UN wants $100 billion to close the global digital divide
The United Nations has called on countries and the private sector to commit $100 billion by 2026 to close the global digital divide faster. This is three times more than originally expected.
$100 billion to bridge the digital divide
Around 2.7 billion people in the world lacked internet access in 2022 out of a global population of 8 billion people, according to data from the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), a UN agency. .
“The digital divide that separates the least developed countries from the rest of the world is widening”warned the ITU, calling for many more resources to be devoted to connectivity and digitalization in the least developed countries.
“Technology is at the top of global priorities, but the benefits of digital technology are still out of reach for too many people”ITU official Doreen Bogdan-Martin said in a statement. “If we are serious about digitizing the world in a meaningful and sustainable way, we must take action to accelerate digital transformation for all”she insisted.
The 46 least developed countries are home to almost a third of the world’s entire offline population, the ITU said. Internet access is considered too expensive in all but two of these countries, the organization deplores.
A digital coalition already launched
To address the situation, the agency launched the Partner2Connect digital coalition in September 2021. It aims to use partnerships that blend the public and private realms to help drive digitalization in the hardest-to-connect communities, including in least developed countries, landlocked developing countries or small island states.
This coalition began mobilizing direct funding in February 2022 and has so far raised $30 billion in pledges. 12 billion is to help the poorest countries to connect faster.
