Porto Summit calls for stronger global cooperation on Submarine Cable Resilience

By:  Nana Appiah Acquaye

Governments, industry leaders and international organisations from more than 70 countries have reaffirmed the need to strengthen the resilience of submarine cables that underpin global digital communications, following the conclusion of the International Submarine Cable Resilience Summit 2026 in Porto, Portugal.

The summit concluded with the issuance of a declaration and a set of recommendations developed by the International Advisory Body on Submarine Cable Resilience. The guidance is aimed at enhancing international cooperation between the public and private sectors to improve the readiness, protection, repair and long-term investment in submarine cable infrastructure, particularly in underserved and vulnerable regions.

Submarine telecommunications cables carry more than 99 per cent of international data traffic and form the backbone of global connectivity, economic activity and digital access. Around 500 cables spanning more than 1.7 million kilometres connect people, institutions and businesses across all continents. Despite their critical role, more than 200 cable faults are reported globally each year, with disruptions affecting economies, public services and everyday communications.

ITU Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin said resilience of submarine cables is a shared, end-to-end responsibility. She noted that the outcomes of the Porto Summit reaffirmed a collective commitment to strengthening global cooperation in ways that can deliver tangible improvements in policy engagement, operational preparedness and investment decisions.

The summit was organised by Portugal’s national communications regulator, ANACOM, in partnership with the International Telecommunication Union and the International Cable Protection Committee. It also hosted the second physical meeting of the International Advisory Body on Submarine Cable Resilience, which was established by the ITU and ICPC in 2024. The Porto meeting followed the inaugural summit held in Abuja, Nigeria, last year.

ANACOM Chairwoman and Advisory Body Co-Chair Prof. Sandra Maximiano said the Advisory Body was created to deliver concrete impact and is already contributing meaningfully, particularly for regions such as small island states, least developed countries and remote areas that are more vulnerable to cable disruptions due to limited economic incentives for rapid response.

Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, who also serves as Co-Chair of the Advisory Body, said the progress achieved over the past two years reflects deliberate collaboration and shared purpose. He stressed that continued international cooperation, capacity-building and dialogue, supported by organisations such as the ITU and ICPC, will be critical to implementing the recommendations.

The guidance presented in Porto focuses on improving permitting, maintenance and repair processes, strengthening legal and regulatory frameworks, encouraging geographic diversity and redundancy of cables, promoting industry best practices for risk assessment and response, enhancing cable protection through better marine planning, and building capacity through training and innovation. Comprehensive reports based on the recommendations are expected to be released later in the year.

ICPC Chairman Dean Veverka welcomed the cooperation between governments and industry in developing the recommendations, expressing optimism that their implementation will strengthen the protection and resilience of submarine cable infrastructure worldwide.