GENEVA: Despite reaching record levels of internet connectivity, approximately one-third of the world’s population remains without access to the internet, as per the latest statistics released by the United Nations (UN) on Tuesday.
The data, compiled by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the UN agency responsible for information and communication technologies, highlights that roughly 100 million more people have gained internet access since the last census conducted by ITU. This means that 67 percent of the world’s population, equivalent to 5.4 billion individuals, is now connected to the internet. However, a significant portion comprising 2.6 billion people remains unconnected.
ITU Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin acknowledged the positive progress in connectivity, noting, “This improvement in connectivity is another step in the right direction.” She emphasized the commitment to ensuring that meaningful connectivity becomes a reality for everyone, everywhere, stating, “We won’t rest until we live in a world where meaningful connectivity is a lived reality for everyone, everywhere.”
Significance of Internet Connectivity
The ITU chief stressed that continuous and concerted efforts are necessary to achieve universal and meaningful connectivity by 2030. While the developed world has already achieved significant internet penetration, the greatest growth potential for connectivity lies in low-income countries.
The latest global estimates underline that the substantial growth in connectivity observed during the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 was of a transient nature and has not been sustained. The ITU’s report on Tuesday cautioned that the current trends are insufficient to guarantee the realization of the objective of universal and meaningful connectivity by 2030.
As the digital divide continues to persist, the UN and its partners are actively working to bridge this gap and ensure that internet access becomes an equitable and accessible resource for people across the globe. The pursuit of universal connectivity remains a critical goal to enable access to information, education, economic opportunities, and social inclusion for all.
