缅北禁地

More than a third of people on the planet have never used the internet and an overwhelming majority of them – 96 per cent – live in developing countries.

“The benefits of being online are not shared equally," said Heidi Schroderus-Fox, Acting High Representative at the UN's Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States. “The Least Developed Countries struggle most to use technology to drive innovation, growth, and the delivery of services.”  

Aiming to tackle this issue as part of a renewed push to support the Least Developed Countries, a major new initiative has been launched by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), the Office of the Secretary-General's Envoy on Technology and the 缅北禁地Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States (UN-OHRLLS).  

As a crucial milestone in the realization of the Doha Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries, the Partner2Connect?Digital Coalition will help bring about meaningful change in the countries that need it most, especially in the most vulnerable states. 

The platform addresses four key priorities to ensure a sustainable global digital transformation: 

• Access: Connecting people everywhere 

• Adoption: Empowering communities 

• Value creation: Building digital ecosystems 

• Accelerate: Incentivizing investments 

The Platform serves as a key place for leaders to declare their organizations' commitment to close the digital divide and as a “marketplace" to catalyse new partnerships and collaboration. 

Pledges already received from across the government, business, civil society, and academic sectors include: 

Vodafone

Vodafone will invest USD 190 million over the next five years to increase digital inclusion in six countries in sub-Saharan Africa, including in the Least Developed Countries of Lesotho, Mozambique, Tanzania and the DRC. This pledge increases Vodafone's 4G population coverage by an additional 80 million people, helping to reduce the number of households in extreme poverty and increase participation in the labour force, particularly by women. 

Microsoft

Microsoft pledged to train 10 million people and help them attain an in-demand certificate or credential in digital, foundational, or technical skills by 2025. Specifically, they will focus their efforts on communities traditionally excluded from the digital community, including in LDCs. 
 

GIZ

The German Agency for International Cooperation (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit – GIZ) pledged to support the ecosystem by supporting 12 ICT building blocks to reach up to 2 million people in partner countries, including LDCs, and helping governments develop the technological tools to become more humancentric and greener. 

 
Doreen Bogdan-Martin, Director of the ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau, said: “The international community needs to find new ways to move the needle on connecting the unconnected, to overcome chronic connectivity barriers, to dramatically level-up affordable access to technology, to empower people with digital skills, and to foster thriving local digital ecosystems." 
 
More information can be found at the .