ISTANBUL – Some of the world’s poorest countries experienced a jump in mobile cellular connectivity, but Internet use remains low, according to figures released by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) at a conference in Turkey this week.
Access to voice and simple data connectivity in the world’s 48 UN-designated least developed countries (LDC) rose from an average of 1.2% of the population to almost 30% in just ten years, bringing connectivity to almost 250 million people in LDCs. ITU figures confirmed that while the number of fixed lines has barely risen in LDCs over the past decade, reflecting global trends, mobile access has mushroomed, with cumulative annual growth rates over the past five years of 42.6% in LDCs compared to just 7.1% in developed countries.
The past decade has also seen “significant progress” in getting LDC residents on-line, with 2.5% average Internet penetration by the end of 2010, compared to under 0.3% in 2001. But according to ITU Secretary-General Dr Hamadoun Touré, that number is still much too low.
“People ask me if Internet penetration is really such a high priority for people who, on a daily basis, face a lack of safe drinking water, rising food prices, and a chronic shortage of healthcare,” said Dr Touré, in a statement. “My answer is a resounding ‘yes’. Because the Internet – and especially broadband – is an extraordinary enabler which has potential to massively expand the effective delivery of vital services, such as healthcare and education. Nowhere is this more important than in countries where people are chronically deprived of these services.”
The ITU also announced five key commitments designed to help countries better exploit ICTs to drive development. In brief, they cover:
– Actions to increase the average phone density in LDCs to 25 lines per 100 inhabitants and the number of Internet connections to 15 per 100 inhabitants by 2020;
– A comprehensive capacity building and digital inclusion program;
– Strategies to help LDCs maximize the selection and use of appropriate new technologies, such as broadband, digital broadcasting and next-generation networks;
– Assistance in dealing with cybersecurity issues and strategies to build trust and confidence in ICT networks; and
– Assistance in creating and maintaining a propitious environment for LDC development through an enabling policy and regulatory environment.
Click here for more on the ITU’s involvement in least developed countries.
