ETC Preparedness: IT and telecommunication services for emergency operations across Yemen (WFP) The Emergency Telecommunications Cluster (ETC) is a global network of humanitarian, government and private sector organizations working together to provide shared telecommunications services even in the most challenging emergency situations like Yemen. Given the recent escalation in conflict, the ETC aims to undertake preparedness measures that will allow for an increased readiness in responding to sudden crises, thus ensuring humanitarian organisations have access to emergency telecommunication facilities. Emergency Telecommunication Cluster (ETC), as last resort, aims to support the Humanitarian community by providing IT and telecommunication services predominantly connectivity to support their emergency operation. 

Under this project, WFP is rapidly stepping up preparedness to assist humanitarian agencies and leverage the deployment of IT resources in the worst-case scenario as had been at cluster level in Yemen. The projected plan supports provision of ETC services for 6 months in three emergencies sites. The project will be rolled out from five existing ETC hubs hosted by WHO, UNICEF, UNCAF, ACTED and ACF in (Sana’a, Ibb, Hodeidah). Whilst the hubs are mentioned, it is too premature to state the emergency sites as it will depends on where the needs are based and ETC will respond.  Moreover, the project will provide additional financial, hardware and human resources for the expansion of the operation in case it expands beyond given time frame and number of sites. The projected plan focuses on service provision for humanitarian responders and additional resources will be required to expand the services to community if needed.

ETC will ensure engagement of a wider, but more connected network, from humanitarians, and local communities to leading edge IT companies and national service providers. From service provision perspective, the support assumption during worst-case scenario, is limited to connectivity and user support. In addition to ETC service provision from the existing hubs, special consideration is given to remote areas where these services may not be accessible due to Yemen enervative landscape and other factors. The special arrangement will include staff roster for quick deployment, stand-by equipment arrangement with the suppliers and service agreement with the service providers.


The proposed resources (budget, staff, equipment, services) will cover the first 6 months of the emergency operations.The project will focus on three critical areas, including deploying technical staff and/or recruitment to emergency sites in coordination with the local inter-agency IT working group, ETC global support and support from WFP’s Regional Bureau in Cairo. In addition, the project will include the procurement of additional IT and telecommunication equipment and accessories to adequately respond to the needs of humanitarian operation and support workers in emergency sites by the provision of ETC services, including mainly telecommunication services. Finally, the project will contract local and/or the global telecommunication service providers for the activation and use of satellite telecommunication services on the ground and in emergency sites. 

The ETC Cluster does not target nor reach beneficiaries directly, as it aims to provide enabling support to organisations rather than individuals. For this reason, figures of direct beneficiaries are not available.