UN Broadband Commission advances action towards broadband digital connectivity
The Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development at its 2018 Spring Meeting in Kigali, Rwanda 6-7 May, committed to concrete actions that will advance the roll-out of broadband around the world – and with it, much – needed digital connectivity, which is necessary for the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
During the two-day event, 34 Commissioners – representing the broadband industry, governments and United Nations agencies – convened to discuss key issues related to the role of broadband in advancing the SDGs.
The meeting was held at the invitation of H.E. Paul Kagame, President of Rwanda and Mats Granryd, Director General of the GSMA, an association which represents the interests of mobile operators worldwide.
President Paul Kagame said: “Africa’s economic transformation requires broadband infrastructure with an emphasis on both access and affordability. The reality is that all other digital services whether in commerce or education or healthcare run on top of broadband. Africa’s size, geography and settlement patterns mean that we must rely on a variety of different technologies to deliver broadband including satellite, fibre optic and mobile. It is up to us to lead the way in driving innovation both in policy and business models in order to speed up the provision of broadband where it has been slowest to reach.”