk management. He explained that the SAARC charter in

particular promoted regional cooperation, and noted that one of the areas of cooperation

was ICT. He moved to explain his organization’s work in the region and stated that his

organization continues to work with countries in the region in the area of ICT

development.

23. Mr. Santosh Sigdel, Senior Vice-President, (ISOC Nepal Chapter) delivered his

presentation by stating that major disasters in Nepal included flooding and earthquakes

and noted that the vulnerability disaster risk index showed that Katmandu is one of the

most vulnerable cities in the world. He moved on to discuss the destructive impact of the

powerful and catastrophic (7.8 Richter scale) earthquake in 2015 for Nepal where 8000+

people lost their lives, 23000+ people were injured, half million private houses were fully

destroyed, and 8 million people affected. The last mile connectivity was affected while

the international gateway was intact. Post disaster national assessment (PDNA)

undertaken after the disaster quoted damages at US$36 million and US$50 million

economic losses.

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24. Mr. Sigdel stressed that ICT played an important role during the disaster, in particular, for

search and rescue. He explained that the disaster relief efforts relied heavily on

telecommunications, Internet and broadcasting. In particular, ICT helped to keep the

general population informed during and after the disaster. The general public used Radio

Nepal and social media (Twitter/Facebook), and open street maps (printed maps shared

with rescuers). He stated that his organization went out into the community with

emergency power generators to help charge mobile phones in three communities.

25. Mr. Jiang Hua, Director of the Emergency Communication Center, Ministry of Industry

and Information Technology (China) noted that the Nepal earthquake also affected parts

of China dramatically, including three neighboring counties where fibre-optic lines were

damaged and disconnected. Emergency telecommunications was deployed through

satellite phone.

26. The representative of Pakistan noted that the resilience of electricity and

telecommunication grids are critical for ICT connectivity especially when disaster

response operations are in place.

27. Mr. Jiang Hua updated the meeting on the experience of his country in using ICT during

and after natural disasters, in particular, the use of satellite-based emergency

communications for disaster risk management. He stated that regional cooperation is

essential for e-resilience and disaster relief activities, especially when economies in the

sub-region have similar challenges, closer socio-economic relationships and geographical

locations.

28. Mr. Hua proposed that the following initiatives under the AP-IS e-resilience framework

could be explored taking into the need to find the balance of development-oriented goals

of ‘broadband affordability’ and the sustainability of commercial ICT operators;

a) exchange of country experiences through workshops to identify best-practices in

the region;

b) capacity building programmes on specific e-resilience aspects;

c) establishment of a regional resource sharing mechanism;

d) mobilization of e-resilience ICT technologies, products and solutions in the

region/sub-region;

e) development of national communication emergency preparedness plan;

f) Enhanced satellite based emergency communications methods, especially in terms

of mobile satellite based systems and the improvement in the deployment of

emergency communications equipment.

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29. The representative of ADB suggested that there are other alternatives for emergency

communications including Google balloon and social media platforms. The representative

of LIRNEAsia added that new technology such as Google and Facebook, are still running

on experimental cost, and therefore there is also a case for proven technology such as

high frequency (HF) telecommunication technology, which is affordable and available in

developing countries. He noted that satellite phones for emergency communications are

still expensive to maintain. The representative of China added that the balloon technology

may not be quick enough for deployment in emergency cases since it could take 24 hours

before it can be launched.

30. Mr. Karma Jamyang, Telecom Division, Department of Information Technology &

Telecom, Ministry of Information and Communications (Bhutan) shared his country’s

connectivity status and challenges on e-resilience. He stated that the Bhutan Power

Corporation has a number of transmission towers has laid fibre optic cables connecting 20

districts, 205 blocks, and has connected 187 community centres. Bhutan has two

international gateways and Thimphu is in the process of establishing an Internet exchange

point. He stated that the challenges encountered included the need for increasing Internet

redundancy, the lack of which resulted in the high cost of bandwidth and limited last mile

connectivity.

31. Mr. Muhammad Yousaf Sheikh (Pakistan) updated the meeting on his country’s work

related to e-resilience. He stated that the National Disaster Management Authority

(NDMA) act as secretariat for DRR during times of disasters. He added that an online

platform used for disaster risk education is made available online for the general public.

As a way forward, he stated that it was important to share technical expertise and local

knowledge; make available spectrum for emergency communication; and stressed the

important role of satellite communication and other technologies such as FM/ AM Radio;

and assistance for online social platforms for emergency communications.

32. Mr. Banamali Bhowmick (Bangladesh) updated the meeting on his country’s national

ICT policies addressing disaster management. He stated that the major objective of these

policy measures is to protect citizens from natural disasters through ICT-based disaster

warning and management technologies. This included:

a) utilization of remote sensing technologies for disaster management and mitigation

and web-based environmental clearance certification system;

b) promotion of cell phone/SMS-based disaster warning systems targeted at the

population likely to be affected;

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c) utilization of GIS-based systems to monitor flood and cyclone shelters (including

equitable distribution in vulnerable areas), and to ensure equitable distribution of

relief goods with special focus on the hard-to-reach areas;

d) promotion of efficient relief management and post-disaster activities monitoring;

and

e) combating flood damage to agricultural food stock, sharing that agricultural

research institutes have introduced saline and drought tolerant cereal varieties for

farmers to grow.

Session 4: Wrap Up

33. Ms. Atsuko Okuda (ESCAP) and Mr. Sonam Tobgay (Bhutan) closed the workshop on e-

resilience with Mr. Tobgay thanking speakers and participants for the fruitful discussions.

Ms. Okuda invited participants to continue engagement of sharing experiences,

information and guidance on e-resilience issues in the region through ESCAP’s online

communities developed by ESCAP.

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Annex 2: Agenda - Sub-Regional Workshop on E-resilience for the Asia-Pacific

Information Superhighway (AP-IS)

Day 2 Thursday 8 December 2016

09:00 – 10:30

Facilitator – Representative of DIIT, Bhutan.

Session 1: Opening and setting the scene: Disaster Risk Reduction in South and

South-West Asia and LLDCs

Opening Remarks by Representative of DITT

E-resilience for Sustainable Development (recorded video presentation):

Mr. Puji Pujiano, Regional Advisor, Disaster Risk Reduction, ESCAP

The use of ICT for better risk informed decision making process for

resilient development’. Mr. Bill Ho, Head of ICT, Asia Disaster Preparedness

Centre (ADPC)

Followed by open discussions

10:30 – 10:45 Break

10:45 – 12:00

Facilitator – Mr. Bill Ho, ADPC

Session 2: E-resilience - Opportunities and Challenge

Shared resilient infrastructure and redundancy. Mr. David Butcher,

Principal Consultant, David Butcher and Associates.

Open discussions E-resilience and Way Forward (experiences from the

region)

(i). How to protect ICT infrastructure?

(ii). How to coordinate disaster response during and after disaster?

ESCAP ICT and Disaster Risk Reduction Gateway Online Platform

12:00 – 13:15 Lunch

13:15 – 15:30

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Facilitator – Dr. Yeong Ro Lee, NIA

Session 3: E-resilience and Way Forward

Disaster Risk Reduction and the role of ICT, Mr. Sangye Rinchhen, Director

ENB, SAARC Secretariat.

Experience on ICT and DRR (earthquake), Mr. Santosh Sigdel, Senior Vice-

President, ISOC Nepal Chapter

Country Updates

Followed by open discussions

15:30 - 15:45 Break

15:45 – 16:15

Facilitator – Representative of DIIT, Bhutan.

Session 4: Wrap Up

Ms. Atsuko Okuda, Chief, ICT and Development Section, ICT and Disaster

Risk Reduction Division, ESCAP

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Annex 3: List of Participants

BANGLADESH

Mr. Banamali Bhowmick, Director General, Department of ICT, ICT Division, Ministry of Posts,

Telecommunications & Information Technology

BHUTAN

Mr. Jigme Namgyal, Director, Department of Information Technology & Telecom, Ministry of Information and

Communications

Mr. Sonam Phuntsho, Chief of Telecom Division, Department of Information Technology & Telecom, Ministry

of Information and Communications

Mr. Jigme Tenzing, Chief of Application Division, Department of Information Technology & Telecom,

Ministry of Information and Communications

Mr. Pemba Tshering, Chief of ICT Management Division, Department of Information Technology & Telecom,

Ministry of Information and Communications

Mr. Karma Jamyang, ICTO, Telecom Division, Department of Information Technology & Telecom, Ministry of

Information and Communications

Mr. Phub Gyeltshen, Dy. Chief PO, PPD MoIC, Planning and Program Division, Ministry of Information and

Communications

Mr. Sonam Tobgay, Senior ICT Officer, Department of Information Technology & Telecom, Ministry of

Information and Communications

Mr. Jigme Chogyal, DDM, Department of Disaster Management

Ms. Lotey Pem, ICT Officer, Department of Disaster Management

Mr. Rinchen Jangsem, ICTA, Road Safety and Transport Authority

Mr. Leki Choda, Assistant Planning Officer, Road Safety and Transport Authority

CHINA

Mr. Jiang Hua, Director of the Emergency Communication Center of the Ministry of Industry and Information

Technology

LAO PEOPLE’S DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC

Mr. Souliya Sengdalavong, Deputy Director General, Information Technology Department, Ministry of Science

and Technology

MONGOLIA

Mr. Odkhuu Tsolmondelger, Officer of Communications and Postal Development, Communications and

Information Technology Authority

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NEPAL

Mr. Manohar K. Bhattarai, Senior Advisor, Computer Association of Nepal

PAKISTAN

Mr. Muhammad Yousaf Sheikh, Assistant Director (Wireline), Pakistan Telecommunication Authority

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SPECIALIZED AGENCIES AND RELATED ORGANIZATIONS

Asian Development Bank (ADB) Mr. Seok Yong Yoon

Senior Public Management Specialist (e-Governance),

Sustainable Development and Climate Change

Department

Manila, Philippines

SAARC Secretariat Mr. Sangye Rinchhen

Director ENB

Kathmandu, Nepal

OTHER ENTITIES

Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC) Mr. Chang I Ho

Department Head

Information Technology and Communication

Bangkok, Thailand

Asia-Pacific Telecommunity (APT) Mr. Masanori Kondo

Deputy Secretary General

Bangkok, Thailand

Mr. MD Forhadul Parvez

Project Coordinator, Radiocommunication

Bangkok, Thailand

Bhutan Power Corporation Mr. Namgay Wangchuk

General Manager, ICD

Thimphu, Bhutan

Mr. Sonam Dendup

Manager, ICD

Thimphu, Bhutan

Bhutan Telecom Mr. Tshering Dhendup

Manager, Internet & IT section

Thimphu, Bhutan

Ms. Sonam Lhamo

Engineer, Internet and IT section

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Thimphu, Bhutan

David Butcher and Associates Mr. David Butcher

Principal Consultant

Wellington, New Zealand

Internet Society Mr. Santosh Sigdel

Senior Vice President

Kathmandu, Nepal

LIRNEasia Mr. Abu Saeed Khan

Senior Policy Fellow

Dhaka, Bangladesh

National Information Society Agency (NIA)

Mr. Yeong Ro Lee

Research Fellow/Special Advisor, Multilateral

Cooperation Division

Seoul, Republic of Korea

Thimphu City Corporation Mr. Pasang Dorji

Executive Secretary

Thimphu, Bhutan

Mr. Oma Pati Luitel

ICT Officer

Thimphu, Bhutan

World Wide Web Foundation Mr. Basheerhamad Shadrach

Asia Coordinator

Alliance for Affordable Internet

New Delhi, India

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SECRETARIAT

United Nations Economic and Social Commission

for Asia and the Pacific

Ms. Atsuko Okuda

Chief

ICT and Development Section

ICT and Disaster Risk Reduction Division

Mr. Siope Vakataki 'Ofa

Economic Affairs Officer

ICT and Development Section

ICT and Disaster Risk Reduction Division

Subregional Office for South and South-West Asia Mr. Nyingtob Pema Norbu

Associate Economic Affairs Officer

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