To the G20: It’s time for universal connectivity and to digitalize small enterprises

The B20 Digitalization Taskforce urges G20 governments to prioritize universal connectivity and the digitalization of MSMEs to prevent a widening digital divide. The taskforce highlights that digital technology could reduce global emissions by 15% by 2030 and that increasing mobile broadband adoption correlates with GDP growth, particularly in low-income countries. Key recommendations include removing network deployment barriers, maximizing spectrum availability, and addressing the digital skills gap, which remains a primary barrier to internet access in Africa, Latin America, and Asia.

• The B20 Digitalization Taskforce provided four primary recommendations to G20 governments: driving universal connectivity, building a sustainable and resilient digital economy, ensuring a digital-ready mindset for individuals and MSMEs via digital platforms, and promoting interoperable, technology-neutral cyber security standards.
• Digital technology is presented as a tool for environmental and economic gain, with the potential to lower global emissions by 15% by 2030. Additionally, a 10% rise in mobile broadband adoption can boost GDP by up to 0.8%, an effect that is more pronounced in low-income nations.
• There is a significant investment gap and a risk of a widening digital divide; the ITU estimates that $428 billion in additional investment is required over 10 years to provide high-quality broadband to the unconnected population by 2030. Disparities in technology adoption are evident, with 5G expected to represent 90% of mobile subscriptions in North America by 2027 compared to only 10% in sub-Saharan Africa.
• Digital literacy and skills are the most significant self-reported barriers to internet access for one-third of people in East and South Asia, Latin America, and Africa. In Indonesia specifically, the government requires nine million new digital talents by 2030 to support the digital economy.
• MSMEs, which comprise approximately 90% of global enterprises and 50% of global GDP, are critical to the growth of the internet economy. In Africa, the internet economy is estimated to contribute 5.2% of GDP by 2025.

APA

Ekholm, B. (2022). To the G20: It’s time for universal connectivity and to digitalize small enterprises. World Economic Forum. https://www.weforum.org/stories/sustainable-development/to-the-g20-its-time-to-prioritise-universal-connectivity/

Chicago

Ekholm, Börje. To the G20: It’s time for universal connectivity and to digitalize small enterprises. World Economic Forum, 2022. https://www.weforum.org/stories/sustainable-development/to-the-g20-its-time-to-prioritise-universal-connectivity/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Ekholm |first1=Börje |title=To the G20: It’s time for universal connectivity and to digitalize small enterprises |publisher=World Economic Forum |date=17 November 2022 |url=https://www.weforum.org/stories/sustainable-development/to-the-g20-its-time-to-prioritise-universal-connectivity/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{ekholm2022g20, author = {Ekholm, Börje}, title = {{To the G20: It’s time for universal connectivity and to digitalize small enterprises}}, publisher = {World Economic Forum}, year = {2022}, month = nov, url = {https://www.weforum.org/stories/sustainable-development/to-the-g20-its-time-to-prioritise-universal-connectivity/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }