ITU and UK collaborate to close digital divide
By Cosmas Luckyson Zavazava, Director, Telecommunication Development Bureau, ITU, and Alessandra Lustrati, Head of Digital Development, UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
Digital connectivity is no longer a luxury. For societies and economies worldwide, it has become a lifeline.
Yet in underserved communities, especially across the Global South, billions of people are not using the Internet. Many struggle with slow and unreliable connectivity or find digital services unaffordable. Hundreds of millions have no Internet access at all. Closing these gaps is essential to building stronger economies and ensuring everyone can participate fully in today’s digital society.
For nearly five years, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) have worked side by side to advance inclusive, responsible, and sustainable digital transformation, in line with the UK Digital Development Strategy 2024–2030.
Our joint efforts have delivered tangible results in Brazil, Indonesia, Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa, and are informing similar initiatives across the respective regions.
Key achievements include:
- Helping countries optimize national funds to expand last-mile connectivity through our Universal service financing efficiency toolkit, which has been shared with digital regulators across Africa, including members of the Communications Regulators’ Association of Southern Africa.
- Providing vital policy and regulatory support, with tailored guidance and training helping national regulators shape inclusive digital transformation policies. Through regulatory and public policy support in Brazil, we helped enhance the design of the national school connectivity plan, while further support is strengthening digital health systems.
- Advancing research and capacity building with country-level studies on collaborative regulation (Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa), public policies for meaningful connectivity (Brazil), digital skills assessments (Kenya and Nigeria), and research on last-mile and alternative access solutions.
- Offering self-paced training in broadband mapping to bolster national broadband planning efforts.
- Providing technical assistance and policy support for digital sustainability in Indonesia, helping the government lay the groundwork for an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) system to manage electronic waste (e-waste) safely and sustainably; and in Brazil and South Africa, to increase the countries’ regulatory capacity to collect data on greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption across the information and communication technology (ICT) sector.
A commitment to collaboration
The ITU-UK partnership, grounded in shared values, represents a commitment to co-designing solutions with countries. We have supported governments and key stakeholders in strengthening policy and regulation, attracting responsible investment, and implementing practical, country-led strategies to expand inclusive digital access.
Robust collaboration enables us to provide tailored support that helps countries take concrete steps toward digital inclusion and sustainability. Whether we are improving universal service financing, building digital skills, strengthening digital policies and regulations, or safeguarding the environment, our work makes a difference on the ground.
Why it matters
Initiatives like this are crucial to promote affordable, meaningful connectivity, locally relevant digital content, and accessible digital services for marginalized groups in developing countries around the globe.
As we expand our collaboration further, we are helping countries monitor the climate impact of the digital sector and harmonize their data collection for better-informed policymaking. These are important steps to build resilient and environmentally responsible digital ecosystems.
Our shared vision is clear: A digital future that is inclusive, resilient, and sustainable. We, together with our partners on the ground, aim to ensure that no one is left behind in the digital age.
