Often defined as intentional partial or total disruptions of the internet or electronic communications, internet shutdowns are exploited by regimes to suppress dissent or impede communications during times of unrest. While the non-financial cost is measured in terms of human rights violations and obstruction of democratic processes and political stability, internet restrictions also cause a [...]
Humanitarian The Somali Cash Consortium, funded by the European Union, has launched a cash transfer programme estimated at USD$ 7.67 million to assist more than 115,000 vulnerable Somalis. A study by the Humanitarian Leadership Academy finds that poor access to the internet and technology hinders the quality of humanitarian learning. Migration The UN Refugee Agency [...]
The last couple of weeks have been busy with summit diplomacy. Areas of cooperation span from public health to economic recovery.The round of summits began with the meeting of G7. From a digital perspective, at the Group of Seven meeting, leaders reiterated that digital transformation plays an important role in increasing productivity, creating new decent [...]
Environment The European Court of Auditors has announced that Bulgaria and Croatia are the only two EU countries likely to achieve EU’s recycling targets on e-waste. Development The World Bank approved a loan estimated at US$11 million in order to advance connectivity and digital economy activities in Togo. Report finds that South Africa performs [...]
The age of digitalisation requires innovation and change. Diplomacy and foreign policy are adapting and evolving to accommodate these new realities. Taking into consideration the emergence of foreign policy strategies dedicated to digital issues, 2021 promises to be the year where we will see digital foreign policy emerge fully. While some countries included digital issues [...]
Climate action:Amid the lack of e-waste regulations, statistics show that Bangladesh generates 2.8 million tonnes of e-waste per year.The Filipino company Globe Telecom has set up over 100 e-waste collection points in the Philippines.The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the United Nations International Computing Centre (UNICC) announced collaboration to develop a [...]
#IGF2020: From Internet to digital governance? In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 15th IGF meeting was convened completely online. With over 250 sessions, this year’s conference was dedicated to 4 thematic tracks: Data, Environment, Inclusion, and Trust, that, in addition to addressing some of the most pressing digital policy issues, also explored the interplay [...]
Development Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), together with SMART Africa, has launched the online learning platform ‘atingi’ that aims to provide marginalised groups with better access to high-quality education. Israeli satellite operator Spacecom concluded an agreement with La Poste Senegal on the provision of high-quality Internet service in remote areas. According [...]
Development Tunisia’s ministries of education, and communication technologies, signed a memorandum of understanding to bring high-speed broadband Internet to schools. Chad will require CFA 452 billion to finance its newly released National Strategic Plan for Digital Development. The Nepal Telecommunication Authority (NTA) has announced the establishment of IT labs across 725 schools that aim to [...]
Development Facebook has launched the My Digital World, a project designed to equip the youth and general public across sub-Saharan Africa with digital skills. Pakistan has set up the Digital Victim Support Directory which provides child victims of violence, harassment, and abuse with information on finding support. Food security Liquid Telecom partnered with Kenya’s Twiga [...]