Despite the great progress in deepening regional connectivity through information and communication technologies, Asia and the Pacific is still the most digitally divided region in the world, with less than eight per cent of the population connected to affordable and reliable high-speed Internet. As a result, millions of people are shut out from transformative digital opportunities in education, health and financial services. Women and girls, in particular, have lower levels of access to broadband Internet and other knowledge-enhancing technologies. The Asia-Pacific Information Superhighway initiative aims to increase the availability and affordability of broadband Internet for all people across Asia and the Pacific.The ESCAP IDD Youtube channel can be viewed here.
Working Group 1 (WG1) of the Asia-Pacific Information Superhighway (AP-IS) focuses on the first pillar of the AP-IS Action Plan (2022-2026), ‘Connectivity for All’, which aims to connect people, organizations, and things anywhere and all the time.
Key themes under the first pillar and WG1 include:
About AP-IS
Since 2016, the ESCAP secretariat has been promoting the Asia-Pacific Information Superhighway initiative (AP-IS). As a region-wide intergovernmental platform, AP-IS aims to bridge the digital divide and accelerate digital transformation by promoting digital connectivity, digital technology and data use in the Asia Pacific region.
In particular, this AP-IS platform:
Today, as the world is dealing with the unprecedented challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, it is becoming increasingly evident that countries invested in ICT energy and transport infrastructure and whose people and businesses are better connected, including through digital platforms are progressing better than others. Weak connectivity is causing an economic slowdown, limiting internal and cross-border freight and passenger operations, trade, and transits.
The on-going pandemic of COVID-19 has shown the great extent with which we rely upon the digital services to sustain our normal existence.
The same services during the time of need can transform into a source of innovation and hope, and become powerful tools to manage hazard and exposure. While there is a little doubt that our recovery effort success with leaving no one behind will depend on the reliable, high quality, accessible and affordable digital services and the underlying ICTs.
Partnership Portal on Co-deployment is aimed to support ICT infrastructure co-deployment with road transport and energy infrastructure. The web- portal provides developers and owners of ICT, road and energy infrastructure and other stakeholders an opportunity:
