The Vodafone Group Foundation and United Nations
Foundation Technology Partnership joins World
Food Programme to improve
communications during humanitarian crises
BARCELONA
and LONDON (13 FEBRUARY 2008) - : The United Nations
World Food Programme (WFP), The Vodafone Group
Foundation, and the United Nations Foundation
announced today a ground-breaking global partnership
for emergency communications. The partnership
will increase the effectiveness of the information
and communications technology (ICT) response to
major emergencies and disasters around the world.
The partnership – which includes a $4.3
million commitment from The Vodafone Group Foundation-United
Nations Foundation Technology Partnership, as
well as a further $1.8 million contribution from
the WFP – will develop the first-ever ICT
training program that will be open to the global
community of humanitarian relief organizations.
“Over the next three years, this partnership
will contribute to our work to help save millions
of lives. Better telecommunications mean we can
respond faster and more efficiently, with much
greater access to those in urgent need,"
said Josette Sheeran, WFP's Executive Director.
She added that WFP was greatly encouraged that
The Vodafone Group Foundation and UN Foundation
recognized that telecommunications are essential
to food aid convoys, aircraft and medical teams
delivering vital relief assistance.
The focus of the partnership will be to standardize
ICT solutions used by global aid organizations
to improve the speed with which critical communications
networks can be established in the immediate aftermath
of a humanitarian crisis. Over the next three
years, the program will also:
• expand the pool of trained ICT experts
on WFP and other UN and NGO staff to more than
500 first responders
• support the immediate deployment of rapid
response ICT teams.
“More and more frequently, the international
aid community is being called on to help save
lives, restore order and rebuild communities after
major disasters,” said Kathy Bushkin Calvin,
Chief Operating Officer of the United Nations
Foundation. In 2007, aid groups responded to 19
major crises worldwide. “By investing in
disaster response before disaster strikes, and
by opening this partnership to the entire relief
community, we know that this will help strengthen
everyone’s efforts on the ground.”
“This is about harnessing the power of telecommunications
which will help WFP and other humanitarian agencies
get the job done,” said Andrew Dunnett,
Director of The Vodafone Group Foundation. “In
line with the huge demand for telecoms technology
in disaster response, ICT workers are often among
the first on the scene. This partnership supports
the smart and effective use of telecommunications
technology, enabling WFP to deploy quickly in
the most difficult and dangerous situations and
set up the necessary communications networks,
so that relief workers can coordinate logistics
and deliver vital supplies.”
The program builds on funding provided by the
two Foundations in 2006 to research and develop
ICT best practices, and a curriculum used in a
preliminary ICT training program last March which
trained 21 ICT staff from agencies including WFP,
UNICEF, OCHA, Oxfam, and the Swedish Rescue Service
Agency. Since then, these experts have been deployed
to provide technical expertise in emergencies
including the bombing of UN and government offices
in Algeria in December 2007, flooding in Bangladesh
in November 2007 and during the ongoing flooding
in Mozambique.
Note to editors: Multi-media content including
downloadable print-quality photographs of humanitarian
emergencies and ICT staff working during disaster
response is available on the Vodafone media relations
website www.vodafone.com/media. Audiocast reports
from WFP ICT staff on recent missions to disasters
are available on the UNF website at www.unfoundation.org/vodafone.
About the UN Foundation
and The Vodafone Group Foundation Partnership
The UN Foundation-Vodafone Group Foundation Partnership
is the leading public-private alliance using strategic
technology programs to strengthen the UN’s
humanitarian efforts worldwide. The Partnership
has three core commitments: (1) to develop rapid
response telecoms teams to aid disaster relief;
(2) to develop health data systems that improve
access to health data thereby helping to combat
disease; and (3) to promote research and innovative
initiatives using technology as an agent and tool
for international development. Further information
can be found at: www.unfoundation.org/vodafone.
About the World
Food Programme (WFP)
WFP is the world's largest humanitarian agency:
last year, we gave food to 88 million poor people
to meet their nutritional needs, mostly women
and children, in 78 of the world's poorest countries.
Press contacts:
In Barcelona (at Mobile World Congress):
Adele Waugaman
UN Foundation
M: (+1) 202 758 6943
E: awaugaman@unfoundation.org
I: www.unfoundation.org/vodafone
In London:
Helen Brockett
The Vodafone Group Foundation
M: +44 (0) 7500 032886
E: helen.brockett@vodafone.com
I: www.vodafonegroupfoundation.org
