Development and Digitalisation in Africa: Italy's Cooperation Policy and Synergy with EU Plans

Closed-door invitation-only event

Despite significant growth in global connectivity—from 1 billion users in 2002 to 5.3 billion today—the digital divide remains severe, with disparities in access across regions, gender, and income. High costs and limited digital skills hinder progress, particularly in low-income countries. Without urgent global cooperation and inclusive policies, these inequalities will deepen. A joint Europe-Africa digital governance framework is crucial for a sustainable, equitable future. The high-level meeting brought together policymakers, experts, and industry representatives to discuss principles and practical approaches for governing digital transformation. Two IAI research papers were discussed during the event.