The global drive to connect the world’s unconnected has reached a major financial milestone, with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) announcing that commitments under its Partner2Connect (P2C) Digital Coalition have exceeded $100 billion.
Yet the United Nations agency says the achievement also highlights the enormous challenge ahead, as one in every four people worldwide still has no access to the Internet.
The announcement, made at the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Forum 2026 in Geneva on Wednesday, underscores the widening gap between rapid advances in artificial intelligence and digital technologies and the billions of people who remain excluded from the digital economy.
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While governments, development banks and technology companies continue to pour billions into broadband infrastructure and digital skills, ITU estimates that achieving universal and meaningful connectivity by 2030 will require between $2.6 trillion and $2.8 trillion, meaning today’s commitments represent only a small fraction of the investment still needed.
“Partner2Connect having surpassed its $100 billion goal is a landmark achievement in global efforts towards universal meaningful connectivity. Today is a powerful reminder that every pledge makes a difference to bring everyone on board our shared digital future,” said Doreen Bogdan-Martin, ITU secretary-general.
The milestone comes at a time when Internet access is increasingly viewed as essential infrastructure, underpinning education, healthcare, financial services, government services and economic growth.
However, despite rapid technological progress, about two billion people remain offline, with many living in developing economies where broadband infrastructure is limited, Internet services remain expensive and digital literacy is low.
Since launching the Partner2Connect coalition in 2021, ITU has secured more than 1,000 commitments from 149 countries, bringing together governments, telecom operators, technology firms, development finance institutions and civil society organisations.
Projects are now underway in more than 190 countries, with Africa and Asia-Pacific accounting for the largest share of implementation.
The latest pledges announced during Geneva Digital Week show that the global connectivity agenda is increasingly expanding beyond broadband deployment to include artificial intelligence infrastructure, cybersecurity and digital skills.
Among the biggest commitments, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) announced plans to mobilise $20 billion by 2035 for the Asia-Pacific Digital Highway, a regional initiative expected to improve digital connectivity for as many as 650 million people through expanded cross-border infrastructure and broadband networks.
Microsoft also announced two major investments. The technology company will connect more than 450 rural and underserved community hubs in Kenya using satellite-enabled infrastructure integrated with Azure Space while investing approximately $18 billion in Australia through 2029 to expand cloud computing and AI infrastructure, improve cyber resilience and train more than three million Australians in AI and digital skills.
Boston Consulting Group committed $500 million to scaling artificial intelligence solutions across education, healthcare, workforce development and poverty reduction programmes.
Chinese telecommunications equipment maker ZTE pledged $450 million over the next three years to build AI partnerships and support intelligent digital transformation globally.
South Africa’s Telkom committed $6.1 million to establish an AI Institute that will equip citizens with digital and artificial intelligence skills, while Japan’s SoftBank pledged to advance AI-ready connectivity through next-generation AI-powered radio access networks.
Meanwhile, the GSMA announced support for the development of African AI language models designed to ensure artificial intelligence better reflects African languages, cultures and local knowledge.
The new commitments illustrate a growing shift in global digital development priorities.
Instead of focusing solely on connecting people to the Internet, governments and technology companies are now investing in digital ecosystems capable of supporting AI-powered economies, cloud computing and future digital industries.
For developing countries, however, expanding basic Internet access remains the immediate priority.
ITU data show that investments in digital infrastructure continue to account for the largest share of commitments, reflecting persistent shortages of broadband networks in underserved communities.
Women are the biggest beneficiaries of current Partner2Connect projects, followed by children and persons with disabilities, as governments seek to narrow long-standing digital inequalities.
For Africa, where many countries continue to struggle with limited broadband coverage, high data costs and unreliable digital infrastructure, the coalition’s investments could help accelerate national broadband plans and strengthen digital inclusion.
Nigeria, for example, is pursuing ambitious broadband expansion targets under its National Broadband Plan while seeking greater investment in fibre-optic infrastructure to improve connectivity and support its growing digital economy.
But the ITU’s latest figures suggest that achieving universal Internet access will require far more than isolated investment announcements.
Cosmas Luckyson Zavazava, director of ITU’s Telecommunication Development Bureau, said the coalition’s next phase will focus on translating financial commitments into measurable development outcomes.
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“Reaching $100 billion in Partner2Connect pledges is a defining milestone in our journey toward universal digital development. Now is the time to turn these pledges into impactful projects, aligning countries’ and regional priorities with partner commitments, and ensure results across all regions,” he said.
The achievement also reflects growing recognition that digital connectivity is becoming as important to economic development as roads, electricity and transport infrastructure.
Yet with a quarter of humanity still offline and trillions of dollars still required to close the digital divide, the ITU says the world’s biggest connectivity challenge is no longer attracting pledges, it is delivering affordable, reliable Internet access to the billions of people who remain disconnected from the opportunities of the digital age.
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