ReliefWeb

Highlights

• In July, the ETC provided internet connectivity services to 548 humanitarians across 11 sites in CAR serving 12 UN agencies and 56 I/NGOs to facilitate the humanitarian response.

• Although several funding solutions were explored by the ETC, the cluster was unable to raise the US$170,000 required to continue the provision of ETC connectivity services. As a result, these services will be disconnected in 10 out of 11 connectivity sites, starting from 1 August.

• The ETC delivered a series of training sessions in July to 17 radio operators from Premiere Urgence Internationale (PUI) in Bangui on security communications procedures.

Activities

Coordination

The ETC is planning with partners to expand services for communities in CAR. Two Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) documents are being drafted with local partners INTERSOS and the Central African Red Cross (CRCA) to set up an ETC Cyber Cafe and Learning and Information Centre in Bangassou. The centre will empower affected communities to develop digital skills, provide employment opportunities, and help them connect with humanitarians.

Internet connectivity

The ETC in CAR has has faced major challenges in raising the funds required to pay the Internet Service Provider (ISP) for the continued provision of internet connectivity services in 10 sites. As a result of a US$170,000 funding shortfall, the ETC will disconnect its connectivity services in Alindao, Bambari, Bouar, Bria, Bossangoa, Bangassou, Birao, Kaga Bandoro, Paoua,and Zemio as of 1 August. A notification of the impending closure was shared with interagency partners on 30 July.

The ETC is continuing its efforts to raise the necessary funds to reactivate the services in these sites, which were used by 523 humanitarians in July.

The ETC will continue to provideconnectivity services via the emergency.lu VSAT and Ericsson Response WIDER solution in Batangafo, which served 25 users in July.