The International Programme Office (IPO)

What is the IPO?

The Work of the IPO

Established in 2023 as the executive branch of the JTF, the SMART IPO facilitates the integration of SMART monitoring capabilities into burgeoning cable projects around the world. The IPO works closely with pertinent government, industry, and intergovernmental authorities to eliminate barriers and create pathways for SMART incorporation in both new and renewed cable routes.

In the near term, the IPO will engage heavily with forward-thinking institutions such as government regulatory agencies, social development lending groups, and charitable foundations to catalyze and accelerate the uptake of SMART monitoring capabilities within the submarine cable industry. In the long term, the IPO will usher the initiative to maturity through standards development and capacity building to ensure that SMART becomes a routine component of all future subsea cable projects worldwide.

The IPO will work closely with representatives from industry, academia, nonprofits, professional societies, governments, and intergovernmental organizations on behalf of the JTF to create broad awareness of the SMART initiative, identify suitable projects, establish best practices, and provide support throughout the design, development, and installation of SMART systems globally.

Working with UN Agencies

The IPO supports the JTF via collaboration with the following:

United Nations: A Project of the Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, affiliated within the GOOS Ocean Decade Ocean Observing Co-Design Programme

ITU: G.SMART Study Group

UNESCO IOC: Tsunami Unit and GOOS

WMO: Tsunami Unit and GOOS

Meet the Team