Countries

Tonga

Digital snapshot – key policies and laws

Tonga’s digital architecture foundation includes the Digital Government Strategic Framework 2019–2024, the Cloud First Policy, the Tonga Interoperability Framework, the Tonga Enterprise Architecture Framework, the Tongan Data Exchange Policy and Framework, and the Tonga National Cybersecurity Framework. The cybersecurity framework, approved in 2022, treats cyber resilience as a shared responsibility across government, the private sector, and society; in 2025, this was reinforced by the new Cybersecurity Act 2025 and Computer Crimes Act 2025.

The digital economy agenda is led by the Tonga E-Commerce Strategy and Roadmap 2021–2026, which focuses on ICT infrastructure, trade logistics, legal frameworks, digital payments, skills, SME finance, women’s participation, and youth entrepreneurship. Tonga has also moved from strategy to implementation through e-commerce platforms, payment-gateway initiatives, and a FinTech Regulatory Sandbox Framework under the National Reserve Bank of Tonga.

The digital services in Tonga are shaped by the Electronic Transactions Act 2025, which gives legal recognition to electronic information and communications, and the Privacy Act 2025, which establishes a comprehensive personal-data protection framework, including rights, breach notification, cross-border transfer rules, and a Privacy Commission. These reforms are closely linked to digital ID, health records, e-commerce, cloud use, and future AI systems.

Regarding digital infrastructure, the 2022 volcanic eruption and subsequent cable disruptions exposed the risks of relying on limited submarine links, while the 2024 Vavaʻu and Haʻapai outage brought Starlink licensing to the centre of public debate. In 2026, Tonga’s second international undersea cable, the Tonga Hawaiki Cable Branch System, was completed, strengthening redundancy and supporting more reliable connectivity for public services, businesses, and disaster response.

Tonga e-Pass

On 29 May 2025, Tonga launched TongaPass, a new e-government portal and a government API integration platform, marking a practical shift from fragmented digital projects toward shared public digital infrastructure. TongaPass assigns a unique digital identifier to people registered in the civil registration system, while the portal is designed to become a single entry point for online public services. The API layer is meant to enable ministries to exchange data securely, reducing duplication and making it easier to connect services across government. For a dispersed island state, these regulations are already improving access for people outside main administrative centres. They are also providing connectivity, usability, and inclusion.

Regarding emerging technologies, Tonga is laying the foundations for AI-enabled public services through data exchange, digital ID, cloud policy, and cybersecurity. Oxford Insights’ Government AI Readiness Index 2024 assesses countries across government, technology-sector, and data/infrastructure pillars, and Tonga’s 2024 DataReportal profile shows its relative strengths are in data and infrastructure rather than AI-specific governance. Connectivity is also improving: DataReportal counted 117.6 thousand mobile connections in early 2024, equivalent to 108.7% of the population, showing high mobile dependence even as affordability, outer-island access, and resilience remain central challenges.

Tonga’s Permanent Mission to the UN in Geneva:

The Permanent Mission of the Kingdom of Tonga to the UN is Tonga’s main multilateral representation to the UN system and is listed on the UN’s official mission platform with a New York address. Tonga was admitted to the UN on 14 September 1999, and its mission represents the Kingdom in UN diplomacy, including issues that are central to Small Island Developing States such as climate change, disaster risk, ocean governance, sustainable development, and international cooperation.

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Consult Tonga’s digital strategies and regulations

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:

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Venezuela

Digital snapshot – key policies and laws

Venezuela’s digital governance is largely shaped by the Ley de Infogobierno, which is the core framework for public-sector use of information technologies, promoting e-government, free technologies, technological independence and digital public administration. The wider Plan de la Patria 2025–2031 places science, technology and digital transformation inside the country’s long-term development agenda.

Sovereign AI, state logic

Venezuela’s AI agenda is moving from speeches into policy instruments, with a clear emphasis on technological sovereignty rather than a purely market-led digital economy. The National Assembly approved the Artificial Intelligence Bill in first discussion in November 2024, presenting it as a way to strengthen national technical and scientific capacity. A public consultation process followed in 2025, while Mincyt later described a National Plan for sovereign and ethical AI aimed at developing domestic tools and reducing dependence on foreign platforms. In 2026, the ministry also presented an official AI ethics code, built around principles including human-centred AI, equity, environmental responsibility, security, privacy, transparency, accountability, open science and excellence. The same agenda points to home-grown AI systems and reported 65 national AI projects, linking AI to education, public capacity, cybersecurity and development. The open question is not whether Venezuela is adopting AI, but how far ethical commitments, rights protections and independent oversight can keep pace with a state-centred model of digital transformation.

The Plan Nacional de Telecomunicaciones 2025–2031 sets out priorities for fibre deployment, universal access, service quality, 4G/5G expansion, IXP Venezuela, international connectivity, IoT, smart cities and a projected national data centre. A separate IPv6 transition plan frames next-generation internet addressing as a condition for resilience, cybersecurity and future services. Venezuela also has a relatively broad submarine-cable footprint, with 15 landing points and systems including ARCOS, ALBA-1, GlobeNet, SAC and the Venezuelan Festoon.

At the start of 2025, Venezuela had about 17.5 million internet users and 61.6% internet penetration, while Internet Society Pulse lists 8 data centres and 4 active IXPs, giving the country more core internet infrastructure than its economic crisis alone might suggest. At the same time, electricity reliability, affordability, regional coverage gaps and service quality remain important constraints. Recent 4G/5G investment plans, including Telefónica’s reported US$500 million investment, point to network modernisation, but the benefits will depend on coverage, competition and resilience.

Regarding the legal environment, the Law on Data Messages and Electronic Signatures gives legal effect to electronic records and signatures, supporting e-commerce and digital transactions. Online trade is also being pulled into the tax system through digital invoicing rules, reflecting the growth of mobile payments, social commerce and dollar-linked transactions.

Cybersecurity is becoming more institutionalised, but not yet through a clearly published, standalone national strategy. The National Cybersecurity Council was created in 2024, and cybersecurity is now linked to broader digital-sovereignty debates alongside cloud, national information systems and public-sector technologies. The country also relies on the Special Law Against Computer Crimes, an older cybercrime framework focused on offences involving systems and data.

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Venezuela’s Permanent Mission to the UN in Geneva:

The Permanent Mission of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to the UN Office and other international organisations in Geneva represents Venezuela in Geneva-based multilateral diplomacy, including engagement with the UN system, the Human Rights Council, specialised agencies and other international organisations.

Official UNOG website: https://www.ungeneva.org/en/blue-book/missions/member-states/venezuela-bolivarian-republic

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Consult Venezuela’s digital strategies and regulations

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.

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Peru

Peru ranks among the top five countries in Latin America for digital government foundational reforms, according to the 2023 OECD/IDB Digital Government Index—positioned alongside Colombia, Uruguay, Brazil, and Mexico. On connectivity and digital inclusion, Peru had an internet penetration rate of 79.5% at the start of 2025, placing it above the average for many regional peers. In addition, Peru hosts 13 internet exchange points and 15 data centers, allowing 68% of the top 1,000 visited websites to be delivered via local servers or caches—exceeding the Americas benchmark of 50%. Mobile broadband connections exceed 115% of the population, with over 92% on 3G/4G/5G networks.

Peru shows particular strength in digital tax administration and GovTech platforms, earning high regional ratings for the digitisation of central tax revenue systems and deployment of national identity, talent, and SME platforms. Combined with a strong surge in academic and private sector AI research output and structured regulatory reforms in line with global norms, Peru is positioning itself as a standout among upper‑middle‑income nations in Latin America’s digital ecosystem.

Consult Peru’s AI and digital strategies and regulations

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North Macedonia

North Macedonia has developed a strong foundation in connectivity and digital infrastructure, achieving near‑universal 3G/4G coverage and launching 5G in major urban centres. As of mid‑2025, its median mobile download speeds reached approximately 167–255 Mbps, placing the country around 14th globally, a notable performance among emerging digital economies. Fixed broadband speeds, while respectable—averaging around 50–83 Mbps—lag further behind in global rankings, roughly in the 100th–105th range.

Digital adoption among the population is also significant. In early 2025, approximately 92% of the population were internet users, with mobile connections totalling 2.65 million, or about 146% of the population, reflecting widespread multi-device use. While fixed‑line infrastructure coverage has incrementally improved—with ultra‑fast connections (over 100 Mbps) available to more than 63% of households by 2020, up from 43.8% in 2018—actual uptake of such services remains moderate.

In the regional context, North Macedonia often outpaces its neighbours in internet speed benchmarks. For instance, it recorded average connection speeds of 97.9 Mbps, leading over nearby European countries such as Slovenia, Serbia, and Greece. Moreover, its infrastructure and market sophistication scores—as reflected in the Global Innovation Index (ranked 66th globally)—are relatively stronger than its ranking in institutional or human capital dimensions, highlighting particular strengths in digital infrastructure and market readiness

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Nicaragua

Nicaragua has steadily grown its digital connectivity: as of early 2025, about 64.1% of the population were internet users, up from ~61.5% in 2024. Mobile penetration is high, with approximately 125 mobile connections per 100 people, many of which are broadband‐capable (3G/4G). Fixed broadband speeds are improving: median fixed-line internet speeds are ~51 Mbps, and mobile median speeds are ~16 Mbps, though mobile speeds saw a slight decline year on year.

On infrastructure, Nicaragua is one of the landing countries for the submarine cable system ARCOS-1, which connects 24 landing points across 15 countries in the Americas and Caribbean. This gives Nicaragua some advantage in international backbone connectivity. Domestically, there is still a notable gap: many rural and remote regions have less reliable broadband or fixed-line service. The country also has modest performance on metrics like locally cached content, IPv6 adoption (~40%), and only one major data centre.

In comparative terms within Latin America, Nicaragua tends to lag behind regional averages on internet use and fixed broadband availability, but it is improving.

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Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea (PNG) has made measurable strides in building digital infrastructure: the Kumul Submarine Cable Network, which connects many coastal provinces and links PNG to international fibre routes, is a key achievement. Another infrastructure strength is through PNG DataCo’s mandate to connect major towns via fibre (sub-sea and land-based) and provide redundant international links to Australia, Asia and elsewhere.

Yet in terms of digital usage, PNG remains behind regional averages. Internet penetration is approximately 24% of the population as of early 2025. Mobile connection rates are higher than fixed broadband and many people still have limited or no reliable internet access, especially in rural and remote areas.

Among its regional peers (Pacific / Oceania), PNG’s relative strengths are in its recent infrastructure investment — especially submarine-cable-based backbone, and ambitions to connect 70% of its population by 2030. However, PNG is weak in locally-cached content (only ~2% of top sites are served locally), low resilience (internet resilience score ~31%), and limited service provider choice.

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Turkmenistan

Turkmenistan’s digital profile in 2025 reflects a mixed picture of emerging infrastructure development amid relatively low user penetration. According to DataReportal, about 34.9 % of the population (≈ 2.64 million people) are internet users, and there are roughly 5.14 million active mobile connections, equivalent to about 68 % of the population.

On the infrastructure front, the newly established city of Arkadag has received particular attention: in 2025, it launched 5G mobile service using Huawei base stations, following earlier deployment of 4G+ and fibre-optical (GPON) connectivity to apartments. telecommunications operators in the country (notably the state entity Altyn Asyr) already operate 2G, 3G and LTE networks, and expansion toward next-generation connectivity is a stated goal.

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Panama

Panama is a regional connectivity hub with multiple submarine cables and data centres linking the Americas. This strong infrastructure supports cloud and data-intensive services, while the Panama Digital Gateway and an improved national IXP enhance local interconnection.

The country has modern digital policies, including Law 81/2019 on data protection, a national cybersecurity strategy and an active e-government agenda with a government cloud. These frameworks make Panama one of the region’s more advanced countries in privacy, security and digital-government regulation.

Panama’s digital economy is strong in e-commerce, fintech and cloud services, supported by its logistics and financial sectors. Digital payments are widespread, and the country is promoting fintech, blockchain and AI initiatives, though rural connectivity and SME digitalisation still lag.

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Niger

Niger’s core digital infrastructure has advanced quickly for a low-income, landlocked Sahelian state. The country has completed a 1,031-km national and cross-border fibre backbone, along with a Tier III national data centre in Niamey, a project described by the African Development Bank as ‘a major step’ for broadband connectivity and regional digital integration. Niger is also among the early African adopters of Starlink’s high-speed satellite internet, becoming the 18th African country to license the service with a five-year operating permit, aimed at boosting connectivity where terrestrial networks are weak.

On the governance side, Niger has established a modern, cross-sectoral personal data regime through Law 2022-59 and its 2023 amendment, enforced by the independent Haute Autorité de Protection des Données à caractère Personnel (HAPDP). It is also one of a small group of African states (around 15 of 55) that have ratified the AU’s Malabo Convention on Cybersecurity and Data Protection, with Hogan Lovells noting Niger as the latest ratifier that helped bring the treaty into force. HAPDP currently holds the presidency of the Francophone African network of data-protection authorities (RAPDP), signalling a leadership role in regional privacy cooperation.

In inclusive digital development, Niger stands out as the pilot country for the ITU/ANSI ‘Building Smart Villages’ blueprint, which is presented globally as a model, whole-of-government approach to rural digital transformation and broadband for remote communities under the Niger 2.0 programme. The country also hosts the Semaine de l’Intelligence Artificielle et des Technologies Géospatiales (SIATeG), a national event that positions AI and geospatial technologies as governance tools and lays the groundwork for a future national strategy in these areas.

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Mozambique

Digital snapshot – key policies and laws

The country is modernising its policy stack around digital transformation, broadband and public-sector digitisation. Mozambique has an Information Society Policy and a Strategic Plan for the Information Society 2019–2028, while ITU describes the National Digital Transformation Strategy as being developed through VaMoz Digital with government and the EU support. The agenda links e-government, digital skills, innovation and the digital economy, but implementation still faces an access gap: DataReportal counted 19.1 million cellular mobile connections in late 2025, equal to 53.1% of the population, while meaningful internet use remains lower.

Cyber rules get legal teeth

On 29 April 2026, Mozambique’s Assembly of the Republic definitively approved two key digital-security bills: the Cybersecurity Bill and the Cybercrime Bill. The cybersecurity law establishes a legal regime to protect the state, institutions, citizens, information systems, critical infrastructure and the continuity of essential services, while the cybercrime law complements it by setting rules to prevent, investigate and punish crimes committed through digital means. INTIC had earlier described both proposals, when they passed in general on 16 April 2026, as strategic instruments for strengthening Mozambique’s digital governance.

Regarding infrastructure, SEACOM and EASSy (Eastern Africa Submarine Cable System) land in Maputo, while 2Africa lands in both Maputo and Nacala, giving the north a stronger international connectivity anchor and improving redundancy. The submarine cable infrastructure network is reinforced by new data-centre and cloud-computing regulations, approved through Decrees 71/2025 and 72/2025, which bring hosting and cloud platforms under formal registration, licensing and supervision.

AI, data protection and the digital economy are now entering the same governance frame. In 2026, Mozambique created the National Artificial Intelligence Commission and opened public consultation on a draft National AI Strategy, while the Council of Ministers sent a Personal Data Protection Bill to Parliament. Platform and intermediary-service licensing, mobile-money growth and cloud regulation show a state trying to formalise the digital economy; one notable indicator is mobile-wallet penetration of 123.8% of the adult population in Q3 2025, reflecting multiple-account use and the centrality of mobile money to everyday digital transactions.

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Mozambique’s Permanent Mission to the UN in Geneva:

Mozambique’s Permanent Mission in Geneva represents the Republic of Mozambique to the UN Office at Geneva and other international organisations in Switzerland, while also serving as the Embassy to the Swiss Confederation. Geraldo Gonçalves Miguel Saranga presented credentials as Mozambique’s Permanent Representative to the UN Office at Geneva in May 2024.

Official UNOG website: https://www.ungeneva.org/en/blue-book/missions/member-states/mozambique

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Consult Mozambique’s digital strategies and regulations

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:

Follow Mozambique’s digital submarine cables

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