Navigating Internet Governance: Addressing Global Challenges and Pursuing Sustainable Development Goals

The Internet has become an essential tool for achieving sustainable development goals (SDGs). The United Nations (UN) recognizes the importance of the Internet in achieving the SDGs and convenes the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) annually to bring together stakeholders to discuss current and emerging Internet governance issues, as well as related opportunities and challenges in an open, inclusive, and transparent manner. The IGF is recognized as the widest-reaching international multi-stakeholder policy forum on Internet governance¹.

The Role of Internet Governance in Sustainable Development Goals

The IGF has enhanced the linkages between the Internet and sustainable development. The consensus at the 10th IGF underscored the contribution of Information Communications Technologies (ICTs) and the Internet to the achievement of the recently adopted 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development². Goal 9 of the agenda sets an ambitious target to “significantly increase access to information and communications technology and strive to provide universal and affordable access to the Internet in least developed countries by 2020”².The IGF 2016 Main Session assessed the role of Internet Governance in the Sustainable Development Goals³. The session aimed to exchange views on how the Internet can foster development and how to connect the 53% of the world’s population who are still not online1. The session highlighted the importance of the Internet in achieving the SDGs, including poverty reduction, education, health, gender equality, and environmental sustainability³.

Internet Governance and Sustainable Development: Towards a Common Agenda

The International Institute for Sustainable Development has published a paper titled “Internet Governance and Sustainable Development: Towards a Common Agenda” to facilitate a discourse around linkages among the issues considered under the Internet governance and sustainable development⁴. The goal of the paper is to identify the key issues that need to be addressed to ensure that the Internet is used to promote sustainable development.

As of 2021, the internet penetration rate in Africa stood at around 43%, which is below the global average of 66%.⁵ However, between 2019 and 2021, internet use in Africa jumped by 23%.⁶ The number of people connected to the internet in Africa doubled to 28% over the last eight years.⁷The internet penetration rate varies by country in Africa. South Africa has the highest internet penetration rate at 68.2%, followed by Tunisia at 66.7%, Mauritius at 64.9%, and Gabon at 62%.⁹ In Nigeria, there were 109.2 million internet users in January 2022, while in Egypt, there were 75.66 million internet users in the same period¹⁰.Despite the growth in internet use, there is still a coverage gap of over 840 million people in Africa who do not have access to the internet⁷. Expensive internet also hinders investor activity in some African countries⁸.

According to a new report, Asia now accounts for about half of all internet users in the world¹². The internet penetration rate in Asia was 67.4% in 2022, which was more than double the internet penetration rate in Asia in 2011¹³. The Asia-Pacific region has the highest number of internet users in the world, being the most populated region worldwide¹⁴.Internet usage in Southeast Asia increased with 40 million new users added in 2021 for a total of 440 million, up from 360 million in 2019¹⁴. From the year 2000 to 2023, the usage of the internet increased by 1,355%, and in 2023, Asia continues to account for the majority of internet users¹⁵.

According to the World Bank, only about 35% of the population in developing countries has access to the internet, compared to about 80% in advanced economies¹⁶. However, the global online access rate was 66% in 2022¹⁷. The total number of internet users in the world is estimated to be between 4.3 billion to 5 billion active users¹⁸.Asia accounts for about half of all internet users in the world¹⁹. In Africa, the internet penetration rate stood at around 43% in 2021, which is below the global average of 66%²⁰.

Conclusion

The Internet can play a key role in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. The IGF provides a platform for stakeholders to discuss current and emerging Internet governance issues, as well as related opportunities and challenges in an open, inclusive, and transparent manner. The IGF has enhanced the linkages between the Internet and sustainable development, and consensus has underscored the contribution of ICTs and the Internet to the achievement of the recently adopted 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

References:

1. IGF 2016 Main Session: Assessing the role of Internet Governance in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
2. Internet can play key role in achieving SDGs, officials say at IGF opening | UN DESA
3. 10th Internet Governance Forum enhances the linkages between the Internet and sustainable development – the United Nations
4. Internet Governance and Sustainable Development: Towards a Common Agenda – International Institute for Sustainable Development
5. Internet usage in Africa – statistics & facts – Statista
6. Internet penetration in Africa January 2022, by country – Statista
7. Internet in Africa – Wikipedia
8. The Internet Society Pledges to Expand Internet Access in Africa
9. As Africa’s digital economy grows, expensive internet hinders investor activity in some countries | TechCrunch
10. 10 African countries that have the most number of internet users in 2022
11. 3 trends driving the Asia internet boom, including Singapore & Indonesia – Tech Wire Asia
12. Internet usage grows in Southeast Asia | Opportimes
13. Internet penetration rate Asia 2010-2022 – Statista
14. Key Internet Statistics in 2023 (Including Mobile) – BroadbandSearch
15. Internet usage in the Asia-Pacific region – statistics & facts – Statista
16. Global internet access rate 2005-2022, by market maturity – Statista
17. Global Internet usage – Wikipedia
18. Connecting for Inclusion: Broadband Access for All – World Bank
19. List of countries by number of Internet users – Wikipedia
20. 3 trends driving the Asia internet boom, including Singapore & Indonesia – Tech Wire Asia
21. Internet usage in Africa – statistics & facts – Statista