Broadband Commission Calls for Faster Global Action on Digital Development

The Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development has called for new actions to drive drive faster progress towards universal meaningful access to digital networks and services.

This call to action was taken during its annual Spring Meeting at the invitation of the Commission Co-Chair, President Paul Kagame of Rwanda, ahead of the landmark digital development conference held every four years by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in Kigali, Rwanda last weekend.

The new call to action called for an inter-generational effort to build an equitable, inclusive digital future.

During his opening remarks President Kagame said in his opening remarks that the challenges nations face can be handled faster, better, and more equitably, by investing in universal, affordable broadband.”

Emphasizing the importance of connectivity in the wake of the ongoing global health crisis, the Commission Co-Chair Carlos Slim said, “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.”

On his part, the Commission Co-Vice Chair and ITU Secretary-General, Houlin Zhao noted that “One of the challenges we need to overcome is reducing the cost of broadband subscriptions and digital devices, especially in low- and lower-middle-income economies. Affordability of broadband services in developing countries is also one of the Commission’s 2025 targets. I do hope that we can use this moment to accelerate the achievement of these targets and break down these last barriers to connectivity.”

The UNESCO’s Assistant Director-General for Communication and Information, Dr Tawfik Jelassi,  representing UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay, said “Digital and media literacy skills are among the most empowering of human transformations: in terms of our livelihoods, in terms of our access to quality and lifelong education, in terms of decisions guiding our health and safety, and in terms of understanding and exercising our civil rights,”

He added that “Broadband Commissioners have a unique awareness of this. We have a unique capacity to lead change, through innovation, investment, advocacy and partnership.”

The Director of ITU’s Telecommunication Development Bureau and the Commission’s Executive Director.  Doreen Bogdan-Martin emphasized the urgent need for strong partnerships to step up connectivity.

“In alignment with the Partner2Connect Digital Coalition, the UN Secretary General’s Roadmap for Digital Cooperation and the 2030 Common Agenda, the Commission will leverage the strength of its membership and collective expertise to advocate for meaningful, safe, secure, and sustainable broadband communications services,” She said.

The Broadband Commission made an advocacy pledge to the ITU Partner2Connect Digital Coalition to help reach inclusive universal connectivity, through policy recommendations addressing broadband policy, access, affordability, use and skills and the advocacy actions to realize 2025 Broadband Advocacy Targets.

Pledges were also received by 16 Broadband Commissioners and their entities.

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