Strategy for Securing the Functions Vital to Society

Securing the functions vital to society

The Government has adopted a resolution concerning the means by which the functions vital to society can be secured under all circumstances. The strategy for this, termed the Strategy for Securing the Functions Vital to Society, includes the responsibilities and tasks within the sphere of the Ministry of Transport and Communications in securing society’s vital functions.

Strategic duties within the sphere of the Ministry of Transport of Communications

Safeguarding the availability of electronic ICT systems

• The Ministry of Transport and Communications ensures that society’s vital functions relying on communications services, communications networks and other ICT systems are protected against technical malfunctions and other disturbances.

Supporting the construction and maintenance of warning and alert systems

• The Ministry of Transport and Communications ensures that legislation enables the construction of technical systems needed to alert the population and to guarantee the necessary dissemination of information in crises both at home and abroad.

Safeguarding the continuation of transport services

• The Ministry of Transport and Communications ensures the continuation of domestic and foreign transport services by maintaining constant and flexible readiness to respond to disturbances and to launch alternative arrangements. This involves directing resources in emergency conditions, guaranteeing the availability of necessary transport vehicles and equipment, protecting the transport of people and goods as well as securing transport logistic chains.

Emergency planning for special situations

The ministries are responsible for emergency planning to deal with special situations and for allocating the agencies within their spheres of administration with the responsibilities for this. The ministries are also responsible for preparing emergency plans to deal with the risks and threats they perceive within their spheres of administration.

The Ministry of Transport and Communications is responsible for emergency planning to meet the following special situations:

• extensive destruction or operational disturbance affecting public data and communications systems
• extensive operational disturbance affecting technical systems of electronic media communications
• disruptions to seaborne transport
• disruption of land, sea and air traffic and data transmission