Over the next three years, Internet services and expertise will be promoted globally thanks to a new project from the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the European Commission (EC).
The three-year, EUR3 million (approximately $3.3 million) ITU-EC project, “Promoting and Measuring Universal and Meaningful Digital Connectivity,” will be used to enhance comprehensive policy approaches and offer suggestions for enhancing high-quality Internet and mobile access. The project is a component of the Global Gateway program of the European Union.
The project was jointly introduced by the European Commission (EC), the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), and the Transform Africa Summit, which is taking place in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, from April 26 to 28.
Doreen Bogdan-Martin, the secretary-general of the ITU, said: “This new partnership between ITU and the European Commission offers a unique opportunity for strengthening multilateral cooperation to expand meaningful connectivity and drive sustainable digital transformation.”
“It puts digital at the centre of our common efforts to help the world get back on track to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals.”
Everyone could potentially benefit from an accessible, secure, fulfilling, and productive online experience with universal and meaningful connectedness.
ITU Facts and Figures 2022 estimates that 5.3 billion people are online currently. However, many only have access to minimal connectivity, and the remaining 2.7 billion people, or around one-third of the world’s population, do not have an Internet connection.
Additionally, there are several digital disparities that still exist between and within nations, fewer women than men are online globally, and ubiquitous access is still decades away in least developed countries (LDCs) and landlocked developing countries (LLDCs).
“The potential of the Internet for social and economic good remains largely untapped today: one-third of humanity remains offline, and many users only enjoy basic connectivity,” said Dr. Cosmas Luckyson Zavazava, Director of ITU’s Telecommunication Development Bureau.
Tthis new ITU-EC project will mainstream universal and meaningful connectivity and encourage countries to adopt a holistic approach, which is a necessary condition for a prosperous and inclusive society,” he added.
The new project seeks to make universal and meaningful connectivity (UMC) a top policy priority, generate more and better UMC data, and enhance evidence-based policymaking, fund sourcing, and project implementation. It aligns with the ITU’s mission to connect the world while leaving no one behind.
The multi-stakeholder working group, which included about 40 representatives from a variety of stakeholders in addition to ITU and the Office of the UN Secretary-General’s Envoy on Technology, established the targets for universal and meaningful connectivity, with the assistance of the ITU-EC project.
