Indonesia’s commitment to e‑government shows tangible progress: in the United Nations E‑Government Development Index for 2024, it climbed from 77th to 64th out of 193 countries, positioning it among the very-high EGDI group within ASEAN and reflecting strengthened ICT infrastructure and digital literacy efforts. In cybersecurity, Indonesia is among the global leaders, achieving Tier 1 status with a perfect score in the ITU Global Cybersecurity Index 2024—placing it alongside regional peers like Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam.
On digital competitiveness, Indonesia ranked 45th globally, a modest improvement from the previous position of 51st. In network performance, the country ranked 58th globally in Opensignal’s Global Network Excellence Index (Q1 2025), placing it in the upper mid-tier internationally, with better-than-average 4G/5G availability at 21st, though consistency remains a relative challenge In innovation, the Global Innovation Index 2024 places Indonesia at 54th out of 133 countries, reflecting advancing but still developing research, output, and ecosystem capacity.
Indonesia shows strengths in digital governance, cybersecurity, and steadily improving competitiveness, with regional leadership in certain areas—but infrastructure consistency and innovation output remain areas for further advancement.
State-led infrastructure with multi-path international reach defines Equatorial Guinea’s digital profile. The government company GITGE owns and operates the national backbone and subsea capacity, tying the country into the ACE cable, the domestic/regional link Ceiba-2 (Malabo–Bata with a branch to Kribi, Cameroon), and capacity on the SAIL trans-Atlantic system toward Brazil, an unusually diverse mix for a small market.
The Gambia’s digital profile is shaped by a whole-of-government planning stack rather than one ‘single’ ICT law or strategy: the Digital Economy Master Plan (2024–2034) sets a decade-long programme across infrastructure, public-sector transformation, skills, and innovation. Connectivity remains uneven, but baseline indicators show a small, fast-digitising market. Many sector strategies are discoverable through the government’s policy repository listings for the communications/digital ministry.
For core digital infrastructure, international connectivity relies heavily on the ACE submarine cable, with landings in Banjul. The landing is operated locally by Gambia Submarine Cable (GSC), which publicly states it has operated the ACE landing since 2012. This creates resilience sensitivities: the Internet Society’s resilience analysis highlights the risks of concentrated international paths and scores the Gambia at ~43% overall resilience in its index. The country also established a local exchange point, SIXP, to keep domestic traffic local and improve performance/costs.
ACE cable dependence and digital resilience
On 4 January 2022, The Gambia experienced a country-wide internet blackout lasting more than eight hours, cutting off connectivity for nearly the entire population and immediately affecting daily communications, business activity, and public services. The incident was not described as a government-ordered shutdown; instead, reporting and technical analysis linked it to failures in international connectivity and backup routing, underscoring the country’s heavy reliance on a limited number of external routes. Analyses highlighted that when traffic was rerouted during ACE cable repair conditions, backup gateways (including those connected via Senegal) did not perform as intended, turning a technical fault into a national disruption. For many Gambians, who primarily access the internet via mobile devices, this kind of outage is more than an inconvenience: it can interrupt remittances, learning, health coordination, and small-business sales that rely on messaging and mobile payments. The event became a widely cited example in resilience discussions, reinforcing policy debates about redundancy, diversified international links, stronger contingency planning, and transparent incident communication.
For broadband and next-generation connectivity, the Government has published a Broadband Strategic Plan (2020–2024) and newer Broadband Strategy documents, signalling ongoing focus on access, affordability, and backbone/last-mile build-out. 5G is discussed through regulatory and sector developments, including reporting that PURA endorsed a 5G deployment by an operator after standards checks. In practice, 5G progress will likely track spectrum and market-readiness decisions rather than a standalone strategy document.
For data governance and data protection, the policy backbone includes a Data Protection and Privacy Policy and Strategy (2019) and a newer legislative step: legal analysis reports that the President assented to the Personal Data Protection and Privacy Act on 7 November 2025, described as the country’s first comprehensive data protection law. In parallel, the state is advancing ‘data as infrastructure’ through a Government Open Data Strategy (2024–2027), which explicitly links to broader digital transformation planning and privacy/security principles.
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In digital government, cloud, e-commerce, and AI, implementation is increasingly anchored in concrete blueprints: the Digital Government Policy and Roadmap and draft G-Cloud policy indicate a move toward shared platforms and government cloud adoption. The Country Commercial Guide still characterises e-commerce as an early-stage market.
The most ‘advanced’ emerging-tech platform visible in public sources is payments interoperability: BANTABA 2.0 launched in December 2025 as a national real-time interoperable payments platform spanning banks and mobile money, which matters for e-commerce and GovTech payments. AI activity is currently more capacity-building and policy-adjacent, e.g. Commonwealth-supported AI training at UTG and national policy dialogue on framing AI for development.
Gambia’s permanent mission to the UN:
The Permanent Mission of the Republic of The Gambia to the UN Office and other international organisations in Geneva represents The Gambia across the UN system and supports The Gambia’s engagement on areas such as human rights, humanitarian issues, trade and multilateral diplomacy. UNOG lists the Mission’s official contact details and head of mission (including the Permanent Representative), and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ “missions abroad” page includes Geneva among The Gambia’s permanent missions.
Ghana’s digital governance profile is anchored in a few ‘big rails’: connectivity, identity, payments, cybersecurity, and data protection, backed by national strategies and regulators. In regional terms, Ghana has been cited as a strong West African e-government performer in commentary around the UN’s 2024 e-government survey. It also gained attention in 2024 after being placed in Tier 1 ‘role-modelling’ in ITU Global Cybersecurity Index, signalling comparatively mature cybersecurity governance capacity.
A major institutional milestone is the Cybersecurity Act, 2020 (Act 1038), which formally creates the Cyber Security Authority (CSA) and sets a national framework to regulate cybersecurity activities, support incident response coordination, and strengthen protection for critical systems. The CSA’s growing role matters for both public agencies and private operators because it turns cybersecurity from an ad hoc technical function into a regulated compliance area that affects services, infrastructure, and the broader digital economy.
Ghana’s Cybersecurity Rulebook (Act 1038)
From Ad-Hoc to Authority:Ghana’s Cybersecurity Act, 2020 (Act 1038) marked a turning point by creating a dedicated regulator, the Cyber Security Authority (CSA), and putting cybersecurity on the same footing as other regulated public-interest sectors. The Act establishes a national framework for preventing and responding to cyber threats and empowers the CSA to issue standards, coordinate incident response, and support law enforcement in tackling cybercrime. It also introduces governance for critical information infrastructure, signalling that systems essential to the economy and public safety should meet higher baseline protections. For businesses, the shift is practical: the Act enables licensing/oversight of certain cybersecurity services and creates clearer expectations for organisations operating digital systems. For citizens, it aims to strengthen trust in online services, while raising ongoing questions about how security measures are applied in ways that remain transparent, proportionate, and rights-respecting. Overall, Act 1038 institutionalises cybersecurity as a long-term public policy function rather than a temporary technical project.
On connectivity, Ghana has a long-standing National Broadband Policy and Implementation Strategy that frames universal access and rollout priorities. Infrastructure resilience has also become a visible governance issue: the 14 March 2024 undersea cable disruptions prompted official regulator updates on national service impacts and restoration, underscoring dependence on subsea routes and the importance of redundancy planning.
Digital government delivery is increasingly structured around central platforms and interoperability standards. Ghana.gov positions itself as a national ‘digital services and payments’ portal, aiming to unify how citizens and businesses access public services and pay fees. In parallel, NITA’s e-Government Interoperability Framework (e-GIF) and implementation materials set standards for how ministries and agencies exchange data and integrate systems, an important step toward reducing siloed digital services.
On rights and accountability, Ghana’s core privacy framework is the Data Protection Act, 2012 (Act 843), overseen by the Data Protection Commission (DPC). In 2026, the DPC publicly signalled a shift toward stricter enforcement, while its guidance emphasises registration and compliance expectations for data controllers and processors, raising the practical stakes for organisations operating digital services.
In the digital economy, Ghana’s headline policy umbrella is the Ghana Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (MoCDTI), which sets priorities for universal connectivity, skills, innovation, and trust. E-commerce is being consolidated through a dedicated Draft National E-Commerce Strategy (2025–2029) and related UN-supported process, while payments are governed under the Payment Systems and Services Act, 2019 (Act 987), a key enabler in a mobile-money-heavy economy. Looking ahead, Ghana is also building governance capacity for emerging tech: MoCDTI has run consultations on a National AI Strategy, and a Draft Emerging Technologies Bill (2025) proposes a dedicated agency and harmonised rules, alongside parallel work on data-centre/cloud regulation and standards led by NITA.
Ghana’s Permanent Mission in Geneva represents the Republic of Ghana to the UN Office at Geneva (UNOG) and other international organisations, engaging on multilateral diplomacy across areas such as human rights, health, labour, trade, and standards-setting. The Mission is listed in the UNOG “Blue Book” at Allée David-Morse 12, 1202 Geneva, and also supports consular and outreach functions through its Geneva platform.
The Solomon Islands’ digital landscape is characterised by moderate connectivity with room for growth. As of January 2025, approximately 352,000 people (~42.5 % of the population) were internet users, marking a slow increase from ~336,000 (45 %) in early 2024. The country also had 547,000 mobile connections (~66 % of the population), with about 82 % of these capable of 3G/4G service.
Social media use is growing steadily: in January 2025 there were an estimated 174,000 social media user identities (~21 % of the population), with Facebook reaching 36.6 % of adults However, access remains highly urban-centric—over 70 % of people live in rural areas where connectivity is often limited by infrastructure gaps.
On the infrastructure front, the 2019 Coral Sea submarine cable significantly boosted international bandwidth, followed by the ongoing deployment of 161 rural 3G/4G towers (14 completed so far) under SINBIP. Satellite systems supplement connectivity in remote areas. Despite these efforts, the digital economy is still in a “start‑up” phase (IDES score ~42 %), with affordability, last‑mile access, and network coverage remaining critical challenges
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Institutionally, Kiribati has laid solid digital groundwork. With World Bank support, the Digital Government Project (2021–27) established a Digital Transformation Office, designed core systems like enterprise architecture, cloud infrastructure, digital ID, e-signatures, and a national portal The National ICT Policy (2019), complemented by the 2020 Cybersecurity Strategy and recent data-protection legislation, underpins this modernisation push.
However, major infrastructure gaps persist. Only Kiritimati island is connected via undersea fibre (Southern Cross NEXT since 2022), while the rest depend heavily on expensive satellites, Kacific1 (Geo-HTS) and Starlink LEO services, leading to inconsistent speed and coverage. Looking ahead, the planned rollout of the East Micronesian undersea cable and expanded fixed networks aims to close the digital divide. The country’s focus now is on scaling access, improving affordability, and leveraging digital services for development and governance.
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Kyrgyzstan’s approach to internet governance is notably more open than its more Central Asian neighbours. Citizens can create online media without mandatory licensing, fostering a diverse media landscape. However, despite this openness, Kyrgyzstan faces emerging challenges as the government tightens internet regulations in response to political unrest and security concerns, raising issues around freedom of expression and access to information. The country struggles with a significant digital divide, particularly in rural and remote areas, where connectivity is limited or nonexistent, deepening inequalities in access to digital services.
There is active engagement in promoting responsible AI, especially via civil society. The ISOC Kyrgyzstan chapterleads a ‘Responsible AI Governance’ program focused on transparency, accountability, interpretability, and AI ethics. Efforts include algorithm literacy training for civil society, media, NGOs, and government actors, alongside promoting AI ethics officers and cross-border collaboration.
Higher education institutions are also advancing AI adoption. For example, Adam University piloted a ‘cyber‑mentor’ for students that uses predictive algorithms to tailor academic guidance. Workshops and planning sessions involving ten leading universities and the Ministry of Education are shaping institutional AI action plans, though gaps remain in infrastructure, especially outside of Bishkek, and in faculty training.
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Laos stands out in Southeast Asia for the extent to which basic connectivity has progressed relative to its income level. Government figures report mobile signal coverage in about 97% of villages, supported by nearly 100,000 km of fibre-optic backbone, providing the country with near-universal basic mobile coverage and steadily improving 3G/4G access, even in remote, mountainous areas.
Regionally, Laos is also notable for its high density of cross-border connectivity. Despite being landlocked with no submarine cable landings of its own, it operates 18 international fibre links to Thailand, Vietnam, China, Cambodia and Myanmar, providing multiple redundant paths into major regional submarine systems and positioning the country as a potential transit corridor between China and mainland ASEAN.
In niche areas, Laos is punching above its weight. It has a comprehensive digital-economy vision, strategy and plan (5, 10 and 20-year horizons) for a least-developed country, and is increasingly recognised in the region for Lao-language AI work (pre-trained language models, speech recognition and evaluation benchmarks) that helps bring a low-resource language into the modern AI ecosystem.
Kazakhstan has very high levels of connectivity and skills for its income level. Internet penetration reached 92–93% of the population at the start of 2024, positioning the country among the most connected in Central Asia.A 2024 survey by the national statistics bureau reports that over 96% of residents use the internet and more than 92% demonstrate strong digital literacy, indicating not just access but intensive use across devices and services.
The digital economy is experiencing rapid growth, particularly in e-commerce. Official statistics show that in 2024, e-commerce reached about 3.2–3.4 trillion KZT and 14–15% of total retail trade, one of the highest shares in the wider region and up from low single digits five years earlier. Government and international reports highlight e-commerce as a significant contributor to job creation and productivity, with marketplaces now accounting for the majority of online retail turnover.
On the infrastructure and ‘emerging tech’ side, Kazakhstan is investing to become a regional digital and AI hub. The country has 51 data-processing centres, a new national AI Concept for 2024–2029, and is deploying a national AI platform and supercomputer to support AI workloads and research. Internationally, it is co-building the Trans-Caspian fibre-optic submarine cable (≈approximately 380 km, with a capacity of up to 400 Tbps) linking Aktau with Azerbaijan, which is expected to be completed around 2026 and is expected to strengthen Kazakhstan’s role as a high-capacity transit corridor between Europe and Asia.
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Fiji stands out in the Pacific for international connectivity and interconnection. It is a multi-landing hub on the Southern Cross system (including the NEXT expansion with landings at Suva and Savusavu), and in 2024–2025, the government confirmed Google’s Bulikula and Tabua cables landing in Fiji, four new connections across Suva and Natadola to add path diversity and capacity. Domestically, the regulator-run Fiji-IX keeps local traffic local; seven major networks now peer there (Vodafone, Digicel, Telecom Fiji, FINTEL, USP, FNU, Walesi).
On the mobile and spectrum front, Fiji moved early among Pacific peers to clear the way for next-generation services: the government issued 5G spectrum licences on 11 September 2025 (effective 15 September), enabling all three national operators to launch commercial 5G. Together, these steps complement long-standing broadband investments and position Fiji to leverage its new international capacity for low-latency services and IoT.
Policy direction is anchored by the country’s first National Digital Strategy 2025–2030, which sets whole-of-government goals for universal access, cloud-first adoption, cybersecurity, and emerging technologies (including AI). Together, the strategy, an operational IXP, and multiple new subsea landings give Fiji a region-leading platform for reliable connectivity and digital-service delivery over the rest of the decade.
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