UN-backed initiative surpasses $100 billion in connectivity pledges
The International Telecommunication Union said its Partner2Connect Digital Coalition has drawn $121 billion in pledges since its 2021 launch, exceeding an initial $100 billion target. More than 1,000 pledges came from 149 countries and a range of governments, companies, international organisations and development banks, with projects now underway in over 190 countries. New commitments include the Asian Development Bank's plan to mobilise $20 billion for an Asia-Pacific Digital Highway by 2035 and Microsoft’s pledge to connect more than 450 community hubs in Kenya. The ITU cautioned that universal meaningful connectivity by 2030 could still need up to $2.8 trillion.
The coalition has raised $121 billion in pledges since 2021.
Context
The ITU launched Partner2Connect in 2021 to use public-private partnerships for connectivity. It set a $100 billion target by the end of this year and has now passed that goal. Projects and further pledges were announced at the WSIS summit.
The full analysis
19 dimensions on this story — world impact, market read, and what happens next.
- Full ContextLocked
- Affected SectorsLocked
- Stock ImpactLocked
- Economic IndicatorLocked
- Investor RelevanceLocked
- Professional RelevanceLocked
- Watch PointsLocked
- Probability of ChangeLocked
- Debate PointsLocked
- Follow-up QuestionsLocked
- Pros & ConsLocked