IASC has designated nine sectors or areas of activity, including the ETC, which in the past either lacked predictable leadership in situations of humanitarian emergency, or where there was considered to be a need to strengthen leadership and partnership with humanitarian actors           

The governance of the ETC operates at both the global and local levels. At the global level, the aim is to strengthen system-wide preparedness and technical capacity to respond to humanitarian emergencies ensuring that there is predictable leadership and accountability in humanitarian response. At the country level, the aim is to strengthen humanitarian response by demanding high standards of predictability, accountability and partnership.

Global level

ICT specific: OCHA, WFP and UNICEF are the standing members of the ETC at global level and accountable for all emergency telecommunications matters within their respective roles. However, they often are assisted by other partners in either global activities or specific cluster implementations.

In addition, three global leads and most of their partners are part the IASC Working Group on Emergency Telecommunications (WGET) which was established long before the ETC. WGET provides the platform for ETC members to share information with other emergency telecommunications humanitarian actors and for specific cluster implementation proposals. WGET members include United Nations agencies, international and national organizations and institutions and private sector companies engaged in humanitarian work.

More detailed information on the WGET and its members at http://www.reliefweb.int/telecoms/intro/wget.html

WFP wide: ETC projects are governed by the same mechanisms, rules and regulations as WFP Special Operations through which WFP-executed ETC implementations are usually funded.

Inter-Agency wide: The main oversight body of ETC projects is provided by the Inter-Agency Standing Committee.

Local-level

ICT Specific: Specific cluster implementations at a local level are carried out under the leadership of the Telecommunication Coordinating Agency (TCA) also referred to as the “local cluster lead”, assisted by a technical working group comprised of emergency telecommunications focal points of concerned cluster members and users. Local-level clusters carry out needs assessments, identify gaps, propose and implement ETC services, and make decisions of an operational nature. Within WFP’s ICT, ETC projects are dealt within the framework of an ICT Emergency Task Force which guarantees proper consultation and coordination among key headquarters, regional and country office ICT decision-makers and expedite the mobilization of necessary global resources.

Inter-agency: The Humanitarian Coordinator (in his/her absence the Resident Coordinator or other designated official), in consultation with all relevant parters, is responsible for making the request for cluster activation and is the main owner of ETC projects. Cluster implementations and related appeal are usually discussed and approved through the consolidated appeal or flash appeal processes.

Photo Credit: Italy,WFP/Rein Skullerud.