The content of the information carried is the responsibility of numerous other bodies and persons. Communicators thus bear a huge responsibility over each word or idea they convey to the public at large during an emergency. Mobile communications systems will also be more commonplace. The Inmarsat type terminals which are already so advanced today will have undergone further technological improvement and will be lighter, cheaper and easier to use. Let us have a quick look at the impact of disasters on the development process of affected countries.
Disasters represent a disruption in development, a disruption in sustainable human development.
Emergency aid and preliminary rehabilitation attempt to pave the way for resuming the full development process. The continuum concept envisages to bring about efficiency in the utilization of resources and more rapid return to development. It is imperative that telecommunications play a vital role in this continuum which is aimed at helping achieve a speedier return to the process of sustainable human development. Finally while we all salute the power of communications to mitigate disasters, let us recognize its power to exacerbate some of them. Rwanda comes to mind as we have recently seen how radio Milles Cillines of the outgoing regime broadcast propaganda to urge the population to behave in a certain way and so perpetuating the misery of the people.