Digital Arteries

In times of emergency or danger, a brief phone call may be the only way to summon fire engines and ambulances to rescue an injured person, and a warning message sent to a mobile phone may be the reason a family survives. When we view communication networks from this perspective, we realize that protecting them is part of protecting human life itself, and that disrupting them can multiply the impact of any armed conflict on civilians who have no say in the war and no means to stop it. The culpable Iranian attacks on Kuwait and other countries in the region have brought this reality back to the forefront of international attention. The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and Jordan submitted a draft resolution to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Council concerning attacks on civilian communications and information technology infrastructure. This initiative resulted in the adoption of Resolution 1436 by consensus, addressing the impacts of such attacks and their repercussions on regional and global interconnectivity.

In light of our work, we recognize the importance of this initiative in highlighting aspects of destruction that may be overlooked. Communication towers, along with the terrestrial and submarine cables connected to them, and the data centers and networks they link, collectively form, so to speak, the arteries through which data and information flow. Public institutions, hospitals, banks, schools, and emergency services rely on these arteries to continue their operations. The impact of damaging a single communications facility can extend to service disruptions in distant areas, delays in accessing a patient’s medical records, the inability to complete a financial transaction, or the loss of contact among family members during a critical moment. The severity of the situation increases as our reliance on digital services expands, since damage can transcend national borders due to the cross-border interconnectivity of networks and services.

Perhaps the most prominent challenge is that investment in protecting this infrastructure may not attract attention or be considered a priority under normal circumstances. Users see internet speed and ease of access to services, but they do not see the preparations and alternatives that underpin their continuity. The more we expand the transfer of our transactions and services into the digital space, the greater our responsibility to ensure their availability when needed. Therefore, spending on communications continuity must be among the priorities of development and national security, and should be viewed as a means of protecting the achievements we have built.

Undoubtedly, what we have experienced deserves to be transformed into institutional knowledge that endures after the crisis subsides, through documenting experiences, reviewing decisions, and leveraging what worked and what needs improvement. Readiness is a continuous effort that requires updating plans, training personnel, and keeping pace with evolving risks. We must also emphasize the importance of strengthening our presence at international forums, presenting our priorities and shared issues, exchanging expertise, and actively participating in shaping global policies and trends that serve the security and stability of our societies.

Ladies and gentlemen, every lesson we internalize today gives us a better opportunity to protect people and sustain their interests tomorrow. When a phone call becomes a means of survival and a message a source of reassurance, we realize that the pulse of life in our societies also flows through digital arteries.

Dr. Dhafer Adel Al-Huwail