Q. What is the most satisfying thing about being here in Nigeria?

Gilles: Seeing the importance of the services provided by the ETS for humanitarians working in Maiduguri. Even for us, who are just staying here three days, without the internet it would be impossible to get things done. So it is clear that the internet is something that all users of the humanitarian hub need.

It is also great to see the incredible teamwork of the ETS team here and the strong recognition that the ETS has among the humanitarian community in Maiduguri. The ETS is very visible and is seen as a strong partner providing a very important service to users.

One national staff member attended Let’s Net in Luxembourg two years ago, after joining the ETS in Maiduguri, and was immediately able to put into practice what he learned. This highlights the importance of training people who work with the solutions in the field on a daily basis.

Q. What are your objectives for this week’s visit?

Gilles: The main purpose of the visit is to gather video footage and media products to give visibility to the operation in Maiduguri. It is also an opportunity to see how the services are implemented and to meet the team to discuss future plans and any additional needs they may have, as well as to listen to some of the challenges they face and try to come up with possible solutions.  

Q. How do you feel about Luxembourg’s involvement in the ETS operation here?

Gilles: Luxembourg has been supporting the ETS in Maiduguri since the very start of the operation and it is great to see things going so well. However, more could be done, which is why it is good to be here with the team to discuss other ways in which Luxembourg could support. For example, for now, emergency.lu is only supporting the main hub, but it may be worth looking into expanding our support to other hub locations as well. Only if there is a need, of course.