Ukraine has developed one of the most advanced digital governance systems in the world through its Diia platform, which integrates public services into a single digital ecosystem. This initiative allows citizens to access official documents, e-services, and administrative functions entirely online, making Ukraine a regional leader in e-government. The country has also implemented digital IDs and mobile-first governance solutions at a scale unmatched in Eastern Europe, positioning itself among the global frontrunners in digital public services.
In terms of infrastructure, Ukraine has achieved high levels of internet penetration, with coverage expanding even during wartime disruptions. Mobile internet, especially 4G, is widely available, and the government has been actively working on rolling out 5G in cooperation with international partners. The country also has a strong presence in the IT outsourcing sector, ranking among the top in Europe for the number of skilled IT professionals and software development exports. This sector contributes significantly to GDP and makes Ukraine a recognised regional hub for digital talent.
Ukraine has also invested in digital resilience and cybersecurity, particularly since 2014, when cyberattacks became a recurring challenge. Its national cybersecurity strategies and collaborations with the EU and NATO place it at the forefront of regional cyber defense efforts. Combined with a highly skilled workforce and strong digital entrepreneurship, Ukraine has established a profile as a country where digital innovation, governance, and resilience are progressing despite external pressures, often ranking above regional peers in digital government and IT services.
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Uzbekistan has made notable progress in e‑government. In 2024, the country rose to 63rd place in the United Nations E‑Government Development Index (EGDI), advancing from 69th in 2022 and exceeding the average for low- and middle-income countries (0.79 vs. 0.76). That same year, it attained a ‘very high’ EGDI classification and climbed 37 positions in the UN’s GovTech Maturity Index, entering the top ‘A’ tier.
Uzbekistan has robustly expanded its digital infrastructure and service delivery. Fixed broadband median speeds hit 79 Mbps and mobile speeds 38 Mbps by early 2025, reflecting strong growth rates +43% and +53% year-over-year, respectively. Significant investments in national infrastructure include the deployment of over 227,000 km of fibre-optic lines by 2023 and the introduction of 5G, VoLTE, and VoWi-Fi services.
Established in 2019, IT Park Uzbekistan serves as a central engine for the digital sector, providing infrastructure, overseas expansion channels, and incentives. By late 2024, it supported over 2,500 resident companies and helped boost IT exports, job creation, and startup activity across the country. Additionally, the Digital Uzbekistan–2030 Strategy sets the goal of becoming a leading regional IT hub, supported by investments in digital infrastructure, e‑services, and skills development.
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Panama’s strategic position between North and South America, with access to both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, has established it as a crucial hub for submarine cable systems. The Pacific Caribbean Cable System (PCCS) is a 6,000 km submarine cable connecting Ecuador, Panama, Colombia, Aruba, Curaçao, Tortola in the British Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and the United States. Operational since July 2015. The Americas Region Caribbean Optical-ring System (ARCOS-1) is an 8,700 km submarine cable system connecting 24 landing points across 15 countries, including the United States, the Bahamas, the Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico, among others. Owned by Google, the Curie submarine cable connects the United States to Chile and Panama. Commissioned in 2018 and completed in 2019, The PAN-AM (Pan-American) cable system is a submarine telecommunications cable connecting the west coast of South America and the Caribbean, crossing the continent through Panama.
Announced in November 2024, the MANTA submarine cable system is a collaboration between Liberty Networks and Gold Data. Expected to be operational by 2027, it will offer high-capacity, low-latency routes connecting Panama, Mexico, Colombia, and the United States. MANTA will be the first international submarine cable in the Gulf of Mexico, providing new low-latency routes to interconnect major data centers in Panama City, Mexico City, Querétaro, and Bogotá with the United State
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Niger is actively enhancing its digital infrastructure to promote socioeconomic development and bridge the digital divide. The Smart Villages Initiative, launched in 2019, aims to provide connectivity to all 2,175 villages, focusing on establishing reliable internet access, installing digital support networks like telecentres and medical diagnostic facilities, and supporting local innovation ecosystems. As of 2022, 15 villages were connected via satellite, with plans to connect more.
The Niger 2.0 Strategy is a comprehensive plan that includes digitizing government services for better accessibility, creating hubs for technological advancement, and encouraging digital tool adoption among citizens. These efforts aim to position Niger as a regional leader in digital innovation.
International support has been instrumental in these efforts. In July 2020, the World Bank approved a $100 million credit and grant to help Niger develop digital infrastructure, expand mobile and broadband services in rural areas, and improve access to digital financial services in underserved regions.
Despite progress, challenges persist. As of 2024, only 16% of the population had internet access. High costs of devices and data services, along with low digital literacy rates, hinder widespread adoption.
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Mozambique’s digital landscape is shaped by limited internet access, high costs, and uneven infrastructure. Mobile networks are the primary means of connectivity, with fixed-line broadband largely unavailable. As of 2025, about 20% of the population is online, with strong urban-rural disparities. While cities like Maputo benefit from 4G and limited 5G coverage, many rural areas lack even basic mobile broadband.
Affordability is a major barrier, with the cost of data and devices high relative to income. Low digital literacy and limited access to electricity further constrain internet use, particularly in rural and low-income communities. Government initiatives, supported by the World Bank and others, aim to expand connectivity through programs like digital plazas and rural infrastructure projects. Submarine cables and new mobile towers are improving capacity, and satellite services like Starlink now offer alternatives in remote regions.
Regulation is overseen by the National Communications Institute, and a National Cybersecurity Strategy is in place. However, data protection remains fragmented, and internet freedom has come under pressure following politically motivated shutdowns. Compared to regional peers, Mozambique lags in digital access, speed, and affordability, but ongoing investments and reforms are slowly narrowing the gap.
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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.
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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 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 (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’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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