{"id":907,"date":"2025-07-30T14:41:14","date_gmt":"2025-07-30T14:41:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.itu.int\/partner2connect\/?page_id=907"},"modified":"2026-01-13T09:30:15","modified_gmt":"2026-01-13T09:30:15","slug":"p2c-flash-edition-06","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.itu.int\/partner2connect\/p2c-flash-edition-06\/","title":{"rendered":"P2C Flash Edition 06"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Welcome to P2C Flash!<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n
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Welcome to the sixth edition of P2C Flash<\/em><\/strong>, designed to amplify the voices of pledgers and spotlight their impactful commitments to advancing global connectivity and digital transformation. With over 1000 pledges from over 480 entities across 149 countries, the Partner2Connect (P2C) Digital Coalition<\/a> continues to drive meaningful change in the digital landscape. P2C Flash is a monthly publication dedicated to showcasing these contributions, from inspiring impact stories and government initiatives to local innovations and new pledges, all with the goal of fostering a global community united by the mission of universal meaningful connectivity. Join us as we bring these efforts to the forefront and highlight the diverse initiatives shaping the future of sustainable digital transformation worldwide.

Click here<\/a> to learn more about how to get featured in our upcoming editions.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Click\u00a0here<\/a>\u00a0to read the email version of this edition.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Welcoming New Pledges<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

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The Welcoming New Pledges section introduces the latest commitments made by partners to advance sustainable digital transformation through the P2C Digital Coalition. This section highlights fresh pledges from a diverse range of stakeholders who are dedicated to bridging the digital divide and promoting universal, meaningful connectivity. Each new pledge brings us a step closer to a more inclusive and digitally connected world.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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UNDP & Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), Germany: Hamburg Declaration on Responsible AI for the SDGs<\/strong>
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The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), together with the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), spearheaded the Hamburg Declaration on Responsible AI for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

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This landmark initiative is the first global multistakeholder Declaration explicitly focused on Artificial Intelligence (AI) in international development, which outlines shared principles and commitments to promote the equitable, inclusive, and sustainable development and deployment of AI worldwide. It places particular emphasis on empowering developing countries.

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The Declaration centers on ensuring AI technologies uphold human rights, serve and protect marginalized communities, combat disinformation, and protect the planet. Endorsing organizations further focus on improving the resource efficiency of AI systems, expanding access to AI education for women and girls, and supporting the growth of local AI innovations in developing countries. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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In addition, many endorsing organizations have committed to specific and tangible actions that align with the overarching principles. The Declaration is a voluntary, legally non-binding document laying general guiding principles. UNDP and BMZ invite all interested stakeholders to endorse the Declaration and actively contribute to its implementation.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Cisco Systems: USD 1B Global AI Investment Fund to Accelerate Responsible Digital Transformation<\/strong><\/strong>

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In June 2024, Cisco pledged USD 1 billion to accelerate the development of secure, reliable, and trustworthy AI technologies and infrastructure worldwide through its Global AI Investment Fund. As part of this investment, in May 2025, Cisco launched its first Global AI Hub in France.

This strategic commitment focuses on digital upskilling and supporting startups and innovators working on generative AI, machine learning infrastructure, and responsible AI applications. Through these initiatives, including initial investments in Cohere, Mistral AI, and Scale AI, Cisco intends to boost enterprise AI readiness and help strengthen the global digital ecosystem.

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Nicole Isaac, Cisco\u2019s VP of Global Public Policy, announced the company\u2019s pledge at the ITU Partner2Connect event<\/sup><\/em><\/sub><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

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China Unicom: Actively promote the development of digital villages<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong>

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In China, 4G\/5G networks and gigabit broadband are rapidly extending coverage into rural areas. The 5G network has achieved continuous coverage across all townships nationwide, with coverage rates exceeding 90% in administrative villages. To ensure rural residents fully benefit from high-speed connectivity, China Unicom is advancing rural revitalisation through its “China Unicom Digital Village” platform.

This initiative delivers an integrated suite of services, \u201cconnectivity, sensing, computing, and intelligence\u201d, to support digital development in rural communities. With an estimated value of approximately USD 16.4 million over the next five years (through 2029), the pledge aims to boost investment and operational capacity in rural digital infrastructure. So far, the initiative has reached around 23.68 million households across 252,000 administrative villages in China.
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Impact Stories<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

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The Impact Stories section shines a spotlight on the real-world transformations made possible through the P2C commitments. These stories bring to life the tangible benefits of connectivity, showcasing how innovative partnerships and bold initiatives are breaking barriers and empowering communities globally. Featuring pledges that have submitted progress reports, this section highlights measurable impact and accountability, demonstrating how shared efforts translate into lasting change. From improving access to education to connecting marginalized communities, these narratives reveal the human impact behind the numbers, reminding us of the collective potential to create a digitally inclusive future for everyone everywhere.<\/em><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Jokkolabs Banjul: Committed to digital inclusion on access and connectivity in rural Gambia, through the setting up of community network centres<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Jokkolabs Banjul <\/a>pledged to invest USD 60,000 to establish a Community Network Centre in the Upper River Region of Gambia to advance digital inclusion for marginalized communities, particularly women and youth. Located in Basse, the center aims to reduce the cost of Internet access, provide accessible digital skills training, promote innovation, and empower local residents through technology-driven programs powered by solar energy.

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With support from the Association for Progressive Communications (APC), Jokkolabs Banjul has already implemented impactful digital rights and inclusion initiatives across all six regions of Gambia, including voice-based WhatsApp outreach, town hall meetings, and community radio programs. These efforts have especially targeted women\u2019s farming groups, many of whom already own smartphones and actively participate in Jokkolabs Banjul\u2019s monthly consultations to shape relevant training needs.

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Despite these achievements, the full establishment of the Community Network Centre is still in progress. Currently, the pledge is about 25\u201350% fulfilled, with ongoing advocacy and capacity-building efforts. To close the digital gap and achieve meaningful connectivity, Jokkolabs Banjul is seeking support from partners committed to sustainable development, digital rights, and inclusive innovation in underserved areas of Africa.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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AfricaConnect3: Unlocking the potential of education and research through access to digital infrastructure in Africa
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The AfricaConnect3 Project <\/a>partners, UbuntuNet Alliance, WACREN, and ASREN, supported by G\u00c9ANT and co-funded by the European Union, jointly pledged to advance digital infrastructure, education technology services, and capacity building across Africa\u2019s research and education sectors. Through this commitment, they aim to empower National Research and Education Networks (NRENs) to increase engagement with policymakers and stakeholders to ensure that no students, educators, or researchers are left behind when it comes to digital transformation.

By 2025, AfricaConnect3 has made significant progress<\/a>, expanding high-speed, affordable internet access to over 9 million users in more than 3,000 institutions across 24 African countries. The project has improved access to critical digital services such as eduroam and eduID.africa, empowered over 5,000 NREN professionals and communities through 146 training sessions, and drove and advanced open science through targeted initiatives. With a strong emphasis on inclusion, nearly 2,000 women were trained, and four women-focused hackathons were delivered to promote gender empowerment in the digital space.

In 2022, AfricaConnect3 helped drive the adoption of the African Union\u2019s Digital Education Strategy<\/a>, which aims to establish and sustain 54 NRENs by 2027, marking a project milestone. AfricaConnect3 continues to advance inclusive digital education, foster global partnerships, and contribute to closing the gender gap in STEM across Africa.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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