UN and international agencies establish advisory body for submarine cables

The United Nationshas launched the International Advisory Body for Submarine Cable Resilience to protect critical underwater communication infrastructure.

The initiative, announced in October 2024, brings together the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), and the International Cable Protection Committee (ICPC) to address growing risks to submarine cables, facilitating over 99% of global data transmission.

The initiative follows high-profile incidents, including damage to undersea cables and will prioritise enhancing cable security, promoting global best practices, and expediting repairs. With around 150 to 200 cable damage incidents annually—mainly due to ship anchors, fishing activities, and natural disasters—the ICPC highlights the urgency of coordinated action.

Officials from Nigeria and Portugal will co-chair the 40-member advisory body. Scheduled to convene twice a year, the body’s first meeting will occur virtually in December, followed by an in-person session in Abuja, Nigeria, in February.

Submarine cable disruptions have significant consequences. Earlier this year, outages from cable cuts in Africa left 13 countries offline for days, while damage in the Red Sea caused widespread internet disruption in the Middle East.