GSMA launches report on closing the digital divide in Central Asia and South Caucasus
Date: 2023-05-17
The GSMA has launched its latest ‘Closing the Digital Divide in Central Asia and the South Caucasus’ report, to mark the opening of M360 Eurasia 2023 which welcomes global leaders from the mobile ecosystem and adjacent industries for two days of learning, debate, and networking at the Four Seasons Hotel in Baku, Azerbaijan.
The new report also affirms that mobile technology is fundamental to expanding connectivity across the region, with over 40% of the population living in rural areas where mobile connectivity is the primary, and often only, form of internet access.
Speaking during the launch of the report, the Director General of the GSMA, Mats Granryd said since the first mobile call 50 years ago, the telecom industry has evolved, adapted, and advanced the world serving 5.4 billion unique customers.
According to him as the sector “enters
the era of intelligent connectivity, it feels like anything is possible, but it
has also never been more important for us to focus on closing the digital
divide. Together we must keep working to build a firm foundation for the next
generation of intelligent connectivity and ensure that no one is left behind in
our global digital economy.”
“I am delighted to welcome the
global connectivity community to Baku for M360 Eurasia,” said H.E. Rashad Nabiyev,
Minister of Digital Development and Transport for the Republic of Azerbaijan. “As we continue our digital transformation
journey in Azerbaijan, we look forward to hearing leaders in mobile and
technology explore the latest trends in connectivity and the importance of
digital resilience.”
Closing the Digital Divide in
Eurasia
M360 Eurasia comes to Baku as progress to build the digitally
powered economy of the future continues in the region, driven by ambitious
digital transformation initiatives and a general trend towards greater digitization.
The new report from the GSMA, which evaluates the connectivity
landscape of eight countries1 in Central Asia and the South Caucasus,
outlines the digital divide and spotlights ongoing initiatives in the region to
close it with recommended action points for stakeholders to accelerate
progress.
By: Kanto Okanta
