Page 6 - SAMENA Trends - September-October 2020

FEATURED SAMENA TRENDS

of universal access to high-speed internet and coordinating ICT infrastructure digital connectivity as the foundational
connectivity and smartphones. Ideas that investments will be instrumental, not only element of the United Nations 2030
seemed futuristic ten years ago, are now in connecting the 3.6 billion people still Agenda for Sustainable Development.
mainstream. The next decade will be offline, but also in driving the development The Manifesto affirms the commitment of
about using digital tools to speed up the of new technologies central to the digital the Broadband Commission to mobilize
recovery from the Covid pandemic and economy." “Digital technology could be efforts to achieve the 'Global Goal of
make up some of the lost ground on the the tool we need for human-centered Universal Connectivity' in support of the
SDGs." Carlos Slim Helú, President of the emancipation. But to play this role, it needs UN Secretary-General's Roadmap for
Carlos Slim Foundation and Co-Chair of our expertise and cooperation because we Digital Cooperation and other connectivity
the Broadband Commission, said: “Digital need to pool all of our resources if we are initiatives.
technologies are offering services that to rise to the challenge of connectivity and
are creating big changes. Regulators and competencies," said UNESCO Director- Finally, it calls on all stakeholders to
governments should be aware of the vital General Audrey Azoulay. “In my view, this is collaborate to:
importance for society and development the significance of the two Working Groups • Establish a baseline for universal digital
that telecom networks play, and that high co-chaired by UNESCO. These documents connectivity.
taxes, spectrum charges and regulation published today focus on two crucial • Identify and support public-private
are barriers to digital inclusion. Today questions: school connectivity and the financing of universal broadband,
our challenge is to look for universal promotion of reliable, quality information." pioneering innovative hybrid and/
connectivity and to make it available According to latest ITU data, overall global or complementary, replicable and
for countries and people. Broadband Internet user penetration stands at 53.6%. sustainable financing and investment
Connectivity is the bridge to move to That figure drops to 47% in developing models for all types of networks, and
economic development and welfare." countries, and to just 19.1% in the world's catalyzing impactful partnerships.
“Leaving no one behind means leaving no Least Developed Countries (LDCs), falling • Advocate for enabling regulatory
one offline, now more than ever before," well below the Broadband Commission's environments in the field of ICTs, ICT
said Houlin Zhao, Secretary-General of advocacy Target 3 of broadband Internet capacity-building, and online safety
the International Telecommunication user penetration of 75% worldwide, 65% and security, especially for children, as
Union (ITU), the United Nations' in developing countries and 35% in LDCs integral to efforts to achieve the Global
specialized agency for information and by 2025. A Commission Manifesto issued Broadband Targets 2025 and the SDGs.
communication technology (ICT), and Co- in conjunction with today's report launch
Vice Chair of the Commission. “Increasing calls on the global community to recognize

POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS BY THE UN BROADBAND COMMISSION

The world in 2020 is in a state of widening the gap between rich and poor, Today, 174 countries worldwide have
unprecedented flux because of the COVID- and further growing the digital divide. a broadband plan of some sort, with
19 pandemic. The broadband ecosystem Building back better and faster with several countries currently in the process
has proven its scalability and resilience broadband will require an emphasis on of adopting one. As the UN Secretary-
to keep health, education and financial digital infrastructure and technologies General has called on all sectors of society
systems, and whole economies, operating. in the pandemic response, recovery, and to mobilize for a decade of action towards
Once again broadband has demonstrated resiliency-building efforts to prepare meeting the Sustainable Development
its essential role in fueling the achievement against such future shocks, but more Goals, expanding broadband infrastructure
of the SDGs. But COVID-19 also uncovered importantly to spur achievement of the and ensuring universal access to the
how the lack of connectivity especially SDGs. connectivity ecosystem is critical for
among marginalized communities is the global community to make progress

6 SEP-OCT 2020