Haiti

As of December 2024, Haiti’s digital landscape reflects both progress and ongoing challenges. Internet penetration has increased to 38.9%, with approximately 4.59 million users, yet a significant portion of the population remains offline.

The government, in collaboration with international partners, has initiated projects like the Haiti Digital Acceleration Project, aiming to expand broadband access and enhance digital resilience. Additionally, efforts are underway to digitize government operations to improve public service delivery.

Tech entrepreneurship is on the rise, with organisations fostering innovation and developing digital tools to empower communities. Educational programs are also being implemented to bridge the digital literacy gap.

Despite these advancements, challenges persist, including limited infrastructure, the need for comprehensive regulatory frameworks, and the necessity to develop digital skills among the population. Addressing these issues is crucial for Haiti to fully leverage its digital potential.

Consult Haiti’s digital strategies and regulations

Follow Haiti’s digital submarine cables

Vatican

In the late 1990s, the Vatican established the “Internet Office of the Holy See,” integrating Vatican City State into the global internet network. This initiative led to the acquisition of the “.va” domain, the development of electronic mail services, and the launch of the official portal, www.vatican.va. Over time, the Vatican’s internet services have expanded, ensuring robust connectivity through collaborations with international operators and internet exchange points. A notable component is the Security Operation Centre, which is dedicated to safeguarding against cyber threats.

Consult Vatican’s AI and digital strategies and regulations

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Guinea-Bissau

Guinea-Bissau is a country in West Africa. It borders Senegal to the north and Guinea to the southeast. Despite being a small country, Guinea-Bissau has several ethnic groups which are very distinct from each other, with their own cultures and languages. This is due to Guinea-Bissau being a refugee and migration territory within Africa. Colonisation and racial intermixing brought Portuguese and the Portuguese creole known as Kriol or crioulo.

  • Guinea-Bissau has signed (not ratified) AU Convention on Cyber Security and Personal Data Protection (Malabo Convention)

Chile

Chile is a country in the western part of South America. It is the southernmost country in the world, and the closest to Antarctica, occupying a long and narrow strip of land between the Andes to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It shares land borders with Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far south. Chile also controls the Pacific islands of Juan Fernández, Isla Salas y Gómez, Desventuradas, and Easter Island in Oceania.

Republic of Congo

The Republic of the Congo, also known as Congo-Brazzaville, the Congo Republic or simply either Congo or the Congo, is a country located in the western coast of Central Africa to the west of the Congo river. It is bordered to the west by Gabon, to its northwest by Cameroon and its northeast by the Central African Republic, to the southeast by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to its south by the Angolan exclave of Cabinda and to its southwest by the Atlantic Ocean.

  • The Republic of Congo has ratified AU Convention on Cyber Security and Personal Data Protection (Malabo Convention)

Costa Rica

Costa Rica is a country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the northeast, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, and a maritime border with Ecuador to the south of Cocos Island. An estimated 333,980 people live in the capital and largest city, San José, with around two million people in the surrounding metropolitan area.

Barbados

Barbados plays a key role in the Caribbean’s telecommunications landscape, serving as a main node in the region’s submarine cable network. This strategic positioning ensures robust international connectivity, which is vital for the nation’s digital economy and communication infrastructure. These submarine cable systems are integral to Barbados’s telecommunications infrastructure, providing essential connectivity for internet services and international communications.

The primary submarine cable systems connecting Barbados is the Southern Caribbean Fiber (SCF), formerly known as Antilles Crossing. This 20 Gbps fibre-optic ring network links multiple Caribbean nations. The initial phase connected Needham’s Point in Saint Michael, Barbados, to Saint Croix in the US Virgin Islands, integrating with Global Crossing’s global telecommunications network. Subsequent phases aimed to extend connections to islands such as Tobago, Trinidad, Grenada, Saint Vincent, Saint Lucia, Martinique, Guadeloupe, and Saint Kitts.

Another significant system is the Eastern Caribbean Fiber System (ECFS), a repeaterless fiber-optic submarine cable spanning approximately 1,730 km. This system interconnects 14 eastern Caribbean islands, including Barbados, facilitating regional communication and data transmission. The ECFS was first installed in September 1995 and has undergone upgrades to enhance its capacity and performance.

Consult Barbados’ digital strategies and regulations

Follow Barbados’ digital submarine cables

South Sudan

South Sudan’s digital landscape is evolving, marked by gradual improvements in connectivity and technology adoption. As of early 2024, internet penetration reached 12.1%, with approximately 1.36 million users, reflecting a modest increase from 7.0% in 2023. Active cellular mobile connections also grew to 3.97 million, accounting for 35.5% of the population.

The government, through the Ministry of Information, Communication Technology, and Postal Services, is spearheading initiatives to enhance digital infrastructure and services. Collaborations with international organizations have led to the establishment of the country’s first E-commerce Hub in Juba, aiming to bolster online business activities.

Despite these advancements, challenges persist, including limited infrastructure, low digital literacy, and economic constraints. Efforts to improve connectivity have been made, such as the 2020 completion of a fiber-optic link connecting Juba to Mombasa, Kenya, via Uganda, which enhanced internet access and reduced costs.

The telecommunications sector is primarily served by operators like MTN South Sudan and Zain South Sudan, with recent developments including the launch of 4G services to improve internet speeds and accessibility

Consult South Sudan’s digital strategies and regulations

Follow South Sudan’s digital infrastructure

Bolivia

Bolivia is a landlocked country located in western-central South America. The seat of government and executive capital is La Paz, while the constitutional capital is Sucre. The largest city and principal industrial centre is Santa Cruz de la Sierra, located on the Llanos Orientales (tropical lowlands), a mostly flat region in the east of the country.