The International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the United Nations agency focused on digital technologies, has announced a significant new round of commitments to its Partner2Connect (P2C) Digital Coalition, totalling US$73 billion pledged toward achieving universal and meaningful connectivity.
These latest commitments, unveiled at the Mobile World Congress 2025 (MWC25), highlight the increasing collaboration among leading mobile and satellite industry players to close the digital divide.
The Partner2Connect initiative seeks to mobilize resources and pledges to enhance global connectivity efforts, strengthen digital infrastructure, and ensure the Internet is accessible. “In space, on land, and under the sea, our extensive digital infrastructure demonstrates humanity’s value and reliance on meaningful connectivity,” stated ITU Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin. “These new commitments bring us closer to our ambition of realizing sustainable digital transformation for everyone, everywhere.”
- MTN Group has consistently invested about US$2 billion annually in capital expenditures across its markets over the past five years. The company plans to maintain this level of investment moving forward, enhancing voice and data networks to improve connectivity and coverage for its customers. MTN Group views these investments as essential for promoting digital inclusion and supporting economic progress in Africa’s key markets.
- Globalstar, committing US$ 2 billion to expand its Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite network. This investment aims to offer seamless, low-latency, and energy-efficient connectivity for direct-to-device (D2D) and Internet of Things (IoT) solutions, particularly in remote areas lacking reliable communication.
The announced pledges come as ITU celebrates its 160th anniversary in 2025, reaffirming its mission to foster a better digital future for all by promoting inclusion for those currently unconnected, accelerating sustainable digitization, and empowering individuals to leverage digital technologies.
ITU’s Facts & Figures report shows that an estimated 2.6 billion people remain offline globally. To address this gap, ITU has set a target of securing US$1 billion in commitments to the Partner2Connect initiative by 2026, focusing on projects that drive digital transformation, particularly for hard-to-reach communities.
The demand for robust digital infrastructure worldwide is pressing. ITU estimates that approximately US$1.6 trillion will be required solely for hardware to complete global connectivity, with developing countries needing most of these resources.
The new commitments are earmarked for expanding and improving digital infrastructure, bolstering connectivity in underserved regions, and fast-tracking digital transformation through innovative technologies.
Over 1,000 pledges have been made to the Partner2Connect platform by stakeholders, including governments and industry players, spanning 147 countries.
