From 19 to 20 May 2026, the Emergency Telecommunications Cluster (ETC) held its annual plenary meeting at the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) headquarters in Geneva, bringing together partners from across the humanitarian, public, and private sectors to shape the future of emergency telecommunications.
The ETC plenary is a key moment for the global community to review operational priorities, share field experience, and strengthen collaboration to ensure that connectivity services remain effective, resilient, and responsive to evolving humanitarian needs.
Addressing evolving humanitarian challenges
This year’s meeting focused on how the sector can adapt to an increasingly complex humanitarian landscape. Discussions covered a broad range of topics, including:
- The future of connectivity in crisis response
- Strengthening preparedness and regional coordination
- The role of innovation and emerging technologies
- The impact of global reforms on humanitarian coordination
- Enhancing collaboration across ETC partners and stakeholders
Participants explored how emergency telecommunications can continue to act as a critical enabler of humanitarian action—supporting response operations, improving coordination, and ensuring affected populations remain connected.
emergency.lu’s contribution
As a long-standing and active member of the ETC, emergency.lu was represented by its coordinator, Gilles Hoffmann, who actively contributed to the discussions throughout the plenary.
Gilles Hoffmann also took part in the panel session on “Empowered Communities,” where he highlighted the importance of the Connectivity as Aid standard—an approach that promotes equitable access to digital connectivity as an essential component of humanitarian assistance.
During the panel, he shared concrete examples of emergency.lu’s work in Niger and Burkina Faso, where the initiative has supported the establishment of community centres providing reliable connectivity services. These centres play a crucial role in enabling access to information, facilitating communication, and supporting local communities and humanitarian actors in crisis-affected environments.
A continued commitment to humanitarian connectivity
Through its participation in the ETC plenary, emergency.lu reaffirmed its commitment to advancing effective and inclusive emergency telecommunications. By combining field-proven equipment, technical expertise, and capacity-building activities, emergency.lu continues to contribute to strengthening the ETC network and the wider humanitarian ecosystem.
Collaboration remains at the heart of the ETC’s work. By bringing together diverse partners and expertise, the cluster ensures that connectivity—an essential lifeline in emergencies—remains available to those who need it most.
emergency.lu looks forward to continuing its engagement with ETC partners worldwide to enhance preparedness, foster innovation, and improve connectivity for communities affected by crises.
Read more about the ETC and it’s activities here.
