Building opportunity through digital skills and partnership
By Cosmas Luckyson Zavazava, Director, Telecommunication Development Bureau, ITU, and Guy Diedrich, Senior Vice President and Global Innovation Officer, Cisco
Our Digital Transformation Centres Initiative began with a clear goal: to help more people gain the digital skills they need to thrive.
Since its launch in September 2019 through a partnership between Cisco and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the initiative has grown into a global effort to support communities that have been left behind in the digital age.
With the newly released Digital Transformation Centres Initiative Review 2020–2025, we take stock of what our partnership has achieved and how it continues to make a meaningful, lasting impact.
From an initial nine centres, the initiative now spans 14 centres across Africa, Americas, Arab States and Asia and the Pacific regions.
These centres offer free training in basic and intermediate digital skills, including internationally accredited courses. The training helps people build confidence, find employment, start businesses, and connect with others in an increasingly digital world.
More than 500,000 individuals have participated in training through the network – over half of them women. This milestone reflects our commitment to inclusivity and to making digital skills accessible to everyone, regardless of gender, background, or location.
Supporting communities through local centres
Each centre is designed to meet local needs. Whether helping small businesses, supporting persons with disabilities, or offering young people a path to employment, the centres provide practical tools for people to shape their own futures.
This work is made possible by a strong network of partners. The Norwegian Government, through its development cooperation agency Norad, has contributed over USD 4 million.
Cisco and ITU continue providing financial and technical support, alongside contributions from HP, the ST Foundation, Digital Skills Factory, and telecommunications companies like Airtel Africa, Indosat (Indonesia), and PLDT (Philippines).
Looking ahead with purpose
There is still much to do. We are working to further expand the network of centres and deepen the impact of the training they provide. Our focus is shifting toward career-ready skills and entrepreneurship, helping people turn knowledge into opportunity.
We are also prioritizing sustainability. The initiative’s early work on e-waste management represents an important step toward more responsible digital growth.
We invite you to explore the Digital Transformation Centres Initiative Review 2020–2025 to learn more about the people, partnerships, and ideas driving this work forward.
About the Digital Transformation Centres Initiative.
