The Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development called for international collaboration to bring digital connectivity and skills to all by 2030 at its annual Fall Meeting.
The Commission is a public-private partnership driving the industry towards achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.
Commission Co-Chair Carlos Slim said: “There should be no digital deserts in the world, and there should be no one excluded from connectivity. Broadband should enhance the quality of life of everyone.”
The Commission’s meeting comes amid the recent ITU announcement that 2.6 billion people across the world still lack access to the Internet in 2023.
At the meeting, the Broadband Commission launched launched its annual report which looks at seven Global Advocacy Targets and highlights the opportunities that would come from broadband that is universally available.
It recommends defining measurable goals, addressing barriers where coverage is available, broadening the contributor base, incentivizing contributors and building sustainable network infrastructure policies.