The ITU's Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development has reaffirmed its call for digital cooperation, innovation and collaborative approaches to secure universal connectivity at its Annual Fall Meeting, held in a virtual format due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The Commission's State of Broadband Report 2021, released during the meeting, outlines the impact of pandemic policies and calls for a “concerted, people-centred push” to close the world's digital divide.
In that regard the report states that, amid relentless global demand for broadband services, no more than a quarter of the population is currently online in the world's 46 least developed countries (LDCs). Courtney Rattray, Under Secretary General and High Representative for the LDCs and a newly-appointed commissioner urged the Commission to prioritise connectivity in in those countries ahead of the Fifth UN Conference on the LDCs, set to happen in Doha, Qatar, in January 2022.
The Commission took advantage of the meeting to announce new Working Groups on smartphone access, AI capacity building and data learning. It also launched a new venture called the Partner2Connect Digital Coalition to foster meaningful connectivity and digital transformation in the world’s hardest-to-connect countries. Coalition actions will focus on four key priorities – connecting people everywhere, empowering communities, building digital ecosystems and incentivising investments – with each focus area supported by a working group.
The four working groups will meet on a regular basis to discuss issues, define key actions and make recommendations to advance coalition aims, said the ITU, adding that a tracking system will be developed to monitor implementation and progress.
