Gillwald to ITU roundtable: Digital equity critical for social compact

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Research ICT Africa’s executive director, Dr Alison Gillwald, spoke at an International Telecommunications Union (ITU) Economic Experts Roundtable on 4 February 2021. The topic under discussion was “The telecommunications industry in the post-COVID world”.

The roundtable  was convened to understand and take stock of some of the changes and potential funding challenges within the telecommunications sector in the post-COVID 19 world. The discussion focused on the following questions:

  • What are the new business and operating models required to connect everyone?
  • Are there any potential investment approaches capable of achieving the goals of universal service?

Delivering her input at the roundtable, Gillwald said, “Digital equity will have to be a critical part of the social compact of any country that has committed to ensuring that post COVID19 economic reconstruction is transformative.”

“Getting Africa connected requires doing things differently, from access strategies to licensing and regulation to business models and taxation. We can’t continue doing the same things and hope for different outcomes,” she argued.

The findings of this roundtable will be compiled into a report and made available on the ITU’s website

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