International Telecommunication Union
Measuring Global Digital Development: Facts and Figures 2023
Steady but uneven progress in global Internet connectivity highlights the disparities of the digital divide and is leaving people in low-income countries behind. Approximately sixty-seven percent of the world's population, or 5.4 billion people, is now online.
Measuring digital development: Facts and figures 2021
A new report from the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the United Nations specialized agency for information and communication technologies (ICTs), reveals strong global growth in Internet use, with the estimated number of people who have used the Internet surging to 4.9 billion in 2021, from an estimated 4.1 billion in 2019. This comes as good news for global development. However, ITU data confirms that the ability to connect remains profoundly unequal. An estimated 37 percent of the world's population – or 2.9 billion people – have still never used the Internet.
Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development Holds Annual Meeting
The Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development met to reaffirm its call for digital cooperation, innovation with information and communication technologies (ICTs), and collaborative approaches to secure universal connectivity and access to digital skills.
ITU launches Partner2Connect Digital Coalition to bridge the digital divide by 2030
The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) announced the launch of the Partner2Connect Digital Coalition to foster meaningful connectivity and digital transformation in the world’s hardest-to-connect countries.
ITU and partners launch action plan to boost digital connectivity during COVID-19 – and beyond
International Telecommunication Union, the World Bank, Global System for Mobile Communications (GSMA) and the World Economic Forum (WEF) have launched an accelerated action plan to better leverage digital technologies and infrastructure in support of citizens, governments and businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic.
ITU Guidelines for national emergency telecommunication plans
In the face of the global coronavirus crisis, as in any other emergency, the speed and efficiency of our response is proportional to the level of preparedness.
ITU elects first woman and other top managers to lead UN agency for technology
The 20th Plenipotentiary Conference of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) elected the first woman to one of five top executive positions in the history of the organization. Member States of ITU, the United Nations specialized agency for information and communication technology, completed the elections for the posts of ITU Secretary-General, ITU Deputy Secretary-General, Director of ITU's Telecommunication Standardization Bureau (TSB) and Director of ITU's Telecommunication Development Bureau (BDT). The winning candidates are:
The State of Broadband 2018: Broadband Catalyzing Sustainable Development
A growing number of governments now benchmark the status of broadband in their national broadband plans. The report shows for the first time that at least 15 countries now have strategies in place for promoting the safe use of Artificial Intelligence.
Digital Skills Toolkit
This toolkit provides stakeholders with guidance on developing a digital skills strategy. It is intended for policymakers, along with partners in the private sector, non-governmental organizations, and academia. Its overarching aim is to facilitate the development of a comprehensive digital skills strategy at country level. It is also possible to use this guide to focus on selected priorities that require a fresh approach.