The Refugee Connectivity Project is a partnership between Ericsson, the GSMA Development Fund, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and MTN Uganda, the country's largest telecommunications provider. The initiative will address the urgent need for access to affordable communications in refugee camps in the Adjumani district of northern Uganda.

The project will fulfill a desperate need to support family reunification, healthcare, education, economic empowerment and other refugee concerns. At the same time, it is designed to demonstrate that access to voice and data communications can be achieved in an affordable and sustainable way in refugee areas, using a mix of state-of-the-art technologies and efficient energy sources.

António Guterres, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, says: "I commend the work of Ericsson, which brings much-needed mobile communications to refugee settlements. The UNHCR's primary purpose is to protect the rights and well-being of refugees, and connectivity not only allows refugees to connect with families and communities at home, it also enables entrepreneurialism, drives education and provides opportunities and hope for the future."

Ericsson's role in the project will include extending networks into previously unconnected areas and upgrading existing GSM networks to provide voice and data capabilities. This will be supported through the provision of appropriate technical solutions; the identification of necessary alternative power sources, such as solar energy; mobile application development; and the provision of handsets in conjunction with Sony Ericsson.

Mobile communication will allow refugees and humanitarian organizations to help connect children and families who have been separated. The mobile services, which will be delivered via GPRS and EDGE technology, will also help deliver quality education and e-learning as well as real-time health information (such as data on disease outbreaks, patient records and medical supplies), while also stimulating business opportunities and employment prospects.

Elaine Weidman, Director of Corporate Responsibility at Ericsson, says: "This project is in line with our strategy for corporate responsibility - to connect our core business to social and environmental issues. Rather than an approach based on pure charity or philanthropy, our policy will be to contribute with our technology and skills in mobile telecom, where we have the expertise to make the biggest difference."

The first services and applications are due to be delivered during 2008, with the initial pilot scheme scheduled to run for approximately one year.