Haiti’s international connectivity relies on a small number of high-impact assets, including at least two submarine cable entry points. These are the BDSNi landing in Port-au-Prince and Fibralink landing at Kaliko, which provide comparatively strong redundancy for a small market. However, national resilience still depends on terrestrial backhaul.
On digital finance, Haiti stands out regionally for the weight of cross-border flows: personal remittances were 16.3% of GDP in 2024 (World Bank), far above the Latin America and Caribbean average (2.5%) and above the Caribbean subregional average (9.2% in 2024; 10.0% projected in 2025) reported by the IDB. This remittance intensity supports (and pressures) digital rails, such as mobile wallets. According to GSMA, MonCash saw transaction volumes rise by over 2,000% and value by 950% during the growth period it studied.
On digital governance and ‘enablers’, Haiti updated its e-signature / e-evidence framework via a decree published in Le Moniteur (Spécial No. 55) on 27 August 2025, with local reporting noting an accompanying implementing instrument intended to make the framework effective in practice. Technically, Haiti also has a functioning Internet Exchange Point (HIX Haiti): Internet Society Pulse (Nov 2025) lists 5 Gbps capacity, four member ASNs, and some RPKI use among members, which are positive indicators for local traffic efficiency and routing security.
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Brazil has been an active participant in global internet governance discussions, particularly through the Internet Governance Forum (IGF). Brazil hosted the IGF in 2007, reaffirming its commitment to fostering dialogue around internet governance at the international level. Through forums like the IGF and the NetMundial Initiative, Brazil advocates for an open, multistakeholder internet that transcends national borders.
Brazil ranks among the world’s most digitally connected nations. As of early 2025, it was the fifth-largest internet economy, with approximately 182 million users and 86–87 percent internet penetration—figures that outpace many regional peers. Fixed broadband speeds are relatively high for the region, with median fixed-line connections exceeding 140 Mbps and mobile speeds around 47 Mbps.
Brazil is a critical international digital gateway, underpinned by a complex network of submarine cables that connect it across the Americas, Europe, Africa, and beyond. Key operational systems include SAm‑1, which has served since 2000 to link Brazil with the U.S., Puerto Rico, and multiple Latin American countries; the Monet cable (2017), connecting two Brazilian coastal cities—Praia Grande and Fortaleza—with Boca Raton in the US across more than 10,500 km, offering around 64 Tbps capacity; and the high-capacity BRUSA system (2018), operated by Telefónica, linking Rio de Janeiro and Fortaleza to Puerto Rico and Virginia Beach, with cutting-edge ROADM technology across 8 fiber pairs.
Brazil also plays a strategic role in intercontinental digital routing anchored in Fortaleza. The SACS cable (2018) directly connects Angola and Brazil, providing 40 Tbps across four fibre pairs and bypassing traditional Europe- or U.S.-centric routes. Similarly, EllaLink (2021) establishes a low-latency (~60 ms round-trip) connection between Europe (Portugal) and Fortaleza, with a design capacity of around 100 Tbps via four fibre pairs—strengthening digital sovereignty and neutral intercontinental connectivity. Emerging routes like UNISUR and AMX‑1 further diversify Brazil’s network footprint, linking it with Argentina, Uruguay, and multiple Caribbean and Central American nations (AMX‑1 spans ~17,800 km)
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Guinea-Bissau has an internet penetration of around 32-33% of its population (≈ 720-750 thousand users) as of early 2025. It has more mobile connections than people — mobile connections account for about 118% of total population — with about 80%+ of those connections being ‘broadband capable’ (i.e. 3G/4G/5G networks) though actual usage lags.
Among its stronger regional indicators is mobile money’s contribution to GDP: in 2023, mobile money accounted for over 5% of GDP in Guinea-Bissau, putting it in a group of West African countries where digital financial services are becoming significant economic contributors.
However, Guinea-Bissau faces notable constraints: its cybersecurity preparedness is very low (score ~ 10/100 in the Global Cybersecurity Index), and its internet resilience score is about 20%, meaning it is not yet well placed to absorb outages, disruptions, or security threats. Also, market competition among ISPs is poor, locally cached content is minimal (< 1%), IPv6 adoption is almost nonexistent (< 1%), and cost of basic internet is quite high relative to income.
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Bolivia’s digital landscape reflects rapid infrastructure growth and emerging institutional initiatives despite persistent gaps. The country expanded its national fibre-optic network from 5,000 km to over 27,000 km and connected nearly 9,000 underserved rural locations through the PRONTIS program. Internet penetration has reached approximately 70% as of 2025, and mobile subscriptions now exceed the population, with a rate of over 108%. Bolivia also significantly improved its internet exchange point (IXP), reducing domestic latency from over 600ms to around 11ms—placing it among regional leaders in local traffic efficiency.
Bolivia does not yet have a comprehensive national digital strategy or AI strategy, but foundational initiatives exist. Law No. 31814 (2023) introduces principles for responsible AI adoption and designates the Secretariat of Government and Digital Transformation as the oversight authority. AGETIC leads digital government efforts through the Digital Citizenship Law, Digital Agenda 2025 process, and inclusive literacy programs, while recent efforts, such as the Lab‑IA AI lab for fiscal analytics and geospatial AI tools for vaccination planning, signal early-stage integration of emerging technologies.
However, Bolivia continues to lag in cybersecurity and data protection. It has no operational national CERT, no data protection authority, and no enacted comprehensive privacy law—though draft legislation has been pending since 2018. Despite these gaps, Bolivia stands out regionally for its progress in rural connectivity access, low-latency national routing, and public–private collaborations in telecom innovation and AI experimentation. Continued investment and regulatory development will be key to sustaining inclusive digital transformation.
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Costa Rica has established itself as one of the regional leaders in internet governance and digital rights, with a strong commitment to the multistakeholder model. The country created the Internet Governance Council (CCI) to guide digital policy and operates NIC Costa Rica, which manages the .cr domain and runs CRIX, the national Internet Exchange Point. Internet access is recognised as a human right, and Costa Rica consistently ranks at the top of Latin America in terms of internet freedom, reflecting both legal protections and institutional safeguards.
Digital infrastructure has expanded considerably, anchored by multiple submarine cable connections and soon to be strengthened by the TAM-1 system, which will increase international bandwidth capacity more than twentyfold by 2025. This development positions Costa Rica among the most connected countries in Central America. Domestic infrastructure is supported by CRIX and a competitive telecommunications sector, with broadband and mobile penetration among the highest in the region.
The country has also advanced in digital services and innovation. The National Artificial Intelligence Strategy (2024–2027) made Costa Rica one of the first in Central America to adopt a comprehensive AI policy, emphasising ethics and alignment with UNESCO standards.
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Chile has built one of the most advanced digital ecosystems in Latin America, supported by strong infrastructure, progressive regulation, and strategic planning. It was the first country in the world to legislate net neutrality (2010) and has continued to lead regionally in broadband development and connectivity. With projects such as Fibra Óptica Austral and participation in international submarine cables like Curie, Chile has extended high-capacity networks across remote areas. Its flagship Humboldt cable, developed with Google, will connect South America to Oceania, positioning Chile as a strategic hub for intercontinental digital traffic.
Cloud and data infrastructure are expanding rapidly, making Chile one of the largest and fastest-growing data centre markets in the region. Global providers such as AWS, Microsoft, Google, and Huawei are investing heavily, with AWS planning a US$4 billion cloud region by 2026 and Microsoft already operating its first Chilean region. Combined with a renewable energy base and political stability, these factors place Chile among the regional leaders in cloud readiness, low-latency infrastructure, and digital services integration. Domestic initiatives like Chile Digital 2035 set clear targets for universal 5G coverage and 100% digitalisation of public services by 2035.
Policy frameworks reinforce this technological base with comprehensive coverage of cybersecurity, data protection, and artificial intelligence. The National Cybersecurity Policy 2023–2028, supported by the 2024 Cybersecurity Framework Law, created a dedicated agency and mandatory security obligations for essential services. Chile has also modernised its data protection regime with Law No. 21,719, aligning closely with GDPR standards and introducing an independent supervisory authority from 2026. Its National AI Policy 2021–2030 and draft AI Bill place the country among the few in the region to legislate AI under a risk-based model.
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Barbados has one of the more advanced connectivity profiles in the Caribbean. Flow’s completion of a nationwide fibre-to-the-home rollout in 2021 made Barbados the first island in the region with 100% FTTH coverage, replacing copper entirely. Internet use is high for a small island state, with around 80% of the population online in 2023, positioning Barbados among the better-connected Caribbean economies.
On the regulatory side, Barbados has a comprehensive, GDPR-style Data Protection Act 2019-29, in force since March 2021, which regional overviews describe as one of the more advanced privacy regimes in the Caribbean. This sits alongside modern telecommunications and e-transactions laws, giving the country a relatively sophisticated legal framework for digital services compared to many of its neighbours.
Digital adoption is also visible in payments and services. The Central Bank’s Digital Payments Index shows cheque usage more than halving over the last decade, while direct electronic transfers grew by over 700% and cash in circulation fell sharply, signalling broad uptake of digital channels. Combined with full-fibre connectivity, these trends underpin an active digital government agenda and position Barbados near the regional frontier on several key digital indicators, even if its AI and cloud ecosystems are still in an early development phase.
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The DRC’s digital transformation is anchored in the Plan National du Numérique – Horizon 2025, which frames digital development around infrastructure, services, content, and governance. The Presidency’s 2026 launch of RDC-PASS, a free, unique digital identifier, presents digital identity as the entry point for public-service transformation under the DRC Digital Transformation Vision 2030 strategy.
DRC’s digital rulebook
In 2023, the DRC adopted Ordonnance-Loi No. 23/010 portant Code du numérique, a broad legal framework that brings many digital issues under one roof: digital services, infrastructure, electronic transactions, cybersecurity, data protection, e-commerce, digital identity and platform governance. It is the country’s core framework for digital activities, services, infrastructure, cybersecurity, electronic transactions and data protection, while DLA Piper notes that it also anchors the country’s personal data protection regime.
Regarding connectivity, the landing of the 2Africa submarine cable off Muanda connects DRC to one of the world’s largest subsea cable projects, while Raxio DRC1 adds local carrier-neutral Tier III data-centre capacity in Kinshasa. These are significant building blocks for cloud, local hosting, fintech, content delivery, and public platforms, but the harder task remains inland distribution across a vast territory where electricity, fibre backhaul, affordability, and rural coverage are still binding constraints.
The World Bank’s DRC Digital Transformation Project brings a USD 400 million IDA credit plus EUR 100 million from AFD to expand inclusive internet access and strengthen digitally enabled services. Alongside this, the telecom regulator’s 5G public consultation signals preparation for next-generation mobile policy, although no final standalone 5G strategy has yet been identified.
The digital economy is most visible through mobile and financial services. Mobile money subscriptions rose by 228.8% between Q3 2020 and Q3 2023, making digital payments one of the country’s fastest-growing practical uses of digital technology. E-commerce remains early-stage and urban-centred, but mobile money, cash-on-delivery models, local marketplaces, and better hosting infrastructure are gradually improving the conditions for online trade.
UNESCO’s AI readiness profile for the DRC highlights the need for investment in STEM skills, public-sector AI literacy, data infrastructure, and culturally and linguistically relevant AI systems, while a national AI strategy is under preparation.
The Permanent Mission of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the UN Office and other international organisations in Geneva represents the DRC (The Democratic Republic of Congo) in Geneva’s multilateral system, including UN bodies and specialised agencies. Its official website describes the Mission as working on diplomacy related to peace, human rights, sustainable development and humanitarian action, while H.E. Paul Empole Losoko Efambe is Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary and Permanent Representative.
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Here you can explore the country’s main digital strategies, laws, and regulations by simply asking the chatbot, which is designed to help you quickly find relevant documents and understand the country’s digital policy landscape.
Main digital policies and regulations in the country:
South Sudan’s digital governance is still a foundation-building project. The country ranked 192nd of 193 in the UN’s 2024 E-Government Development Index, which shows how far public-service digitisation still has to go, but also why recent institutional moves matter. In December 2025, President Salva Kiir gave the E-Service Board authority to digitise all government institutions, turning e-government from a scattered reform agenda into a direct presidential instruction.
Connectivity is the central constraint. South Sudan is landlocked and has no submarine cable landing of its own, so its internet resilience depends on terrestrial fibre links to neighbours and onward access to coastal cable systems. The government’s participation in the Eastern Africa Regional Digital Integration Project and a reported 2,400 km fibre plan linking South Sudan through Kenya to the Indian Ocean point to the same goal: reducing reliance on costly satellite connectivity and building a backbone for e-government, education, health, trade and digital finance.
Digital economy policy is becoming more practical. In 2025, the Ministry of Trade and Industry, with UNDP support, validated a national e-commerce policy and strategy to promote digital trade and private-sector development. The Bank of South Sudan also recognised mobile money as a valid legal form of payment, a significant step in a country where formal banking access is limited and digital payments can support small businesses, remittances, online commerce and public transfers.
Cloud and emerging technologies are still at an early stage. South Sudan has no clear standalone cloud, AI, blockchain or 5G strategy, but it is beginning to frame digital sovereignty around data centres, secure hosting and infrastructure control. Plans for a first resilient data centre and official statements that AI readiness depends on infrastructure, a high-quality data centre and skilled human resources show that the country’s emerging-tech agenda is still less about advanced regulation and more about building the basic conditions for safe and useful adoption.
The overall picture is one of ambition under constraint. South Sudan has active digital-transformation, regional integration, e-commerce, cybersecurity and payment-policy initiatives, but implementation depends on affordable connectivity, electricity, institutional capacity, legal safeguards and trust. Its digital future will be shaped less by a single flagship technology than by whether these foundations can reach citizens, businesses and public institutions beyond Juba.
South Sudan’s cyber law
South Sudan’s cybercrime debate moved from controversy to a new legal threshold when the Transitional National Legislative Assembly passed the Cybersecurity and Computer Misuse Bill 2025 with amendments in November 2025. The bill is meant to give authorities tools to prosecute online fraud, computer misuse, digital harassment and other cyber offences, in a country where officials said enforcement had been limited by the absence of a specific cybercrime law. Its passage also closes a contested chapter: the measure was first introduced as a provisional order in 2020, signed during a parliamentary recess in 2021, then rejected by the Assembly and returned for redrafting to align with the Transitional Constitution. The governance challenge is not only whether South Sudan can fight cybercrime, but how it will define, investigate and punish online conduct. Human rights defenders had warned before the vote that broad offences could be misused to restrict freedoms, while some experts welcomed the bill as necessary but cautioned that implementation must avoid political and rights abuse. The result is a pivotal test for South Sudan’s digital future: building online safety and legal certainty without weakening civic space, public trust or access to the open internet.
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Here you can explore the country’s main digital strategies, laws, and regulations by simply asking the chatbot, which is designed to help you quickly find relevant documents and understand the country’s digital policy landscape.
Main digital policies and regulations in the country:
