Distinguished colleagues,
ladies and gentlemen,
it is my pleasure to welcome you to this Executive Masterclass on “Beyond Connectivity”,
and to thank you for joining us today.
Over the past decade, as you know, the global policy conversation has shifted decisively.
Connectivity alone is no longer the end goal.
Today, the question for regulators and policymakers is how digital infrastructure translates into measurable socio‑economic outcomes:
jobs, productivity, inclusion, resilience and sustainable growth.
This masterclass is designed precisely to address that challenge.
It brings together two complementary products that will be officially launched this week at GSR-26.
Both have a crucial role to play in moving us from infrastructure deployment to evidence‑based digital policymaking.
First, the Connectivity Planning Platform, or CPP, focuses on the how of connectivity.
CPP is a data‑driven decision‑support platform that helps governments and regulators visualize existing infrastructure,
identify connectivity gaps,
and model cost‑effective technology options for connecting unserved and underserved areas.
For example, fibre and mobile networks or microwave and satellite solutions.
It transforms complex geospatial and infrastructure data into actionable planning and investment insights.
The second initiative is the Global Economic Model Study tool, or GEMS,
which provides a robust, data‑driven economic engine,
enabling countries to quantify the economic and social impact of broadband, digitalization and regulatory reform.
The GEMS tool enables policymakers to move beyond assumptions,
and translate connectivity scenarios into concrete estimates of GDP growth, job creation and productivity gains,
as well as inclusion outcomes.
It is a practical tool to support investment prioritization and policy trade‑offs,
and to ground decision-making in rigorous economic analysis.
What makes this masterclass unique is therefore, the integration of CPP and Global Economic Model Study (GEMS).
Put simply,
CPP shows us where and how to connect,
while GEMS allows us to assess what those connectivity choices mean for the economy and society.
Together, they provide a powerful, end‑to‑end framework enabling regulators to test scenarios,
strengthen investment cases,
and align connectivity planning with national development priorities.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Over the next few hours, this Executive Masterclass will move from concepts to practice.
You will explore how these tools can support regulatory decision‑making, investment dialogue and cross‑sector coordination,
particularly in the context of universal and meaningful connectivity.
I invite you to engage actively and consider how these tools can be implemented in your national and regional contexts.
With that, I am pleased to declare this Executive Masterclass open,
and I look forward to a rich and forward‑looking discussion.
Thank you!
