Page 110 - SAMENA Trends - May-June 2022

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

ITU/UNESCO Broadband Commission Urges Faster Global Action on Digital

Development

The Broadband Commission for
Sustainable Development met in Kigali,
Rwanda, this weekend to pinpoint new
actions that can drive faster progress
towards universal meaningful access to
digital networks and services. The high-
level advocacy group came together for
its annual Spring Meeting at the invitation
of the Commission Co-Chair, H.E.
President Paul Kagame of Rwanda, ahead
of the landmark digital development
conference held every four years by the
International Telecommunication Union
(ITU): the World Telecommunication
Development Conference (WTDC). In
his opening remarks to the meeting,
President Kagame told Commissioners:
“We are still living in tough times,
economically, politically, and in terms
of global public health. The immediate
future is full of uncertainties and risks.
But one thing is sure: All of the challenges
we face can be handled faster, better, and
more equitably, by investing in universal,
affordable broadband." Commission Co-
Chair Carlos Slim also emphasized the
importance of connectivity in the wake of
the ongoing global health crisis. “For the
adoption gap, carriers could provide the
devices, and government programmes
could pay the monthly subscription for
families that qualify, ensuring reasonable
packages with unlimited minutes and
enough data. This would support remote
education, e-health, and e-commerce,
among many other digital services," he
said. Commissioners and Special Guests
representing government leaders, heads
of international organizations and
private sector companies, along with broadband signal, and hundreds of millions more kept offline by high prices, lack of digital
civil society and academia, discussed skills and awareness, and a dearth of usable, relevant and accessible content. Recognizing
the power of digital transformation the role digital technologies play in all facets of economic activity, Commissioners shared
to create broad and positive socio- government and business strategies that are incentivizing investment in digital literacy,
economic impact and looked at ways to connectivity, and skills. Commission Co-Vice Chair Houlin Zhao, ITU Secretary-General,
rapidly increase access to broadband, noted that "One of the challenges we need to overcome is reducing the cost of broadband
foster innovative partnerships, empower subscriptions and digital devices, especially in low- and lower-middle-income economies.
youth, and build trust in online spaces. Affordability of broadband services in developing countries is also one of the Commission's
In particular, they confronted chronic 2025 targets. I do hope that we can use this moment to accelerate the achievement of these
connectivity challenges and discussed targets and break down these last barriers to connectivity." “Digital and media literacy skills are
how to ensure affordable, sustainable, among the most empowering of human transformations: in terms of our livelihoods, in terms
and equitable access to digital services of our access to quality and lifelong education, in terms of decisions guiding our health and
across regions, especially in the world's safety, and in terms of understanding and exercising our civil rights," said Dr Tawfik Jelassi,
46 Least Developed countries, where 17% UNESCO's Assistant Director-General for Communication and Information, representing
of the population is still without a mobile UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay, who serves as the Commission's other Co-Vice
110 MAY-JUNE 2022