Sudan’s telecom regulator, the National Telecommunications Corporation (NTC), has teamed up with mobile network operator Sudatel and several NGOs to re-establish telecom services for relief workers in the conflict-stricken country.
The collaboration, in partnership with the Emergency Telecommunications Cluster (ETC), aims to restore critical telecom infrastructure damaged by the ongoing war, which began in early 2023. The ETC is actively working on the ground in Sudan to improve communication for aid workers, helping them to better assist those displaced by the conflict and affected by disease and famine.
In its latest report, published on December 5, the ETC highlighted significant delays in importing telecom equipment, including Points of Presence (PoP) and Starlink systems. These delays are mainly due to issues with import authorization and customs clearance. Notably, the importation of Starlink equipment is prohibited without special permission from authorities.
The ETC has expressed concerns about these obstacles and is exploring ways to leverage public-private partnerships to speed up service delivery and minimize delays.
