Broadband Commission adopts measures to extend internet access for COVID-19 fight

The Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development has adopted immediate measures that governments, industry, the international community and civil society can take to shore-up digital networks, strengthen capacity at critical connectivity points with the aim of strengthening collective response to the COVID-19 crisis now sweeping the world.

An emergency virtual meeting of the commission adopted three pillars: Resilient Connectivity, Affordable Access, and Safe Use for Informed and Educated Societies to get people connected as the world fight the pandemic.

The agenda serves as a framework for the Commission’s 50+ Commissioners and their organizations to share their own initiatives, make new commitments, and foster collaboration and partnership.

Over 100 representatives from around the world participated in the virtual meeting, which brought together stakeholders from international organizations, the tech sector, civil society and academia, including global CEOs, heads of agency, and leaders of tech and health industry bodies.

A special guest was UN Under-Secretary-General and Special Advisor, Fabrizio Hochschild, who made an impassioned plea to Commissioners and their organizations to enhance digital cooperation in response to COVID-19, and to do all in their power to combat misinformation and rising inequality, maximize access to relevant data for public good, and protect the millions of additional children joining the online community for the first time in order to connect to remote learning platforms.

Echoing these concerns, Henrietta Fore, Executive Director, UNICEF, said: “This pandemic is doing what any big shock will do, and increasing the distance between those who have and those who do not. In addition to the devastating immediate effects of COVID-19, the secondary impacts on education, jobs, and finances will continue to impact children, and the world’s most vulnerable, disproportionately in the years to come.”

In his opening remarks, International Telecommunications Union (ITU) Secretary-General and Commission Co-Vice Chair Houlin Zhao emphasized the vital importance of accelerating global efforts to connect the remaining half of the population still totally without internet access.

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