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REGULATORY NEWS

UN Broadband Commission Advocates for Financing Inclusive Meaningful

Connectivity for Sustainable Impact

The ITU UNESCO Broadband Commission
for Sustainable Development examined
new financing models that would
help accelerate ‘meaningful universal
connectivity’ on the sidelines of the
Annual Meeting of the World Economic
Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Today,
an estimated 3.6 billion people remain
offline. The majority of the unconnected
live in least developed countries, where
an average of just two out of every ten
people are online. The Commissioners
agreed that targeted efforts are needed
to lower the cost of broadband, as well as
innovative policies to finance the rollout of
broadband infrastructure to unconnected
populations. Collaboration among diverse
stakeholders will be key to making
universal and meaningful connectivity
a reality for all. “We are on the verge of
a new era that requires quick, effective
and innovative financing instruments to
connect the remaining unconnected. The holistic approaches. Commissioners like artificial intelligence (AI) to create a
old ways can no longer work in this era and and participants also examined ways real-time map of school locations and
we can no longer afford having anyone left to address the digital investment gap, their connectivity level.
behind,” said Paula Ingabire, Minister of policies and incentives for investors and • Finance a Common Bid that aggregates
ICT and Innovation, Republic of Rwanda, other digital industry stakeholders, and connectivity demand in schools (pooled
representing President Paul Kagame, who what innovative financing models can be across multiple countries) and creates
Co-Chairs the Commission. “Expanding scaled up to expand infrastructure. Among a cost-forecasting model to make
avenues for investment in information the models highlighted is the ITU UNICEF connectivity more affordable.
and communication technology (ICT) School Connectivity project, also known • Connect every school to the Internet and
infrastructure has always been one of my as the ‘GIGA’ initiative. It aims at bringing create a monitoring system to oversee
priorities,” said ITU Secretary-General connectivity to every school in every village the level and quality of connectivity
Houlin Zhao. “As we enter a new decade, around the world to empower young people delivered by internet service providers.
the last decade to achieve the United with the digital skills they need to flourish • Empower young people with skills by
Nations Sustainable Development Goals, in the digital economy. The GIGA initiative investing in, and scaling up, open source
we need new incentives and financing is anchored in the Secretary-General’s solutions that – with connectivity – will
solutions to create environments that High-level Panel on Digital Cooperation’s be available to children, teachers and
are conducive to investment in ICT. findings which state, that by “2030 every administrators.
‘Meaningful universal connectivity’ adult should have affordable access to “Digital technologies can dramatically
encompasses broadband that is available, digital networks” and calls for “a broad, improve the lives of people and
accessible, relevant and affordable, but multi-stakeholder alliance, involving the communities and deliver on the promise of
also that is safe, trusted, user-empowering UN to create a platform for sharing digital the United Nations Agenda 2030 to leave
and leads to positive impact. It also public goods.” no one behind,” said Doreen Bogdan-
advocates the need to go beyond ‘business The GIGA initiative has four pillars: Martin, Director ITU Telecommunication
as usual’ policy prescriptions and • Map connectivity of every school and Development Bureau. “Multi-stakeholder
projects, and towards more collaborative use it to show where connectivity collaboration and partnership will be key
models based on resource sharing and demand is, and use new technologies to connecting the 3.6 billion people still

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