High-Level Dialogue: Connecting Communities, Unlocking Futures: Strengthening Digital Connectivity for Refugees and Host Communities

The video presentation frames connectivity as an essential lifeline for refugee communities, not merely a convenience. It emphasises that the need to connect travels with displaced people and that strong networks are a source of relief and hope.

The video highlights that connectivity can be a lifeline for the community and that it enables organisations to keep pace with the scale and urgency of needs . Individuals in the video express gratitude that the phone and internet are good , underscoring how fundamental reliable connectivity is to daily life in displacement.

The video presentation calls for collective action, stressing that reaching every refugee demands collaboration that transcends organisational, national, and attitudinal boundaries. It frames the shared ambition of connecting 20 million refugees and host community members by 2030 as a goal that requires broad partnership.

The video explicitly states that to reach every refugee, action is needed across sectors, across borders, and across mindsets , and it references the shared ambition of connecting 20 million refugees and the communities that host them by 2030 . Luxembourg is cited as an example of a partner contributing both funding and technology to provide services in remote areas .

Mohamed Moussa describes how connectivity transformed his situation after fleeing Sudan and arriving at a refugee camp in Chad, enabling him to continue his medical studies and take an advanced course at the University of Geneva entirely online. He explains that what once seemed impossible—speaking to people in Geneva from a camp—became reality through connectivity.

Mohamed states that due to connectivity he can do things that seemed impossible, noting he never thought he would one day talk to people in Geneva but is now doing so . He explains that he studies medicine at Al-Faz University in Sudan and was able to take an advanced course on community health at the University of Geneva online . After arriving at the camp and feeling he had lost his academic path, he started as a student at the Digital Learning Centre and was eventually hired as a facilitator, opening many further opportunities .

Mohamed Moussa highlights that device ownership alone does not translate into meaningful connectivity or opportunity. The Digital Learning Centre's primary role is to shift mindsets and teach refugees how to use their devices productively rather than passively.

Mohamed notes that almost everybody in the camp has a smartphone but they do not know how to use it . He explains that the role of the Digital Learning Centre is mainly to open people's mindsets to the world, emphasising that the internet is not just for Facebook or TikTok but offers real chances and opportunities for those who know how to use technology .

Mohamed Moussa explains that after finishing high school, young refugees in the camp face a gap with no clear path to university, leaving them idle while waiting for the conflict in Sudan to end. The Digital Learning Centre targets this group specifically, teaching them how to become successful online learners and access degree programmes from universities worldwide.

Mohamed describes how students who finish high school in the camp have little to do and simply wait for things to return to normal so they can go back to Sudan, with no certainty of when the war will stop . The DLC focuses on courses such as how to be a successful online learner, making young refugees aware that many universities offer full degrees online, and walking them through how to access and use these opportunities safely . He emphasises that this cannot be done without connectivity and reliable internet .

Aziz Hazizi recounts how digital technology was the critical enabler that allowed him, as a refugee from Yemen, to overcome barriers of language, information, networks, and mobility to found Shama Institute for Cultural Exchange—the first private limited company in Ethiopia fully owned and led by a refugee. He argues that connectivity transformed his personal trajectory and created a platform for others.

Aziz explains that as a refugee he experienced firsthand how difficult it is to find a job and access opportunities when barriers such as language, information, networks, and mobility stand in the way, and that digital technology helped change that . Through digital tools, Shama connected learners, educators, interpreters, and communities across different locations and backgrounds . He notes that his own journey from refugee to entrepreneur would not have been possible without digital access and digital skills .

Aziz Hazizi argues that while access to the internet is important, meaningful connectivity goes further than simply having a connection. It must be accompanied by affordability, digital skills, and safety to enable people to learn, work, and participate fully in society.

Aziz states that access to the internet is important, especially in contexts where many refugees still lack reliable connectivity, devices, and safe access . He argues that meaningful connectivity enables people to learn new skills, access information, find work, start businesses, reach new markets, and participate fully in society .

Aziz Hazizi challenges the perception of refugees as passive recipients of aid, asserting that they possess talent, ideas, resilience, and innovation. He argues that the missing ingredient is access to opportunities, and that when connectivity and skills are combined with opportunity, refugees become economic contributors.

Aziz states that his experience has shown him that refugees do not lack talent or ambition, and that what is often missing is access to the opportunities that allow those talents to grow . He argues that when connectivity, skills, and opportunity come together, refugees become contributors to their communities and local economies .

Aziz Hazizi argues for a shift in how the impact of connectivity initiatives is evaluated, moving away from counting connections towards measuring the real-world outcomes those connections enable. He frames inclusion not merely as access but as the ability to participate, contribute, and thrive.

Aziz states that success should not be measured only by how many people are connected, but by how many people are able to find work, start businesses, access markets, and contribute to their communities because they are connected . He further argues that if investment is made in meaningful connectivity, affordable access, digital skills, and economic participation opportunities, refugees can become not only users of technology but creators of value through it .

Gerardo Franco reframes connectivity not as an end goal but as the starting point that enables access to skills, jobs, businesses, and safer lives. He argues that designing connectivity initiatives with opportunity as the destination from day one is what transforms access into meaningful inclusion.

Gerardo states that for Microsoft, connectivity is not the finish line but the on-ramp, and that a signal is only meaningful when it creates opportunity . He notes that connectivity is what helps Mohamed continue his course online and what helped build the first refugee-owned social enterprise in Ethiopia . He reiterates this at the close of the session, stating that connectivity is the starting point, not the destination, and that the goal is a skill, a job, a business, a safer life .

Gerardo Franco articulates a framework for sustainable impact that assigns distinct but complementary roles to the private sector, governments, and international and grassroots organisations. He argues that no single actor can achieve lasting change alone and that all three must work together.

Gerardo explains that if you want to go fast you go with the private sector, if you want to go long you go with government, and if you want to go deep you go with international organisations and grassroots organisations on the ground at the camps . He concludes that if you want to go sustainably and move the needle, you need that triple helix approach where everyone is involved and contributes .

Gerardo Franco argues that technology companies have a moral and mission-driven responsibility to include forcibly displaced populations in their work, especially as artificial intelligence reshapes the world. He warns that the AI shift could either widen or close the gap, making current investment decisions critical.

Gerardo notes that Microsoft's mission is to empower every person and organisation on the planet to achieve more, and that when one in every 70 people is forcibly displaced, the company cannot claim to be living up to that mission . He argues that technology companies bear a responsibility to ensure no one is left behind when their technology is changing the world . He also highlights that the AI shift has the potential to make leapfrogs in both directions-widening or closing the gap-making it essential to invest now .

Dominique Hyde frames connectivity as the foundational layer beneath all aspects of modern life for refugees and host communities alike. She argues that it is not merely a technical service but an enabler of education, health, finance, and economic participation.

Dominique states that connectivity underpins education, healthcare, financial services, and livelihoods, and enables people to stay informed, stay connected to family, engage with institutions and economic activities . She notes that this is increasingly what modern society is about , and references her recent visits to Chad, Rwanda, and Burundi where she observed people crossing borders with their phones .

Dominique Hyde uses Ethiopia as a concrete example to illustrate that connectivity gaps for refugees are not simply about physical infrastructure but encompass affordability, cybersecurity, and the quality of access. She highlights the disparity between refugee and host community connectivity rates.

Dominique notes that in Ethiopia, less than 40% of refugees have reported having connectivity access compared to their host communities . She emphasises that the challenge is not just about infrastructure but also about affordability, cybersecurity, and access to fast and reliable connectivity .

Dominique Hyde describes the origins and early achievements of the Connectivity for Refugees initiative, emphasising the breadth of the partnership and the scale of impact achieved in under three years. She presents this as evidence that multi-stakeholder collaboration can deliver results at scale.

Dominique explains that in 2023 partners came together at the Global Refugee Forum to launch Connectivity for Refugees to advance practical and scalable solutions . She notes that in less than three years, over one million people have advanced their connectivity access through the initiative . She identifies the key partners as ITU, GSMA, the government of Luxembourg, UNHCR, the private sector, and refugees themselves .

Dominique Hyde introduces UNHCR's 50 by 35 programme as a concrete institutional commitment to shifting refugees from humanitarian dependency towards self-reliance. She frames digital inclusion and structured interventions as essential tools for achieving this goal.

Dominique describes UNHCR's new flagship programme called 50 by 35, which pledges to decrease refugee dependency on humanitarian aid by 50% by 2035 . She contextualises this within the broader challenge that 118 million people-one in 70 on the planet-are currently displaced, and that for many this is a prolonged rather than temporary situation . She argues that the solution requires structured interventions with national systems, economic inclusion, social cohesion, and a focus on enabling people to become self-reliant .

Dr. Cosmas Zavazava argues that connectivity is not a privilege to be extended selectively but a universal right that regulators are obligated to provide to all people within their jurisdiction, including refugees and internally displaced persons. He contends that what a refugee needs is no different from what a local host community member needs.

Dr. Zavazava states that ITU, with its 194 member states and over a thousand private sector, industry, and academia members, believes that universal meaningful access applies to everyone, including internally displaced persons and refugees . He argues that if there is harmony and coexistence between host communities and refugees, there should be no distinction in providing connectivity . He also notes that statistics on who is connected or offline in a country should include refugees, making it easier to engage private sector investors and government officials .

Dr. Cosmas Zavazava makes the provocative suggestion that the 1951 Refugee Convention should be revisited or that member states should be steered to revisit it, so that the rights and services available to host communities are equally guaranteed to refugees. He frames this as a way to remove the artificial distinction that makes refugee connectivity a separate undertaking.

Dr. Zavazava suggests that UNHCR may need to revisit or steer member states to revisit the 1951 Refugee Convention, which provides rights, protection, and assistance to refugees . He argues that what a refugee needs is what a local host country needs, and questions why connecting refugees should be treated as a distinct undertaking if there is harmony and coexistence between host communities and refugees . He references the example of Einstein being a refugee to illustrate the potential that is lost when refugees are excluded .

Crystal Rugeje presents data from Rwanda's five refugee camps showing that while device ownership is relatively high, actual internet use lags significantly behind, revealing that connectivity alone is insufficient without accompanying digital skills and capability.

Crystal notes that 92% of refugee households in Rwanda own a mobile phone and about two-thirds use mobile money services . However, measuring across all five camps, only 38% of refugees are currently using the internet, demonstrating that ownership of devices is outpacing use . This gap led Rwanda to take a deliberate step to invest in skills at each level .

Crystal Rugeje argues that meaningful digital inclusion for refugees begins with deliberate policy decisions made by governments, before any discussion of investment or infrastructure. She contends that when inclusion is embedded in the design of systems and laws from the start, partnerships and investments naturally follow.

Crystal states that inclusion is really a policy choice before talking about investment and infrastructure, and that governments should ensure that when thinking about refugees, those policy choices are embedded in the design of all systems and laws being created . She argues that once those policy choices are made, the partnerships and investments will follow .

Crystal Rugeje outlines Rwanda's comprehensive approach to refugee digital inclusion, structured around three pillars: identity (providing government-issued and digital IDs that unlock access to 240 online government services), skills (a pyramid from digital literacy to Carnegie Mellon University master's degrees), and trust (a data protection law that explicitly covers refugees). She presents this as a replicable model for how policy can drive inclusion.

On identity, Crystal notes that 70% of refugees hold government-issued IDs, unlocking access to 240 online government services, and that digital ID registration is currently under way at Mahama camp with a goal of full registration by year end . On skills, she describes a pyramid from digital literacy training and coding in camps to Carnegie Mellon University Africa master's degrees in engineering and AI with refugee scholarships, resulting in one in five people in camps doing paid digital work . On trust, she highlights Rwanda's 2021 data protection and privacy law, which explicitly protects anyone within its jurisdiction, including refugees .

This argument, attributed to John Giusti in the arguments list, is actually articulated by Dominique Hyde when reflecting on her time in Chad. She observes that the Chad government is actively incorporating refugee connectivity into its national policy framework, presenting this as a positive model of government commitment.

Dominique Hyde expresses enthusiasm about being on the ground in Chad and seeing what the Chad government is doing in terms of building refugees into their government policy on refugee connectivity .

Crystal Rugeje describes Rwanda's deliberate, tiered investment in digital skills for refugees, ranging from foundational digital literacy at the base to advanced university degrees at the top. She frames this as a strategy to ensure refugees can become creators and innovators in the digital economy, not merely consumers.

Crystal explains that Rwanda invested in skills at each level, including digital literacy training in camps, learning-to-earning skills for youth and women, and coding, AI, and entrepreneurship programmes, resulting in about one in five people in camps doing paid digital work . At the top of the skills pyramid, Carnegie Mellon University Africa in Kigali offers master's degrees in engineering and AI with scholarships earmarked for refugees, enabling an increasing number to become creators of technologies .

Max Lamesch traces Luxembourg's engagement with humanitarian connectivity from its origins as a satellite nation that developed emergency communication tools after the Haiti earthquake, through to its role as a founding partner of the Connectivity for Refugees initiative. He presents this evolution as a model of how short-term emergency responses can grow into long-term, sustainable partnerships.

Max explains that Luxembourg decided in the 1970s to build a satellite industry as a lifeline for a small landlocked country, and later found humanitarian use cases for this infrastructure . After the 2010 Haiti earthquake, when communication networks were down and humanitarians could not coordinate, Luxembourg developed Emergency.lu, a satellite-based communication tool deployable anywhere in the world after sudden-onset disasters . This has since been operated in around 80 humanitarian contexts worldwide, from Haiti to the Central African Republic to Tonga . Luxembourg then co-founded the Connectivity for Refugees initiative with UNHCR and GSMA in 2023, contributing €2 million in cash as well as satellite terminals deployed in Farchana, Chad .

Max Lamesch argues that the multi-stakeholder approach is not just one option among many but the essential path to durable solutions for refugee connectivity. He highlights the Connectivity for Refugees initiative as a rare and encouraging example where private sector engagement is genuine, growing, and long-term.

Max states that the future for durable solutions lies definitively in the multi-stakeholder approach, and that the panel itself is a fantastic example of how governments and private sector can work together . He notes that having worked in the sector for over ten years, this is one of the few examples where he can see genuine and growing private sector interest that is sustained in the long run . He also commends Cisco specifically for its leadership and for being part of the initiative from the start .

John Giusti presents data showing that while 96% of the world's population falls within mobile internet coverage, three billion people remain unconnected, and the primary reason is the cost of devices. He warns that rising memory costs could undermine the progress made in reducing device prices.

John states that 96% of the world's population is covered by or falls within mobile internet range, yet three billion people are not connected, and the biggest barrier by far is the cost of the device . He expresses particular concern about the increased cost of memory, which means that progress made in making devices more affordable could be reversed going forward . He also notes that in South Sudan alone, GSMA research shows 73% of refugees have a mobile device, illustrating that the challenge is now about empowering use rather than coverage .

John Giusti argues that mobile operators and technology companies are already present and investing in many humanitarian-impacted regions, but they often lack a voice in key stakeholder conversations. He contends that bringing the private sector in from the beginning of initiatives, alongside government policy, is essential for effective and scalable connectivity.

John commends the leadership of UNHCR, ITU, and Luxembourg for recognising the value of the private sector in the initiative, noting that it is the private sector that is investing in connectivity in whatever form it takes-mobile networks, satellites, or technology companies . He describes a visit to Chad where the initiative enabled a conversation between Airtel, MOVE, government ministries, and humanitarian agencies about shared ambitions and barriers . He concludes that you cannot have effective connectivity without the right government policy levers, and that all actors must work together .

Erin Connor argues that what makes cross-sector partnerships genuinely meaningful rather than transactional is a foundation of shared vision, trust built incrementally over time, and a continuous commitment to working together. She uses Cisco's long-standing partnership with UNHCR as evidence of this model.

Erin describes how Cisco first started working with UNHCR in 2015, initially deploying emergency connectivity for response agencies and then quickly pivoting to provide connectivity for refugees themselves, including when people arrived on the shores of Greece with smartphones wanting Wi-Fi . This has grown into an 11-year partnership across over 20 countries . She explains that foundationally what is most important is a shared alignment and commitment towards the work and a common vision, and that trust is built over time through better understanding of how each partner operates . More recently, this has extended to integrating Cisco's Networking Academy ICT training curriculum into digital learning centres .