As we prepare to close the year of 2020, a year that has been full of global challenges matched with global solutions, the need for universal connectivity has never been more apparent. From opening the online classroom to providing virtual healthcare services, broadband has proven to be the hidden hero of the COVID-19 pandemic. Closing the digital divide is of the utmost importance to build back a sustainable and inclusive world.
Broadband Commission member Nokia continues its commitment to reaching universal connectivity. This year they have published an e-book entitled, How do we create inclusivity in a digital future?: Building a better world with broadband technologies. The book defines the digital divide, bringing light to the considerable impact broadband can have in developing communities and suggests solutions through alternative technologies and policy reform. The …
Read it. Access the interactive report on Foleon Download it. Download the PDF here Share it. Click to Tweet Download the report in English Download the report in Spanish Download the report in Russian Download the report in French Download the report in Chinese Download the report in Arabic The @UNBBCom Manifesto calls for collaboration in the …
The Annual Meeting brings together Broadband Commissioners – leaders across ICTs sectors to discuss the newly released State of Broadband Report 2020 (#SoBB2020): “Tackling Digital Inequalities: A Decade For Action” and to devise a plan to deliver on the 2030 Agenda. In this milestone report Commissioners confront the realities of the year as the world …
Launched in 2010, the Broadband Commission’s relevance and importance to sustainable development has continued into the present. With today’s focus on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Commission has adapted its mandate to reach the 2030 Agenda and “Connect the other half” of the World’s population through Broadband. Throughout the years, Commissioners have tackled several …
The world is shifting from analog to digital faster than ever before, further exposing us to the vast promise and peril of new technologies. While the digital era has brought society many incredible benefits, we also face many challenges such as growing digital divides, cyber threats, and human rights violations online. This UNSG’s Roadmap …
In moments of crisis, Broadband Commissioners come together to offer immediate support to communities worldwide The Agenda for Action was adopted by over 50 Broadband Commissioners and their organizations to accelerate the collective response around COVID-19. It includes immediate efforts that governments, global industry, civil society, and international organizations can undertake to support the development …
Recent Broadband Commission Activities The Broadband Commission held its Annual Fall Meeting in conjunction with the United Nations General Assembly on 22nd September in New York, during the 74th session of the UNGA. Press Release available here: https://www.itu.int/en/mediacentre/Pages/2019-PR16.aspx This year’s event highlighted the importance of leaving no one behind in a fast changing digital world. The agenda …
This year the Broadband Commission held a special session on September 11 co-organized with Huawei, which featured the Commission’s flagship report; The State of Broadband 2018. This year’s report discusses the role of broadband technologies for driving Sustainable Development.
Broadband Commission Activities Overview From 19 to 23 March 2018, the World Summit on the Information Society Forum (WSIS) 2018 took place in Geneva and attracted more than 2800 stakeholders from 150 different countries. This year, around 250 content rich workshops and open space talks aligned with the WSIS Action Lines and SDGs. In addition, …
The Broadband Commission’s Annual Spring Meeting 2018 took place in Kigali, Rwanda on 6 -7 May 2018 at the invitation of H.E. Mr Paul Kagame, President of Rwanda and Mr Mats Granryd, Director General of GSMA.
Broadband Commission Activities Overview ©ITU On the 26 February, at Mobile World Congress held in Barcelona, Spain, the Expert Group report was published, “A New Deal: Investing in Our Common Future – Policy Recommendations to Close the Broadband Gap”, presenting recommendations to policy-makers, regulators and international institutions to address digital exclusion. The Expert Group, chaired …
Season’s Greetings and Happy New Year 2018! The 2017 EQUALS in Tech Awards were held 19 December 2017 at the Internet Governance Forum in Geneva, Switzerland and featured winning initiatives bringing digital tech opportunities to women in Lebanon, Afghanistan and Costa Rica. Learn more about the winners and the outstanding projects which have been recognized …
Broadband Commission Activities Overview ©ITU/ D. Prospero The Broadband Commission held its annual meeting on September 17 in New York in parallel to the 72nd session of the UN General Assembly. 46 Commissioners and 6 Special Guests addressed the important duty of supporting the development of new broadband technologies and connecting people, in particular those …
Broadband Commission Activities Overview On 10th July, the Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development issued a statement urging policymakers, the private sector and other partners to make deployment of broadband infrastructure a top priority in strategies to accelerate global development and progress towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The statement was presented to the …
Broadband Commission Activities Overview On the 5th of June 2017, the Broadband Commission Working Group on the Digitalization Scorecard chaired by Nokia’s President and CEO Rajeev Suri launched its final report “Digitalization Scorecard: Which policies and regulations can help advance digitalization”. The report focuses on assessing policy and regulatory readiness for digitalization of six chosen …
Broadband Commission Activities Overview The Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development held this year’s Spring Meeting in Hong Kong, SAR of China, from 15 to 17 March, at the invitation of Ms Sun Yafang, Chairwoman of the Board of Huawei. On the first day, Commissioners took the opportunity to attend on-site sessions of the four Broadband …
Broadband Commission Activities Overview On the 17th of January, 2017 Broadband Commission held a Special Session at World Economic Forum in Davos. The event was attended by Co-Chairs of the Commission: H. E. President of Rwanda Paul Kagame, ITU Secretary-General Mr Houlin Zhao, UNESCO Director-General Ms Irina Bokova, including other Commissioners including: Director General of …
Broadband Commission Activities Overview The Broadband Commission held its annual meeting on September 18 in New York alongside the 71st session of the UN General Assembly. More than 40 Commissioners and Special Guests discussed two specific challenges during this year’s meeting: firstly, how broadband can support the equitable provision of health and education in all …
Broadband Commission activities in a nutshell Photo credit: sustainabledevelopment.un.org On July 11, the Broadband Commission urged policymakers, the private sector and other partners to make deployment of broadband infrastructure a top priority in strategies to accelerate global development and progress towards the SDGs, in statement directed at key decision-makers at the UN High-level Political …
GLOBAL CONNECT INITIATIVE – U.S. LAW President Barack Obama has issued an Executive Order on 24 June that institutionalizes the Global Connect Initiative for the next 5 years, led by U.S. Department of State – Ms Catherine A. Novelli, Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment and the Broadband Commissioner. As an Executive Order (EO) …
The Broadband Commission is delighted to welcome its 10 newest members: Broadband Commission activities in a nutshell The Spring Meeting of the Commission in Dubai, generously hosted by Mr Sunny Varkey, took place on 13 March 2016 in conjunction with the Global Education & Skills Forum 2016 and brought together leaders seeking solutions to …
Broadband Commission activities in a nutshell Fifty Broadband Commissioners and invited guests convened on January 21 for a Special Session during the 2016 Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. To enrich this debate on how to get the next 1.5 billion people online, a Discussion Paper was prepared and distributed ahead …