Communications ministry director-general (DG) Nonkqubela Jordan-Dyani has been appointed to the newly-established International Advisory Body for Submarine Cable Resilience.
The Department of Communications and Digital Technologies (DCDT) confirmed the news in a statement, congratulating the DG on her appointment.
According to the statement, the advisory body was set up in November by the International Telecommunications Union, in partnership with the International Cable Protection Committee (ICPC).
It aims to promote dialogue and collaboration on potential ways to improve the resilience of the vital digital infrastructure that powers global communications and the digital economy.
“The advisory body will serve as a platform for international multi-stakeholder collaboration, bringing together governments, regulatory authorities, industry leaders and key stakeholders in areas related to enhancing the safety, redundancy and protection of submarine cables,” says the DCDT statement.
South Africa has several submarine cables on its shores – including Seacom, MainOne, ACE, SAT-3, 2Africa, Equiano, WACS, SAFE, EASSy and the new Umoja fibre-optic subsea cable – that connect the country to the rest of the world.
The establishment of the advisory board comes as submarine cables face a range of vulnerabilities, from natural disasters and ageing infrastructure, to human activity, such as fishing and anchoring.
Over 200 cable repairs were reported worldwide in 2023 by the ICPC − equivalent to more than three cable failures per week, on average.
Kicking-off the initial two-year term of the advisory body is a contingent of 40 leaders and experts from the public and private sectors, including representatives from submarine cable operators, telecoms firms, government agencies, maritime authorities, as well as relevant UN agencies that serve as advisors.
The advisory board is co-chaired by Nigeria's minister of communications, innovation and digital economy, Bosun Tijani, and professor Sandra Maximiano, chairperson of the board of directors of the National Communications Authority of the Republic of Portugal.
In addition, the advisory body’s members represent all six of the global International Telecommunication Union regions and will meet at least two times a year.
The first meeting is planned to take place during the inaugural Submarine Cable Resilience Summit, in Abuja, Nigeria, in late February 2025.
“Jordan-Dyani’s vast experience, insight and expertise in the sector, which she has served for almost two decades, will come in handy to the advisory body and serve as invaluable guidance to the team,” states the department.
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