By: Nana Appiah Acquaye
SES S.A. has expanded
satellite-based connectivity services at the Farchana refugee settlement in Chad
through a partnership with emergency.lu and the United Nations High
Commissioner for Refugees.
The deployment forms part of
the Connectivity for Refugees initiative and uses SES’s O3b mPOWER satellite
network to deliver high-speed and reliable internet access for humanitarian
teams and displaced communities at the settlement.
According to SES, the
project marks the first deployment of the emergency.lu platform using Medium
Earth Orbit satellites, expanding the programme’s traditional use of
geostationary satellites that were primarily designed for rapid disaster
response missions.
The initiative is being
implemented through a public-private partnership led by the Ministry of Foreign
and European Affairs, Defence, Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade of
Luxembourg, which oversees emergency.lu in collaboration with humanitarian
organizations and technical partners.
While emergency.lu has
historically focused on supporting first responders and emergency operations,
the new deployment is designed to provide sustained connectivity for refugees
and host communities. The internet access will enable services such as online
learning, digital skills training, community connectivity centres and improved
communication channels for humanitarian organisations working on the ground.
The installation was carried
out by personnel from the Luxembourg ministry following technical training at
SES headquarters in Luxembourg City. The communications kit deployed at the
site is designed to support long-term humanitarian operations and can be
expanded as connectivity needs grow.
SES said integrating the O3b
mPOWER network into the emergency.lu platform will allow the initiative to
provide reliable communications not only during the immediate aftermath of
crises but also throughout prolonged displacement situations, helping sustain
access to education, healthcare information and communication services.
Chief Executive Officer Adel
Al-Saleh said connectivity plays a crucial role in enabling humanitarian
operations and supporting displaced communities. He noted that the addition of
the company’s medium-earth-orbit satellite capabilities allows the platform to
transition from emergency restoration of communications to providing stable,
everyday connectivity for refugees and aid workers.
