“Around 5,3 billion people in the world use the internet and although growth continues to be encouraging, the trend suggests that, without new investments in infrastructure and a new drive to create new digital knowledge, the chances of connecting the world's population by 2030 seems increasingly scarce”, said the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) in a statement.
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In 2022, 2,7 billion people do not have access to the internet; in 2019, before Covid-19, there were 3,6 billion.
the pandemic “It gave us a good boost in terms of connectivity, but we have to maintain the same pace to ensure that everyone can benefit”, highlighted Houlin Zhao, secretary general of the organization.
Regional disparities remain strong: Europe ranks first with 89% of its population connected and the Americas show rates above 80%, but in regions like Africa the connection only reaches 40% of the population.
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The ITU identified the main challenges: populations still offline live in more remote and difficult-to-reach areas, and moving from basic connectivity to relevant connectivity – in which people are able to use the internet regularly and in a way that improves their lives – is complex .
To reach a fully connected global population, the organization advocates “more investments in digital networks and technologies, regulation and training”.
(With AFP)
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