Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, 19 December 2023 –Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) President, H.E Dr.  Muhammad Al Jasser has called for a global "coalition of the willing" at the Digital Government Forum in Riyadh, urging concerted action to bridge the digital divide and connect the estimated 2.7 billion people still offline.

"The digital economy is a lucrative business," Al Jasser declared. "Telecommunication and digital industry can be good for business ." He warned against leaving marginalized communities behind, suggesting that it is a  stigma in a 21st-century world increasingly driven by digital access to have digitally excluded communities.

President Al Jasser expressed optimism about connecting everyone but stressed the need for collective action. "We need a coalition of the willing to bring the infrastructure and skills needed to ensure digital inclusion," he said, praising South-South cooperation and the IsDB's "Reverse Linkages" program as models for knowledge and skill transfer to empower developing nations.

The IsDB President acknowledged Saudi Arabia's leading role in the digitalization drive and hosting the forum. He also expressed gratitude to the Saudi Minister of Communications and Information Technology, H.E. Eng. Abdullah Al Swaha, and the Governor of the Saudi Digital Government Authority, H.E. Eng. Ahmed Al Suwaiyan, for the invitation to speak and the great achievements made in the digital economy of Saudi Arabia.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Dr. Al Jasser revealed IsDB's commitment to digital inclusion through the development of its Digital Inclusion Operational Strategy 2024-27, which includes a US$ 250 million budget to address the gap between digital haves and have-nots. This financial commitment is aimed at addressing the digital divide by implementing targeted initiatives, fostering ICT infrastructure, and integrating technology into critical development sectors.

He further highlighted the importance of enhancing the investment environment for the private sector and underlined that governments need to establish a regulatory framework and a reliable ecosystem to attract investments. Additionally, governments should actively participate in fostering the skills essential for the digital economy, a responsibility shared by all development partners. He emphasized that skilling is just as crucial as building the digital infrastructure.

Additionally, Dr. Al Jasser tackled the prominent challenges in bridging the digital divide, emphasizing the substantial investment required for universal connectivity by 2030. Notably, IsDB member countries confront a major hurdle, with over 820 million people, equivalent to 40% of the Muslim world, lacking internet connectivity. The financial need to achieve universal connectivity by 2030 for IsDB 57 Member Countries amounts to US$ 136 billion. The Bank has funded digital infrastructure projects in various African and Asian Member Countries, but more is needed to meet growing demands.