Four mobile operators from Japan and South Korea – KDDI, NTT Docomo, KT and SK Telecom – are the most recent operators to sign up to the GSMA’s Humanitarian Connectivity Charter.

The charter, an initiative launched at Mobile World Congress 2015, unites the industry under a set of principles that aim to harness the power of mobile technology to support people affected by humanitarian emergencies. The four new operators join the more than 60 mobile operators in more than 50 countries that are already backing the charter.

“The unique scale and reach of mobile networks can help meet the challenges faced by humanitarian responders,” said Mats Granryd, GSMA’s director general.

The charter is also supported by the United Nations Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Assistance, the Emergency Telecommunications Cluster and the International Federation of the Red Cross.

The principles of the charter focus on enhanced coordination, standardised preparedness and response activities, and strengthened partnerships between industry, government and humanitarian organisations.

“During times of crisis, good communication is vital and access to mobile networks can be a matter of life and death. The collective work of the Humanitarian Connectivity Charter signatories is focused on enabling better-prepared and more resilient networks and facilitating more effective coordination with government and humanitarian response agencies,” Granryd said. “Countries in Asia remain some of the most vulnerable to natural disasters globally, underscoring the need for renewed and coordinated efforts to reduce risk and improve reliance.”