ITU: Global digital connectivity to require $2.8 trillion by 2030

In low-income countries, only 23% of the population has internet access, International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin said at a press conference marking the launch of WTDC-25 in Baku, Report informs.

She stated that over the next two weeks, ITU member states, together with representatives of the private sector, will review the results of the previous cycle and hold comprehensive discussions. The focus will be on the global connectivity challenges facing the world, she said.

"The outcome will be an action plan. A document will be prepared that will set the direction for digital development over the next four years. Since the last WTDC in Kigali, hundreds of millions of people have gained access to the internet thanks to the commitments we made then. But much more remains to be done. Today, 2.2 billion people remain offline. In low-income countries, only 23% of the population uses the internet, and in some cases, even less. The digital divide between women and men is closing too slowly: 250 million fewer women than men use the internet, and this gap is especially wide in the least developed countries," noted Bogdan-Martin.

According to her, one of the most significant barriers to closing the digital divide remains the high cost of connectivity.

"We're talking specifically about the cost factor. We estimate that up to $2.6 trillion will be needed to provide every household with meaningful connectivity by 2030. Of this, $1.6 trillion is for infrastructure. The rest is for access to electricity, computing resources, training, regulatory and support measures. In total, the total comes to $2.8 trillion.

We have a coalition, 'Partner to Connect,' dedicated entirely to mobilizing commitments, initiatives, and resources to close the digital divide. We set a goal of raising $100 billion by 2026. We've currently reached $80 billion. But it's important that these commitments are fully implemented," the ITU secretary-general emphasized.