Norway
Excellencies,
Distinguished Delegates,
It is my pleasure to join you today for this important gathering on bridging the digital divide, with its vital focus on Global South.
I extend my sincere thanks to the World Internet Conference for convening this open forum.
The theme of digital divides could not be more urgent.
As we increasingly rely on digital technologies to access education, healthcare, jobs, services, and civic participation, the divide between those who are connected ¡ª and those who are not ¡ª has become one of the defining challenges of our time.
As technologies evolve, so does the nature of the digital divide.
It is no longer just a question of cables, satellites, or cell towers.
It is about affordable devices, the skills to use them, and the confidence and support needed to navigate the online world safely.
It is a divide of opportunity.
Today, 2.6 billion people remain offline, the majority living in the world¡¯s least developed and lower-middle income countries.
This is where the digital gap remains widest, and where our efforts must now be consolidated.
We must also recognize the inequality within countries, even in those considered well-connected.
Remote and rural populations, refugees, indigenous peoples, women and girls, and persons with disabilities continue to face barriers to full digital inclusion.
These are not just gaps in access, but gaps in opportunity, which calls for a renewed focus on digital capacity development, and building partnerships that are inclusive, innovative, and sustained.
Forums like the World Internet Conference and the Internet Governance Forum are vital spaces for collaboration.
They provide essential spaces for global dialogue, coordination, and collaboration on digital policy.
Their true impact is realized when they are informed by what happens on the ground, because the roots of the digital divide are deeply local.
The solution lies in empowering local communities. The IGF has evolved into a global ecosystem with over 176 national, regional, subregional, and youth IGFs, now active worldwide.
These local and regional processes are not just complementary to our global efforts; they are foundational.
They give communities a voice, surface local innovations, and help shape policies that are relevant, inclusive, and grounded in lived realities.
To close the digital divide, we must strive for inclusive cooperation between global efforts and grassroots processes.
The priorities that emerge from the bottom up should guide investment in infrastructure, human capacity, and meaningful partnerships, ensuring that no community is left behind in the digital age.
Excellencies,
Distinguished Delegates,
We now have a golden opportunity.
The upcoming 20-year review of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS+20) allows us to renew our commitment to digital inclusion and meaningful access for all.
And we have made progress.
In 2015, during the WSIS+10 review, an estimated 4 billion people were offline.
Today -- allow me to reiterate -- that number has dropped to 2.6 billion.
This is a major improvement¡ª but still far too many remain unconnected.
Let us leverage global platforms to amplify solutions, to collaborate, share, and work together to build a truly inclusive and equitable digital future.
Thank you.