South Sudan hosts national workshop to strengthen emergency warning systems
Date: 2026-04-15
By: Nana Appiah Acquaye
The
National Communication Authority (NCA) has convened a national workshop under
the Early Warning for All (EW4ALL) initiative to enhance the country’s
emergency communication systems and disaster response capabilities.
The
workshop, led globally by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU),
focused on Pillar 3 of the EW4ALL framework, which addresses effective warning
dissemination and communication. The NCA is serving as the national focal point
for the initiative.
The
event brought together key stakeholders, including representatives from the
Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, the Peace Commission,
and major mobile network operators such as Digitel South Sudan, Zain South
Sudan, and MTN South Sudan.
Opening
the workshop, NCA Director General Rizig Dominic Samuel underscored the
importance of timely and reliable communication in safeguarding lives during
emergencies.
Participants
engaged in technical sessions led by ITU experts, exploring strategies to
improve crisis communication through digital tools and multi-channel alert
systems. Demonstrations included the use of connectivity mapping to track
mobile network coverage during disasters and ensure effective message delivery.
A
major focus of the discussions was the adoption of cell broadcast technology,
which enables high-speed transmission of emergency alerts directly to mobile
devices across large populations.
The
workshop also examined key frameworks such as Disaster Connectivity Maps (DCM)
and Common Alerting Protocols (CAP), with the aim of identifying gaps in
existing infrastructure and improving the efficiency of emergency alert
systems.
Organisers
said the initiative is part of broader efforts to modernise communication
networks, enhance resilience, and ensure that critical information reaches all
communities during emergencies.
