In leading the Group of Twenty (G20) this year, Brazil has focused on advancing social inclusion and combating hunger and poverty; on promoting sustainable development; and on the reform of global governance institutions.
Based on those overarching priorities, the Brazilian G20 Presidency has selected top-priority issues for the G20 Digital Economy Working Group, with a focus on digital inclusion as a key dimension of social inclusion.
Despite growing global Internet access, approximately one third of the world’s population remains unconnected, with digital divides persisting primarily in the Global South. In many cases, this is due to a lack of sufficient physical infrastructure for digital connectivity to be affordable and meaningful.
Connecting the unconnected
The International Telecommunication Union (ITU), as a knowledge partner of the G20 Digital Economy Working Group, has given us valuable support in the preparation of proposals to help “connect the unconnected” and ensure “no one is left behind.” ITU expert groups link the need for “universal and meaningful connectivity” to digital inclusion targets under Sustainable Development Goals set out by the United Nations for 2030.
A new policy priority
Connectivity is an essential prerequisite for digital transformation. Universal and meaningful connectivity, understood as the possibility for everyone to enjoy a safe, satisfying, enriching, productive online experience at an affordable cost, has become a new policy priority to fully leverage the potential of connectivity for social and economic growth.
Increasing broadband penetration correlates directly to growth in gross domestic product (GDP). Brazil is a case in point for this widely recognized correlation.
Two examples are emblematic in terms of their scale, focus on connectivity, and use of innovative financing mechanisms.
One is the Connected North programme, funded in part by the proceeds of the Brazilian 5G Spectrum Auction in 2021. This ongoing programme involves deploying 12,000 kilometres of optical fibres, sustainably, in the riverbeds of the Amazon region, bringing connectivity and digital inclusion to millions of citizens by 2026.
The other is the Connected Schools strategy, which will connect all 140,000 public schools across Brazil – both rural and urban – and create the conditions for the digital transformation of education in the country. The ITU-UNICEF Giga initiative has undertaken the detailed mapping of schools as a key step in expanding meaningful connectivity throughout Brazil.
Financing for Connected Schools was made possible by changing the law on investment priorities for the Universal Services Fund based on telecommunications revenues, as well as directing part of the proceeds of the 5G Spectrum Auction to equip digitally enabled classrooms.
ITU and joint UN efforts
ITU and the Office of the UN Secretary-General’s Envoy on Technology recently defined the concept of universal and meaningful connectivity, alongside a framework for its implementation and a set of digital inclusion targets to be achieved by the end of the decade.
They have established their basic set of metrics as Aspirational Targets for 2030, adding that a broader set of indicators and metrics is currently under development.
This year the G20 Digital Economy Working Groupwas able to reach agreement on comparable indicators that can assist in identifying and closing connectivity gaps, as well as to identify good practices for promoting digital connectivity and discuss innovative financing mechanisms to accelerate the deployment of digital infrastructure.
Digital Infrastructure Investment Initiative: Who’s on board?
Our G20 working group will engage closely with the new Digital Infrastructure Investment Initiative (DIII) formed by ITU and co-led by the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), the African Development Bank Group (AfDB), the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), and the World Bank Group.
The initiative will also tap into ITU’s Partner2Connect Digital Coalition to mobilize additional resources and promote innovative financing mechanisms for digital infrastructure.
Moving forward
The G20 Digital Economy Working Group heard some preliminary DIII outcomes at a workshop in June, bringing the financing of digital infrastructure to the forefront of this year’s G20’s discussions.
Our new Maceió Ministerial Declaration on Digital Inclusion for All, approved in September, noted the value of that session.
The DIII’s mission also aligns with the newly adopted UN Pact for the Future, which underscores the need for innovative blended financing to connect everyone and build resilient digital infrastructure that supports meaningful Internet use for all.
With the associated Global Digital Compact also now adopted, I am hopeful that our G20 digital economy discussions will continue providing valuable insights.
During the UN General Assembly, DIII working group members and other stakeholders met to assess our initiative’s early progress, reiterate key challenges and opportunities, and consider potential further focus areas as the DIII moves forward.
Alongside ITU Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin, we affirm the need for high-quality infrastructure to develop viable digital economies globally. DIII members are united in the determination to mobilize the financial and policy support to lay this critical foundation.
A game-changing year?
Coordinated efforts continue on several fronts to boost the digital environment.
The opportunity is here, and 2024 may yet be the game-changer year for the infrastructure to support meaningful digital connectivity for all.
The whole world needs digital infrastructure as an enabler of inclusion, economic growth, and accelerated progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals.
Source: https://www.itu.int/hub/2024/10/g20-digital-connectivity-to-advance-sustainable-development/