 | To access the Connecting Humanity Action Blueprint Report 2025 click here
To access the Executive Summary click here
Connecting Humanity, a study undertaken in 2020 by the ITU with the support of the Saudi Arabian G20 Presidency, offered the first comprehensive global estimate of what it would cost to close the digital divide. Five years later, that divide has narrowed slightly, to an estimated 2.6 billion people offline in 2024, but the gap persists at a time when the advent of AI will only exacerbate its consequences.
Now ITU has published a fresh assessment of Connecting Humanity, examining where we stand in 2025 and what it will take to reach the ITU's aspirational targets to achieve universal, meaningful connectivity by 2030. Prepared with the support of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Connecting Humanity Action Blueprint - Advancing sustainable, affordable and innovative solutions updates and expands on the first study.
This latest study evaluates the full extent of the digital divide, spanning gaps in digital infrastructure, policy and regulation, affordability, and skills. Building on the ITU's Digital Infrastructure Investment Initiative white paper published in January 2025 - which focused exclusively on infrastructure - this study estimates that USD $2.6-2.8 trillion is needed to close the divide when demand side considerations are included. The study offers a series of recommendations through market-tested case studies, partnership frameworks, monitoring and assessment guidelines, and transformative projects that can help meet the demands of the moment.
To access the Connecting Humanity 2020 report click here
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