This discussion focused on financing mechanisms and partnerships needed to close the digital investment gap in developing countries, bringing together government officials, private sector representatives, and multilateral development banks.
South Africa's Deputy Minister Mondli Gungubele outlined his country's digital policy priorities, including expanding broadband, reducing communication costs, improving competition among network operators, and deploying spectrum through a 'use or lose' system . He noted that interventions to improve smartphone affordability had already boosted sales, and that the government was working to connect 5.8 million households, with over 2 million already connected . Senegal's representative, Ndeye Fatou Ndiaye, described her country's Universal Service Fund, which draws on World Bank financing of USD18 million to connect 290 localities , and an ambitious 'New Deal Technology' programme aiming to mobilise over one billion CFA francs over ten years . Senegal also planned to deploy 5,000 satellite kits by 2027 to connect schools, health centres, and local government bodies .
From the private sector, ZTE's Zhiping Chen emphasised the importance of open, collaborative ecosystems across the entire value chain, announcing a USD 450 million partnership pledge to an AI ecosystem over three years . Microsoft's Christopher Sharrock stressed that commitments must be designed for partnership from the outset, structured to crowd in investment through blended financing and de-risking , and that addressing the full technology 'stack', from power and data centres to devices and skills, is essential . He announced a joint Microsoft-Starlink pledge to connect over 450 rural hubs in Kenya and a USD 18 billion (18,000 million) commitment in Australia covering cloud infrastructure, cybersecurity, and digital skills training .
Representatives of multilateral development banks highlighted complementary roles. EBRD's Jacek Kubas noted that his organisation's digital investments grow 30% year on year and stressed that funding alone is insufficient without advisory support, technical assistance, and governance frameworks . ADB's Antonio Garcia Zaballos identified four priority areas: regulatory harmonisation, digital public infrastructure, digital skills, and innovative financial models, including ADB's newly launched digital bond .
The session concluded with a call for greater transparency, common outcome metrics, and replicable partnership models to turn pledges into a visible investment pipeline . Moderator Alex Wong noted that the combined pledges announced had pushed the ITU's Partner2Connect (P2C) Digital Coalition past its USD 100 billion (100,000 million) target , underscoring the collective significance of the commitments made and the need for continued multistakeholder collaboration to prevent a future 'intelligence divide' .
Overall Purpose
- The discussion aims to explore how governments, private sector companies, and multilateral development banks can collaborate to close the digital investment gap in developing countries. Specifically, it focuses on financing mechanisms, infrastructure deployment, and partnerships needed to expand digital connectivity and ensure developing nations can participate in the emerging AI economy.
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Major Discussion Points
- National digital connectivity programmes and affordability initiatives: South Africa outlined a range of government interventions to expand broadband access, including efficient use of existing facilities, spectrum management through a 'use or lose' system, and efforts to improve affordability of entry-level smartphones. The government is working towards connecting 5.8 million households, with over two million already connected. Senegal similarly described an ambitious 'New Deal Technology' programme requiring over 1 billion CFA francs (about USD 1,750,000) over ten years to close infrastructure gaps, cover uncovered localities, and deploy 5,000 satellite kits to connect schools and health centres. - The role of Universal Service Funds and multilateral financing in expanding digital access: Senegal's Universal Service Fund draws on World Bank financing (including a USD 18 million line to connect approximately 290 localities) alongside development partner contributions to fund network coverage expansion and digital inclusion projects. The GIGA initiative between ITU and UNICEF was highlighted as a key mechanism for connecting schools to the internet, with Senegal actively mapping school establishments as part of this programme. - Private sector investment in open, interoperable AI and digital ecosystems: ZTE announced a USD 450 million AI ecosystem partnership pledge under the Partner to Connect (P2C) framework, emphasising the importance of open, collaborative ecosystems that allow developing countries to build digital infrastructure incrementally and on their own terms. Microsoft announced a partnership with SpaceX's Starlink to deliver low-Earth orbit satellite connectivity to over 450 rural hubs in Kenya , as well as an approximately USD 18 billion (18,000 million) commitment in Australia covering cloud and AI infrastructure, cybersecurity, and digital skills training for 3 million people by 2028. Both companies stressed that commitments must be designed for partnership from the outset, be replicable across markets, and address the full technology stack rather than isolated layers. - The conditions for successful digital infrastructure financing and the role of MDBs: EBRD's representative highlighted that digitisation investments must deliver real business value, not just technological deployment, and that governance, data quality, skills, and cybersecurity are as important as the infrastructure itself. EBRD's digital investment portfolio is growing at 30% per year. The Asian Development Bank's USD 20 billion (20,000 million) Asia-Pacific Digital Highway initiative was presented, with emphasis on four priority areas: regulatory harmonisation and cybersecurity, digital public infrastructure, digital skills, and innovative financial models - including the launch of the first ADB digital bond. Both MDBs stressed the importance of institutional capacity-building in recipient countries to ensure funds are effectively deployed. - Strengthening financial mechanisms through transparency, partnership, and shared platforms: Panellists converged on the view that shared platforms such as Partner to Connect, the DII Catalyzer, and GIGA are essential for aggregating pledges, attracting co-financing, and creating a visible pipeline that target countries can plan around. Microsoft's representative called for common outcome metrics and greater transparency to prevent these mechanisms from becoming mere accounting tools. The session concluded with the announcement that the ITU's Partner2Connect programme has now exceeded its USD 100 billion (100,000 million) target , and that the next major convening will take place at the World Investment Forum in Doha in October 2026, where sovereign wealth funds and government leaders will be brought into the discussion. ---
Overall Tone
- The overall tone of the discussion is constructive, collaborative, and cautiously optimistic. Speakers consistently emphasised partnership and collective action, with a shared acknowledgement that no single actor - government, private sector, or multilateral institution - can close the digital investment gap alone. There is a sense of genuine momentum, particularly around the Partner2Connect milestone of exceeding USD 100 billion (100,000 million) in pledges. The tone is notably pragmatic in places, particularly from the MDB representatives, who tempered enthusiasm about large financial commitments by stressing that the quality and execution of spending matters more than headline figures. There is also an undercurrent of urgency, especially in the closing remarks, where the rapid concentration of data centre investment in a small number of countries was flagged as a risk of deepening inequality rather than reducing it.
Expanded Summary: Financing Digital Development - Closing the Investment Gap Through Multi-Stakeholder Partnership
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Overview and Purpose
This panel discussion brought together government officials, private sector representatives, and multilateral development bank (MDB) executives to explore how financing mechanisms, infrastructure deployment, and cross-sector partnerships can close the digital investment gap in developing countries. The overarching theme was that no single actor - whether government, private company, or international institution - can address the scale of the challenge alone , and that collective action anchored to shared platforms and replicable models is the most promising path forward. The session also served as a vehicle for announcing several significant new financial pledges, culminating in the announcement that the Partner to Connect (P2C) initiative had surpassed its $100 billion target - a milestone discussed in detail in a dedicated section below .
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South Africa: A Multi-Pronged National Digital Strategy
South Africa's Deputy Minister Mondli Gungubele opened the substantive discussion by outlining his government's broad digital policy agenda, which encompasses the expansion of broadband and digital connectivity, reduction of the cost of communication services, improving competition amongst network operators, and encouraging investment in digital infrastructure . Key interventions include the listing of facilities to ensure efficient use of existing infrastructure , spectrum management through a "use or lose" system, and regulatory reform around way leaves to enable rapid deployment . The government has also introduced measures to improve the affordability of entry-level smartphones, an intervention that has already produced measurable results in boosting smartphone sales .
Gungubele noted that South Africa is working towards connecting 5.8 million households, with over two million already connected , and expressed hope that once the government considers the 8.2 billion issue, the benefits already being observed will translate more broadly to poor communities . In his closing remarks, he distilled the government's philosophy to a single principle: without partnership between government and the private sector, with a particular focus on connecting schools irrespective of their socioeconomic status, digital development goals cannot be achieved .
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Senegal: Universal Service Funds, Satellite Connectivity, and the GIGA Initiative
Senegal's representative, Ndeye Fatou Ndiaye, who manages the country's Universal Service Fund (Fonds de Service Universel de Télécommunication), described a comprehensive national financing and deployment strategy. Her initial remarks were delivered in French and were unfortunately affected by a technical failure of the English translation system , meaning her detailed contributions were not fully accessible to all participants in real time. The moderator, Alex Wong, explicitly acknowledged the failure and noted that his own French was insufficient to provide an impromptu translation, though a written summary was promised . This context is important for understanding the structure of her contribution: her remarks on financing and deployment were delivered partly in English and partly in French throughout the session, with the digital inclusion projects section - covering the GSMA partnership, the Digital Educ programme, and the Living Lab initiative - delivered in French and not translated live.
On the financing side, Senegal benefits from a World Bank line of $18 million to connect approximately 290 localities , alongside contributions from development partners . More ambitiously, Senegal has established the New Deal Technology programme, which aims to mobilise more than 1 billion French CFA over a ten-year horizon to close the entire infrastructure and service gap and digitalise the country . This programme operates at the highest level of the Senegalese state .
In terms of deployment priorities, Senegal has planned to cover 413 uncovered localities and more than 3,000 localities where only one operator is present, with a target horizon of 2029 . By the end of 2027, Senegal also plans to deploy 5,000 satellite kits to connect schools, health centres, territorial collectivities, and town halls . The GIGA initiative - the joint ITU-UNICEF programme to connect every school to the internet - is directly informing this effort, with Senegal currently mapping school establishments through the programme so that uncovered schools can be incorporated into the satellite kit deployment .
Beyond infrastructure, Senegal is implementing a range of digital inclusion projects, including provision of digital equipment, training for agents, multimedia centres for schools and disability centres, and affordable entry-level devices developed in partnership with the GSMA - a project shared, for example, with South Africa and other African countries . A Digital Educ training programme and a Living Lab initiative - which creates co-creation spaces between the Universal Service Fund, universities, and local communities - further complement the infrastructure investment . These remarks were delivered in French and were not translated live for participants.
In her closing remarks, Ndiaye identified two foundational prerequisites for effective digital financing: first, strong political will from the government, which she candidly acknowledged has been missing so far ; and second, the creation of a centralised fundraising centre within the Ministry to consolidate all fund collection and project implementation .
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Private Sector: Open Ecosystems, Whole-Stack Thinking, and New Pledges
ZTE's Chief International Ecosystem Representative, Zhiping Chen (Summer Chen), argued that the most valuable investment developing countries can make is in an open, collaborative ecosystem that connects operators, developers, device manufacturers, and vertical industries across the entire value chain . Such an ecosystem allows countries to start small, scale incrementally, and retain the flexibility to evolve as their needs change . Chen articulated a philosophical position that reframed the session's metric of success: "the true measure of AI era will not [be] how fast the front runner move, but how many can move" . This principle underpins ZTE's $450 million AI ecosystem partnership pledge to Partners to Connect over three years, focused on incubating interoperable solutions that give developing countries choice, flexibility, and the ability to grow on their own terms . In his closing remarks, Chen identified AI infrastructure - understood holistically as encompassing energy, computing power, and communications together - as the single most critical investment priority, with ZTE committing to build accessible, affordable, and sustainable infrastructure for developing countries .
Microsoft's Vice President of UN Affairs and International Organizations, Christopher Sharrock, offered a complementary but more structurally focused perspective. He began by noting the sheer scale of the financing challenge - a gap of $2.6 trillion - and acknowledged that even Microsoft's $50 billion global infrastructure and skilling commitment "doesn't even begin to address that number" . This candid admission set the tone for a more systemic analysis of how commitments must be designed to catalyse wider investment.
Sharrock praised the ITU's multi-stakeholder model, noting his attendance at the inaugural meeting of the AI for Good Commission announced that morning - a body that includes Brad Smith, his own chief executive, alongside partners from the tech sector, government, and civil society . He also referenced the WSIS Plus 20 declaration's collective call on the private sector to act as part of the solution, specifically citing paragraph 67 of that declaration .
Sharrock outlined three structural principles for effective digital investment pledges. First, commitments must be designed for partnership from the outset, structured to crowd in investment through de-risking rather than going it alone . Second, funders must think about the entire technology stack - power, data centres, devices, connectivity, and skills - because addressing only one layer will not produce sustained progress . Third, pledges must be designed as replicable templates rather than bespoke projects, so they can be scaled across markets and co-financed by other investors . He further argued that anchoring pledges to shared platforms such as GIGA, Partners to Connect, the DII Catalyzer, and the Connecting Humanity Action Blueprint enables common metrics, a shared pipeline, and greater scalability .
Sharrock then announced two new Microsoft pledges. The first is a joint commitment with SpaceX's Starlink to deliver low-Earth orbit satellite connectivity to over 450 rural hubs in Kenya, integrating Azure Space cloud services to provide genuine AI access to schools, cooperatives, and small businesses . The second is an approximately $18 billion commitment in Australia through to 2029, bundling cloud and AI infrastructure, cybersecurity via an expanded CyberShield programme, and training for 3 million people in digital skills by 2028 .
In his closing remarks, Sharrock raised a pointed concern: shared platforms risk becoming "sort of accounting mechanisms for infrastructure" unless complemented by transparency and common outcome metrics that aggregate pledges into a visible pipeline, enabling target countries to plan and attracting additional development and private capital .
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Multilateral Development Banks: Complementarity, Capacity, and Innovation
EBRD's representative, Jacek Kubas, situated his organisation's digital work within a broader impact mandate, noting that EBRD operates across more than 40 economies and that approximately 80% of its business is in the private sector . He announced the adoption of EBRD's Digital Approach 2.0, a new five-year digital strategy that frames digitalisation, AI, and cybersecurity as core to delivering impact . Notably, EBRD's digital investment portfolio is growing at 30% per year , reflecting sustained institutional commitment. Kubas emphasised that EBRD does not invest in technology for its own sake, but to help companies become more productive, competitive, and cyber-resilient . He identified four complementary pillars of effective digital investment: the infrastructure itself (broadband, 5G, data centres); good governance and data quality ; skills and confidence to use technology ; and cybersecurity and cyber resilience .
An important qualifier on EBRD's approach to data centre investment is its identity as a "green bank," which Kubas described as "really important in our DNA" - meaning that the environmental sustainability of digital infrastructure is a core consideration, not an afterthought. Kubas illustrated the cross-sectoral reach of digital investment with a recent example: a deal in Uzbekistan on the digitalisation of Uzbek railways, demonstrating that digital financing extends well beyond the telecoms sector . He also noted that countries such as Kazakhstan and Mongolia are actively looking to scale and build data centre capabilities, illustrating the breadth of demand across EBRD's operating regions. He called for greater coordination among IFIs, ITU, and tech partners, including co-investment, noting that MDBs have different mandates and sectoral angles that make them complementary rather than duplicative . He cited EBRD's recently signed partnership with Microsoft to support small and medium-sized enterprises in Kenya as a concrete example of this approach . In his closing remarks, Kubas offered what was perhaps the session's most sobering observation: "many clients have AI ambition before they have AI readiness, and funding alone is simply not enough", with organisations needing advisory work, technical assistance, skills development, cybersecurity support, governance frameworks, and help integrating AI into real operational processes .
The Asian Development Bank's Director of the Digital Sector Office, Antonio Garcia Zaballos, presented the ADB's newly announced Asia-Pacific Digital Highway initiative, which aims to mobilise $20 billion and expand connectivity to an estimated 650 million people (as stated in the session, though the transcript text at this point was partially garbled) . He immediately contextualised this figure with a striking provocation: "the figure of $20 billion or $10 billion or whatever is the amount of money is anecdotal. The important thing is on what we are going to spend that money" . This reframing shifted the discussion from headline figures to strategic priorities.
Zaballos identified four key areas of emphasis for the ADB's digital investment. The first is regulatory harmonisation, with particular focus on cybersecurity, critical infrastructure protection, and interoperability - the latter described as "super relevant to make sure that across all the different areas within the government we are using the data in the proper way" . The second is digital public infrastructure, encompassing digital ID, digital payments, and the digitalisation of sectors from transportation to social services to justice . The third is digital skills, framed explicitly as a potential equaliser across societies if AI is to benefit rather than disadvantage the most vulnerable . The fourth is innovative financial models, including the ADB's recently launched first digital bond, which uses digital transformation projects as the underlying asset to encourage continued investment from countries and private investors . Zaballos also identified execution capacity - ensuring that recipient countries can actually absorb and deploy the funds made available - as the binding constraint, arguing that the challenge is "not so much about giving the loans or implementing particular project, but making sure that the countries are really executing" . In his closing remarks, he called for thinking "out of the box" and considering innovative financial models such as special purpose vehicles (referred to in the session as "SPDs") to bridge the existing funding gap .
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Surpassing the $100 Billion Target and the Role of Shared Platforms
A significant milestone was announced during the session: the entry of ADB's $20 billion Asia-Pacific Digital Highway commitment as a Partners to Connect pledge pushed the cumulative total of P2C pledges beyond the $100 billion target that had been set a few years earlier . Moderator Alex Wong noted that this milestone would be the subject of a formal press release, and that panellists were among the first to hear the news . This moment underscored the collective significance of the commitments made throughout the session - including ZTE's $450 million , Microsoft's Kenya and Australia pledges , and the ADB's $20 billion commitment - and validated the argument that shared platforms can aggregate individual pledges into something greater than the sum of their parts.
However, this celebratory moment was tempered by Sharrock's earlier caution that shared platforms risk becoming "sort of accounting mechanisms for infrastructure" without transparency and common outcome metrics , and by Zaballos's insistence that the size of pledges is less important than how they are deployed . These tensions - between celebrating milestones and interrogating their real-world impact - ran as an undercurrent throughout the session.
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Closing Remarks and Next Steps
The session's closing segment, facilitated by Nan Li Collins (whose attribution to UNCTAD is inferred from her reference to "OMTAD" in the transcript, understood as UNCTAD), synthesised the key themes and outlined next steps. Collins noted that UNCTAD's World Investment Report 2025 shows that investment in digital services has grown six-fold in the last four years, with data centre investment tripling over the same period and increasing by 80% in 2025 alone . However, she flagged a critical concern: this growth is concentrating in a small number of developing countries, raising the risk of an "intelligence divide" if coordinated action is not taken .
Collins announced that the forthcoming World Investment Forum in Doha in October would bring sovereign wealth funds - including the QIA, whose CEO has committed to chair the AI investment session - alongside MDB presidents, Doreen (the head of ITU), and government representatives from the USA and Qatar into the discussion . She called on participants to come prepared with viable project pipelines, noting that deal rooms would be established to facilitate matching between investors and projects . She also committed to working with co-chairs and corporate partners to improve transparency and produce more concrete outcomes from the shared platforms discussed during the session .
The session thus concluded on a note that was simultaneously optimistic - given the milestone of exceeding $100 billion in P2C pledges - and pragmatic, with multiple speakers having emphasised that the quality, replicability, and measurability of investment matters as much as its volume. The convergence of government officials, private sector actors, and multilateral institutions around shared platforms, open ecosystems, whole-stack thinking, and innovative financial models suggests that the institutional architecture for scaling digital investment is broadly accepted. The principal remaining challenges are ensuring that investment reaches the most marginalised countries and communities, building the institutional capacity needed to absorb and deploy funds effectively, and establishing the transparency and outcome metrics that will allow pledges to function as a genuine pipeline rather than a ledger of good intentions.
Broadband expansion and affordability measures - South Africa's multi-pronged digital policy approach including spectrum management, infrastructure sharing, way leaves regulation, and entry-level smartphone affordability initiatives to connect 5.8 million households
Arg. 1South Africa is pursuing a comprehensive digital policy strategy that addresses multiple barriers to connectivity simultaneously. This includes regulating infrastructure sharing, implementing a use-or-lose spectrum policy, streamlining way leaves for rapid deployment, and improving affordability through entry-level smartphone initiatives. The overall target is to connect 5.8 million households, building on the two-plus million already connected.
Gungubele outlined interventions including listing facilities for efficient use, spectrum use-or-lose systems, and way leaves regulation for rapid deployment . He noted that affordability measures for entry-level smartphones had already improved smartphone sales . The target of connecting 5.8 million households was cited, with over two million already connected .
Public-private partnership as essential model - Without partnership between government and the private sector, with particular focus on connecting schools regardless of socioeconomic status, digital development goals cannot be achieved
Arg. 2Gungubele argued that no single actor can achieve digital development goals alone, and that co-funding arrangements between government and the private sector are indispensable. He placed particular emphasis on ensuring schools are connected irrespective of their socioeconomic circumstances, framing this as a matter of equity.
In his closing remark, Gungubele stated that without partnership between government and the private sector co-funding projects, progress will never be made, with a particular focus on schools regardless of their socioeconomic status .
on: Partnership between government and private sector is indispensable for achieving digital development goals
Universal Service Fund as a financing vehicle - Senegal's Universal Service Fund mobilises diverse funding sources including World Bank financing ($18 million for 290 localities) and the ambitious New Deal Technology programme targeting over 1 billion CFA francs over 10 years to close infrastructure and service gaps
Arg. 1Senegal's Universal Service Fund draws on multiple financing streams governed by laws and regulations to expand digital access. A World Bank financing line of $18 million is being used to connect approximately 290 localities. The broader New Deal Technology programme aims to mobilise over 1 billion CFA francs over a ten-year horizon to address the full infrastructure and service gap and digitise the country.
Ndiaye noted a World Bank financing line of $18 million to connect about 290 localities , and described the New Deal Technology programme as requiring mobilisation of more than 1 billion French CFA over a 10-year horizon to resolve the entire infrastructure and service gap .
on: Innovative financial models are essential to bridge the digital investment gap, which far exceeds what any single actor or traditional financing can address
Satellite connectivity and school digitalisation - Senegal plans to deploy 5,000 satellite kits to connect schools, health centres, and local government bodies, with school mapping conducted through the GIGA initiative to identify uncovered establishments
Arg. 2Senegal has planned a large-scale satellite connectivity programme to reach institutions that remain unconnected by terrestrial networks. The 5,000 satellite kits will primarily target schools but also health centres and local government bodies. The GIGA initiative is being used to map school establishments so that uncovered schools identified through GIGA can be incorporated into the satellite programme.
Ndiaye described a programme of 5,000 satellite kits planned by the end of 2027 to connect schools, health centres, and territorial collectivities . She explained that Senegal is working with GIGA teams on the cartography of school establishments, and that uncovered schools identified through GIGA will be included in the satellite kit programme .
on: Shared platforms such as Partners to Connect, GIGA, and the DII Catalyzer are essential mechanisms for scaling digital investment and enabling coordination
Digital inclusion projects - Senegal is implementing digital inclusion initiatives including equipment provision, agent training, multimedia centres for schools and disability centres, affordable entry-level devices in partnership with GSMA, and a Digital Educ training programme
Arg. 3Beyond infrastructure, Senegal is pursuing a range of digital inclusion projects aimed at equipping people with the tools and skills to participate in the digital economy. These include providing digital equipment and training for agents, establishing multimedia centres in schools and centres for persons with disabilities, and working with GSMA on affordable entry-level devices. A dedicated Digital Educ training programme is also underway.
Ndiaye described digital inclusion projects consisting of digital equipment provision, agent training, and equipping schools and disability centres with multimedia rooms and devices . She mentioned a project with the GSMA initiative for affordable entry-level devices, shared with South Africa and other African countries , and a training programme called Digital Educ .
on: Digital skills and capacity development are as critical as physical infrastructure investment
Government political will as prerequisite - Strong government commitment is the primary prerequisite for effective digital financing, followed by the creation of a centralised fundraising body within the Ministry to consolidate and implement digital projects
Arg. 4Ndiaye identified strong political will from the government as the foundational requirement that has historically been missing in Senegal's digital financing efforts. She argued that once projects and strategies are well designed, a dedicated centre within the Ministry should be established to centralise all fundraising activities and ensure effective implementation.
In her closing remarks, Ndiaye stated that strong government will is the first and foremost priority, identifying it as what has been missing so far . She also recommended creating a centre within the Ministry to concentrate all fundraising for project implementation .
on: Centralised government fundraising body vs. open distributed ecosystem approaches
Open collaborative ecosystem as the most valuable investment - ZTE's approach centres on building an open, interoperable ecosystem connecting operators, developers, device manufacturers, and vertical industries, allowing countries to start small and scale incrementally, underpinned by a $450 million AI ecosystem partnership pledge to Partners to Connect over three years
Arg. 1ZTE argues that the most strategic investment is not in scale alone but in the open, collaborative ecosystem that supports it. Such an ecosystem connects all actors across the value chain and allows countries to begin with modest deployments and grow over time while retaining flexibility. This philosophy underpins ZTE's $450 million AI ecosystem partnership pledge to Partners to Connect over three years.
Chen described the ideal ecosystem as one connecting operators, developers, device manufacturers, and vertical industries, built incrementally with flexibility to adopt new capabilities . She cited ZTE's $450 million AI ecosystem partnership pledge to P2C over three years as the practical expression of this principle , and described working with partners to incubate interoperable solutions that give developing countries choice and flexibility .
on: Partnership between government and private sector is indispensable for achieving digital development goals
on: Centralised government fundraising body vs. open distributed ecosystem approaches
AI infrastructure as the top priority - AI infrastructure encompassing energy, computing power, and communications together represents the most critical investment priority, and ZTE commits to building accessible, affordable, and sustainable infrastructure for developing countries
Arg. 2Chen argued that AI infrastructure should be understood broadly to encompass not just communications but also energy and computing power as equally essential components. She positioned this integrated infrastructure as the single most important investment priority and committed ZTE to delivering it in a manner that is accessible, affordable, and sustainable for developing countries.
In her closing remark, Chen stated that AI infrastructure is the most important priority and that it includes energy, computing power, and communications together, not just communication alone . She committed ZTE to building accessible, affordable, and sustainable infrastructure for developing countries .
on: Digital skills and capacity development are as critical as physical infrastructure investment
on: Top investment priority: AI infrastructure vs. whole-stack vs. execution capacity
Whole-stack thinking for digital commitments - Commitments must address the entire technology stack—power, data centres, devices, connectivity, and skills—rather than a single layer, as connectivity alone does not deliver impact without complementary infrastructure and services
Arg. 1Sharrock argued that digital investment commitments fail to deliver impact when they address only one layer of the technology stack. Effective commitments must consider the full range of requirements in a given market, from power and data centres through to devices and skills development. Addressing only connectivity, for instance, is insufficient without the complementary layers that make it useful.
Sharrock stated that if only one level of the stack is addressed-be it power, data centres, devices, or skilling-progress will not be made, and that commitments must consider the whole stack needed in a particular market . He illustrated this with Microsoft's Australia pledge, which bundles cloud and AI infrastructure, cybersecurity, and training 3 million people in digital skills by 2028 .
on: Digital skills and capacity development are as critical as physical infrastructure investment
on: Top investment priority: AI infrastructure vs. whole-stack vs. execution capacity
Designing pledges for partnership and replicability - Digital investment commitments must be structured for partnership from the outset, designed to crowd in investment through de-risking, and built as replicable templates rather than bespoke projects so they can be scaled across markets and co-financed by other investors
Arg. 2Sharrock outlined the principles of blended financing, emphasising that commitments must be designed to crowd in investment and de-risk participation for other investors. He stressed that pledges should not be one-off, bespoke projects but rather replicable templates that can be adopted by other markets, partners, or co-financiers to generate momentum and scale.
Sharrock described blended financing as requiring structures that crowd in investment and de-risk participation , and argued that commitments need to be open to partnership from day one rather than going it alone . He recommended designing replicable models rather than bespoke projects so that pledges can become templates for other markets or be co-financed by other investors .
on: Innovative financial models are essential to bridge the digital investment gap, which far exceeds what any single actor or traditional financing can address
on: Centralised government fundraising body vs. open distributed ecosystem approaches
Anchoring pledges to shared platforms - Linking commitments to shared platforms such as GIGA, Partners to Connect, the DII Catalyzer, and Connecting Humanity Action Blueprint enables common metrics, a shared pipeline, and greater scalability of private sector investment
Arg. 3Sharrock argued that the more digital investment pledges are anchored to existing shared platforms, the more scalable and impactful they become. These platforms provide common metrics and potentially a shared pipeline that can attract additional financing. He identified several such platforms already in existence that bring together private sector investment, blended financing, and innovative partnerships.
Sharrock listed mechanisms including GIGA, Partners to Connect, the Connecting Humanity Action Blueprint, and the DII Catalyzer as platforms that bring private sector investment and blended financing together to close the financing gap in low- and middle-income countries . He noted that these platforms provide common metrics and a shared pipeline that can attract more financing .
on: Shared platforms such as Partners to Connect, GIGA, and the DII Catalyzer are essential mechanisms for scaling digital investment and enabling coordination
Microsoft's new pledges - Microsoft announced a joint pledge with SpaceX Starlink to deliver low-Earth orbit satellite connectivity to over 450 rural hubs in Kenya integrating Azure Space for AI access, and an $18 billion pledge in Australia bundling cloud and AI infrastructure, cybersecurity via CyberShield, and training 3 million people in digital skills by 2028
Arg. 4Sharrock announced two new Microsoft pledges that exemplify the whole-stack and partnership principles he described. The Kenya pledge, developed jointly with SpaceX's Starlink, will deliver satellite broadband to over 450 rural hubs and integrate Azure Space cloud services to provide genuine AI access. The Australia pledge, valued at approximately $18 billion through to 2029, bundles cloud and AI infrastructure, an expanded CyberShield cybersecurity programme, and digital skills training for 3 million people.
Sharrock announced a joint Microsoft and SpaceX Starlink pledge to deliver low-Earth orbit satellite connectivity to more than 450 rural hubs in Kenya, integrating Azure Space for AI access to schools, cooperatives, and small businesses . He also announced an $18 billion pledge in Australia bundling cloud and AI infrastructure, cybersecurity via an expanded CyberShield programme, and training 3 million people in digital skills by 2028, running through to 2029 .
Transparency and common outcome metrics - Shared platforms risk becoming mere accounting mechanisms unless complemented by transparency and common outcome metrics that aggregate pledges into a visible pipeline, enabling target countries to plan and attracting additional development and private capital
Arg. 5Sharrock cautioned that shared platforms such as Partners to Connect risk devolving into simple accounting tools for infrastructure pledges if they lack transparency and common outcome metrics. By aggregating pledges into a visible, measurable pipeline, these platforms can give target countries something concrete to plan around and attract additional development financing and private capital.
Sharrock warned of the risk that shared platforms become mere accounting mechanisms for infrastructure , and recommended a focus on transparency and common outcome metrics to aggregate pledges into a visible pipeline that could attract more financing and give target countries something to plan around .
on: Adequacy of current pledges and platforms relative to the financing gap
EBRD's Digital Approach 2.0 and impact-driven investment - EBRD's newly adopted Digital Approach 2.0 frames digitalisation, AI, and cybersecurity as core to delivering impact across 40+ economies, with digital investment growing 30% year on year, focusing on productivity, competitiveness, and cyber resilience for businesses rather than technology for its own sake
Arg. 1EBRD's newly adopted Digital Approach 2.0 positions digitalisation, AI, and cybersecurity as central pillars of its impact investment mandate across more than 40 economies. The bank's digital investment portfolio has been growing at 30% per year, reflecting strong institutional commitment. The focus is firmly on supporting businesses to become more productive, competitive, and cyber resilient, rather than investing in technology as an end in itself.
Kubas announced that EBRD's Digital Approach 2.0 had just been adopted and made publicly available, covering digitalisation, AI, and cybersecurity as ways to deliver impact . He noted that the number of investments with a digital or cybersecurity component increases 30% year on year . He emphasised that the bank does not invest in technology for its own sake but to support companies in becoming more productive, competitive, and cyber resilient .
on: Innovative financial models are essential to bridge the digital investment gap, which far exceeds what any single actor or traditional financing can address
Complementarity and coordination among MDBs and partners - MDBs have different mandates and sectoral angles that make them complementary; greater coordination between IFIs, ITU, and tech partners—including co-investment—is essential, as illustrated by EBRD's partnership with Microsoft for SME support in Kenya
Arg. 2Kubas argued that MDBs, by virtue of their different mandates and sectoral focuses, are naturally complementary rather than duplicative. He called for greater coordination among IFIs, ITU, and technology partners, including the possibility of co-investing in the same projects. He cited EBRD's partnership with Microsoft in Kenya to support small and medium-sized enterprises as a concrete example of this complementarity in action.
Kubas noted that each IFI has a slightly different mandate and sectoral angle, making them complementary, and called for coordination with ITU and other working groups as well as co-investment opportunities . He cited a recently signed partnership with Microsoft for Kenya to support small and medium-sized enterprises as an example .
on: Partnership between government and private sector is indispensable for achieving digital development goals
AI readiness over AI ambition - Funding alone is insufficient; many organisations need advisory support, technical assistance, skills development, cybersecurity frameworks, governance structures, data partnerships, and help integrating AI into real operational processes before they can benefit from investment
Arg. 3Kubas cautioned that many clients arrive with AI ambitions that outpace their actual readiness to absorb and deploy AI effectively. He argued that financial investment alone cannot bridge this gap, and that organisations also require advisory work, technical assistance, skills development, cybersecurity support, governance frameworks, data partnerships, and practical help integrating AI into their operations.
In his closing remark, Kubas stated that many clients have AI ambition before they have AI readiness, and that funding alone is simply not enough . He listed the range of support needed, including advisory work, technical assistance, skills, cybersecurity support, governance frameworks, data partnerships, and help integrating AI into real operational processes .
on: Digital skills and capacity development are as critical as physical infrastructure investment
on: Top investment priority: AI infrastructure vs. whole-stack vs. execution capacity
ADB's Asia-Pacific Digital Highway and key challenge areas - ADB's $20 billion Asia-Pacific Digital Highway aims to expand connectivity to 650 million people, with the biggest challenges being harmonisation of regulatory frameworks, strengthening institutional capacity, cybersecurity and interoperability, digital public infrastructure, digital skills as an equaliser, and innovative financial models
Arg. 1The Asian Development Bank's Asia-Pacific Digital Highway is an ambitious programme targeting connectivity for 650 million people with $20 billion in mobilised financing. Zaballos identified six key challenge areas that must be addressed for the programme to succeed: regulatory harmonisation, institutional capacity building, cybersecurity and interoperability, digital public infrastructure across all sectors, digital skills as a societal equaliser, and the development of innovative financial models.
Zaballos outlined four key areas of emphasis: harmonisation of policies and regulations including cybersecurity and interoperability ; digital public infrastructure encompassing digital ID, digital payments, and digitalisation across sectors from transportation to justice ; digital skills as an equaliser across societies ; and innovative financial models to bridge the financing gap .
on: Digital skills and capacity development are as critical as physical infrastructure investment
Innovative financial models as a priority - The quantum of funding is less important than how it is deployed; innovative financial models such as digital bonds and tokenisation-linked instruments are essential to bridge the financing gap, as demonstrated by ADB's launch of the first digital bond
Arg. 2Zaballos argued that the headline figures attached to financing commitments are less important than the quality and innovation of the financial instruments used to deploy them. He positioned innovative financial models as a critical priority for bridging the digital financing gap. ADB's launch of the first digital bond—using digital transformation projects as the underlying asset to encourage continued investment—was presented as a concrete example of this approach.
Zaballos stated that the figure of $20 billion or any other amount is anecdotal, and that what matters is how the money is spent . He described ADB's launch of the first digital bond, which uses digital transformation projects funded by the bank as a vehicle to encourage countries and private investors to continue investing in digital transformation .
on: Innovative financial models are essential to bridge the digital investment gap, which far exceeds what any single actor or traditional financing can address
Execution capacity as the binding constraint - The critical challenge is not the size of financial commitments but ensuring that recipient countries have the institutional capacity to execute and absorb the funds effectively
Arg. 3Zaballos argued that the real bottleneck in digital development financing is not the availability of funds but the ability of recipient countries to execute projects effectively. He suggested that the role of MDBs and international organisations is not merely to provide loans or implement projects, but to ensure that countries have the institutional capacity to absorb and deploy the resources made available to them.
Zaballos stated that the challenge is not so much about giving loans or implementing particular projects, but making sure that countries are really executing whatever amount of money is put at the government's disposal . He emphasised that the figure of $20 billion or any other amount is anecdotal, and that what matters is what the money is spent on .
on: Top investment priority: AI infrastructure vs. whole-stack vs. execution capacity
Surpassing the $100 billion Partners to Connect target - The cumulative pledges announced during the session, including ADB's $20 billion commitment entered as a Partners to Connect pledge, have pushed the total beyond the $100 billion target set a few years ago, demonstrating the power of collective commitment
Arg. 1Wong announced that the cumulative pledges made through the Partners to Connect initiative have now exceeded the $100 billion target that was set a few years ago. The ADB's $20 billion Asia-Pacific Digital Highway commitment, entered as a Partners to Connect pledge during the session, was the contribution that pushed the total over the target. Wong framed this milestone as evidence of the power of collective, partnership-based commitment.
Wong noted that ADB's $20 billion commitment had been entered as a Partners to Connect pledge , and announced that the cumulative total had now surpassed the $100 billion target set a couple of years ago, with a press release planned .
on: Shared platforms such as Partners to Connect, GIGA, and the DII Catalyzer are essential mechanisms for scaling digital investment and enabling coordination
on: Adequacy of current pledges and platforms relative to the financing gap
Concentration of digital investment in few countries - Despite six-fold growth in digital services investment and an 80% increase in data centre investment in 2025, these flows remain concentrated in a small number of developing countries, making coordinated action essential to prevent an intelligence divide
Arg. 1Collins highlighted that while global investment in digital services and data centres has grown dramatically in recent years, the benefits are not being distributed evenly across developing countries. The concentration of these investment flows in a small number of countries risks creating a new form of inequality—an intelligence divide—that coordinated international action must work to prevent.
Collins cited UNCTAD's World Investment Report 2025, noting that investment in digital services has grown six-fold in the last four years and data centre investment three-fold, with data centre investment increasing 80% in 2025 alone . She warned that this growth is concentrating in a few developing countries, necessitating coordinated action to prevent an intelligence divide .
on: Innovative financial models are essential to bridge the digital investment gap, which far exceeds what any single actor or traditional financing can address
on: Adequacy of current pledges and platforms relative to the financing gap
Next steps: pipeline preparation and deal facilitation - Governments and partners must come prepared with viable project pipelines; the forthcoming World Investment Forum in Doha will bring sovereign wealth funds, MDB presidents, and government representatives together to facilitate matching and public-private partnerships in AI investment
Arg. 2Collins outlined the concrete next steps following the session, centring on the need for governments and partners to develop viable project pipelines rather than simply discussing ambitions. The forthcoming World Investment Forum in Doha was identified as the key venue for advancing these partnerships, with sovereign wealth funds, MDB presidents, and government representatives from the USA and Qatar confirmed to participate in an AI investment track.
Collins called for partners to come prepared with pipelines to the World Investment Forum in Doha in October, where deal rooms will be set up to facilitate matching . She confirmed that the QIA CEO, the EBRD president, and ITU head Doreen would co-chair the AI investment session, with governments including the USA and Qatar represented .
on: Shared platforms such as Partners to Connect, GIGA, and the DII Catalyzer are essential mechanisms for scaling digital investment and enabling coordination
Session Knowledge Graph
Speakers · Topics · Arguments · Relationships
Across all speakers, there was unanimous agreement that partnership between government, private sector, and multilateral institutions is essential. Gungubele stated that 'without partnership between government, private sector, co-funding this project, it will never get anywhere' . Sharrock argued that commitments 'need to be structures that are open to partnership' and that 'we can't be thinking every time, let's go it alone' . Chen described ZTE's commitment to 'working with partners across the entire industry chain' . Kubas called for coordination among IFIs, ITU, and tech partners including co-investment . Zaballos emphasised working together 'across all the different MDBs, private sector, just pursuing a common goal' . Collins outlined plans for the World Investment Forum in Doha to 'bring more partners into these public-private partnerships' .
Public-private partnership as essential model - Without partnership between government and the private sector, with particular focus on connecting schools regardless of socioeconomic status, digital development goals cannot be achieved
Designing pledges for partnership and replicability - Digital investment commitments must be structured for partnership from the outset, designed to crowd in investment through de-risking, and built as replicable templates rather than bespoke projects so they can be scaled across markets and co-financed by other investors
Open collaborative ecosystem as the most valuable investment - ZTE's approach centres on building an open, interoperable ecosystem connecting operators, developers, device manufacturers, and vertical industries, allowing countries to start small and scale incrementally, underpinned by a $450 million AI ecosystem partnership pledge to Partners to Connect over three years
Complementarity and coordination among MDBs and partners - MDBs have different mandates and sectoral angles that make them complementary; greater coordination between IFIs, ITU, and tech partners—including co-investment—is essential, as illustrated by EBRD's partnership with Microsoft for SME support in Kenya
ADB's Asia-Pacific Digital Highway and key challenge areas - ADB's $20 billion Asia-Pacific Digital Highway aims to expand connectivity to 650 million people, with the biggest challenges being harmonisation of regulatory frameworks, strengthening institutional capacity, cybersecurity and interoperability, digital public infrastructure, digital skills as an equaliser, and innovative financial models
Next steps: pipeline preparation and deal facilitation - Governments and partners must come prepared with viable project pipelines; the forthcoming World Investment Forum in Doha will bring sovereign wealth funds, MDB presidents, and government representatives together to facilitate matching and public-private partnerships in AI investment
Multiple speakers converged on the value of shared platforms as coordination and scaling mechanisms. Sharrock listed 'mechanisms like Giga, like Partner to Connect, the Connecting Humanity, Action Blueprint, the DII Catalyzer' as platforms that 'bring private sector investment, blended financing, and innovative partnership to close the financing gap' , and noted they provide 'common metrics, maybe even a shared pipeline' . Wong announced that cumulative pledges had surpassed the $100 billion Partners to Connect target . Ndiaye described how Senegal is working with GIGA teams on school cartography so that uncovered schools can be incorporated into the satellite kit programme . Collins called for partners to come to Doha 'prepared with pipelines' and described deal rooms to facilitate matching .
Anchoring pledges to shared platforms - Linking commitments to shared platforms such as GIGA, Partners to Connect, the DII Catalyzer, and Connecting Humanity Action Blueprint enables common metrics, a shared pipeline, and greater scalability of private sector investment
Surpassing the $100 billion Partners to Connect target - The cumulative pledges announced during the session, including ADB's $20 billion commitment entered as a Partners to Connect pledge, have pushed the total beyond the $100 billion target set a few years ago, demonstrating the power of collective commitment
Next steps: pipeline preparation and deal facilitation - Governments and partners must come prepared with viable project pipelines; the forthcoming World Investment Forum in Doha will bring sovereign wealth funds, MDB presidents, and government representatives together to facilitate matching and public-private partnerships in AI investment
Satellite connectivity and school digitalisation - Senegal plans to deploy 5,000 satellite kits to connect schools, health centres, and local government bodies, with school mapping conducted through the GIGA initiative to identify uncovered establishments
There was strong consensus that skills and capacity are inseparable from infrastructure investment. Sharrock argued that 'if you only address one level of the stack, be it the power or the data centers or the devices or the skilling, then you're not going to make progress' , and announced Microsoft's pledge to train 3 million people in digital skills by 2028 . Kubas stated that 'many clients have AI ambition before they have AI readiness, and funding alone is simply not enough', listing skills, cybersecurity support, and governance frameworks as essential complements to finance . Zaballos identified 'digital skills as an equaliser across societies' as one of four key areas of emphasis . Ndiaye described Senegal's Digital Educ training programme and agent training initiatives . Chen acknowledged that AI infrastructure must be 'accessible, affordable, and sustainable' .
Whole-stack thinking for digital commitments - Commitments must address the entire technology stack—power, data centres, devices, connectivity, and skills—rather than a single layer, as connectivity alone does not deliver impact without complementary infrastructure and services
AI readiness over AI ambition - Funding alone is insufficient; many organisations need advisory support, technical assistance, skills development, cybersecurity frameworks, governance structures, data partnerships, and help integrating AI into real operational processes before they can benefit from investment
ADB's Asia-Pacific Digital Highway and key challenge areas - ADB's $20 billion Asia-Pacific Digital Highway aims to expand connectivity to 650 million people, with the biggest challenges being harmonisation of regulatory frameworks, strengthening institutional capacity, cybersecurity and interoperability, digital public infrastructure, digital skills as an equaliser, and innovative financial models
Digital inclusion projects - Senegal is implementing digital inclusion initiatives including equipment provision, agent training, multimedia centres for schools and disability centres, affordable entry-level devices in partnership with GSMA, and a Digital Educ training programme
AI infrastructure as the top priority - AI infrastructure encompassing energy, computing power, and communications together represents the most critical investment priority, and ZTE commits to building accessible, affordable, and sustainable infrastructure for developing countries
Speakers broadly agreed that the scale of the financing gap demands innovative approaches beyond traditional models. Sharrock described blended financing principles as requiring structures that 'crowd in investment' and 'de-risk' participation , and recommended designing 'replicable models, not bespoke projects' . Zaballos argued that 'the figure of $20 billion or $10 billion or whatever is the amount of money is anecdotal' and that 'innovative financial models is definitely going to be a very relevant aspect' , citing ADB's launch of the first digital bond . Ndiaye described Senegal's Universal Service Fund drawing on World Bank financing and the New Deal Technology programme . Collins noted that despite dramatic growth in digital investment, it remains concentrated in a few countries , underscoring the need for new approaches.
Designing pledges for partnership and replicability - Digital investment commitments must be structured for partnership from the outset, designed to crowd in investment through de-risking, and built as replicable templates rather than bespoke projects so they can be scaled across markets and co-financed by other investors
Innovative financial models as a priority - The quantum of funding is less important than how it is deployed; innovative financial models such as digital bonds and tokenisation-linked instruments are essential to bridge the financing gap, as demonstrated by ADB's launch of the first digital bond
EBRD's Digital Approach 2.0 and impact-driven investment - EBRD's newly adopted Digital Approach 2.0 frames digitalisation, AI, and cybersecurity as core to delivering impact across 40+ economies, with digital investment growing 30% year on year, focusing on productivity, competitiveness, and cyber resilience for businesses rather than technology for its own sake
Universal Service Fund as a financing vehicle - Senegal's Universal Service Fund mobilises diverse funding sources including World Bank financing ($18 million for 290 localities) and the ambitious New Deal Technology programme targeting over 1 billion CFA francs over 10 years to close infrastructure and service gaps
Concentration of digital investment in few countries - Despite six-fold growth in digital services investment and an 80% increase in data centre investment in 2025, these flows remain concentrated in a small number of developing countries, making coordinated action essential to prevent an intelligence divide
Both government representatives from African nations shared similar approaches to digital inclusion, particularly around affordable entry-level devices. Gungubele noted that affordability measures for entry-level smartphones had 'already improved the sale of...the smartphones' , and Ndiaye mentioned a project with the GSMA initiative for affordable entry-level devices, explicitly noting it is 'shared with South Africa and other African countries' . Both also emphasised connecting schools as a priority, with Gungubele stressing schools 'irrespective of their socioeconomic status' and Ndiaye describing satellite kits primarily targeting schools . Both private sector representatives agreed that AI infrastructure must be understood holistically and that open, interoperable ecosystems are the most effective investment model. Chen argued that 'infrastructure is not just communication. It's including energy, it's the computing power, and communications together' , mirroring Sharrock's argument that 'if you only address one level of the stack, be it the power or the data centers or the devices or the skilling, then you're not going to make progress' . Both also emphasised open ecosystems: Chen described an ecosystem 'that connects partners across the entire value chain' , while Sharrock stressed that 'for governors and regulators, an open ecosystem means they can set policies that encourage diverse participation and avoid over-reliance on any single architecture' . Both MDB representatives shared the view that institutional capacity and readiness are as important as financial commitments, and that MDBs are complementary rather than duplicative. Kubas stated that 'many clients have AI ambition before they have AI readiness, and funding alone is simply not enough' , while Zaballos argued that 'the challenge is not so much about giving the loans or implementing particular project, but making sure that the countries are really executing whatever is the amount of money that we are putting at the government disposal' . Both also called for greater coordination: Kubas noted that MDBs 'can be so complementary' and cited the EBRD-Microsoft Kenya partnership , while Zaballos emphasised working together 'across all the different MDBs, private sector' . Sharrock, Kubas, and Zaballos all converged on the view that the quality and measurability of investment matters more than headline figures. Sharrock warned that shared platforms risk becoming 'mere accounting mechanisms for infrastructure' without 'transparency and common outcome metrics' . Kubas emphasised that 'funding alone is simply not enough' and that organisations need advisory work and technical assistance . Zaballos stated that 'the figure of $20 billion or $10 billion or whatever is the amount of money is anecdotal' and that 'the important thing is on what we are going to spend that money' . Both government representatives identified strong political will and government commitment as foundational prerequisites for digital development. Ndiaye stated that 'strong will from the government' is the first priority and identified it as 'what has been missing so far' . Gungubele similarly framed government action as central, noting that 'once the government consider the 8.2 billion issue', benefits would translate to poor people , and called for government-private sector co-funding as essential .
It was somewhat unexpected that private sector representatives joined multilateral institutions in explicitly warning about the risk of an 'intelligence divide'. Collins, representing UNCTAD, cited data showing that despite an 80% increase in data centre investment in 2025, 'it's concentrating in a few developing countries' and called for action to 'ensure we will not have intelligence divide in the future' . Zaballos, from ADB, similarly framed AI as potentially being 'an equaliser across the different societies' only if digital skills are addressed . Chen from ZTE, a private sector actor, explicitly invoked the 'leave no one behind' principle, stating that it 'means giving everyone the tourist to participate fully and on their own terms and with their own agency' . This convergence between a major telecoms equipment supplier and multilateral development institutions on the systemic risk of AI-driven inequality was a notable area of unexpected consensus.
It was somewhat unexpected that a major telecoms equipment supplier (ZTE) and a multilateral development bank (ADB) converged so explicitly on interoperability as a top priority. Chen argued that ZTE's ecosystem approach produces 'solutions that are interoperable by design solutions that give developing country choice, flexibility, and ability to grow on their own terms' , while Zaballos listed 'interoperability' as one of two key sub-priorities under regulatory harmonisation, stating it is 'going to be super relevant to make sure that across all the different areas within the government we are using the data in the proper way' . Sharrock reinforced this from a different angle, noting that open ecosystems allow governments to 'set policies that encourage diverse participation and avoid over-reliance on any single architecture' . The alignment between a commercial equipment vendor and development finance institutions on interoperability as a structural priority-rather than a commercial one-was notable.
It was unexpected that speakers from institutions making very large financial pledges simultaneously cautioned against over-emphasis on the size of those pledges. Zaballos, whose institution had just announced a $20 billion commitment, stated that 'the figure of $20 billion or $10 billion or whatever is the amount of money is anecdotal' . Kubas, from EBRD, warned that 'funding alone is simply not enough' . Sharrock, from Microsoft, cautioned that shared platforms risk becoming 'mere accounting mechanisms for infrastructure' . Ndiaye, from the government side, identified strong political will as the missing ingredient rather than funding per se . This convergence across private sector, MDB, and government speakers on the limits of financial commitments alone-at a session explicitly designed to celebrate large pledges-represented a notably candid and unexpected area of consensus.
The discussion revealed a remarkably high level of consensus across government, private sector, and multilateral development bank representatives on several core themes. All speakers agreed that partnership is indispensable and that no single actor can close the digital investment gap alone . There was universal agreement that shared platforms such as Partners to Connect, GIGA, and the DII Catalyzer are valuable coordination mechanisms, as evidenced by the announcement that cumulative pledges had surpassed the $100 billion target . Speakers converged on the need for whole-stack thinking that addresses connectivity, power, computing, devices, and skills together . There was also strong consensus that innovative financial models-including blended finance, digital bonds, and replicable templates-are essential to bridge the gap . Perhaps most significantly, speakers across all sectors agreed that institutional capacity and execution readiness are as important as the quantum of financial commitments . Unexpected areas of consensus included private sector actors joining multilateral institutions in warning about the risk of an 'intelligence divide' , and large pledge-makers simultaneously cautioning against over-emphasis on headline figures .
Chen (ZTE) argued that AI infrastructure-understood as energy, computing power, and communications together-is the single most important investment priority . Sharrock (Microsoft) disagreed in emphasis, arguing that addressing only one layer of the stack, whether power, data centres, devices, or skilling, will not produce progress, and that commitments must consider the whole stack needed in a particular market . Zaballos (ADB) went further, arguing that the headline figure of $20 billion or any other amount is 'anecdotal' and that what matters is how the money is spent and whether countries can actually execute . Kubas (EBRD) reinforced this, stating that many clients have AI ambition before they have AI readiness and that funding alone is simply not enough .
AI infrastructure as the top priority - AI infrastructure encompassing energy, computing power, and communications together represents the most critical investment priority, and ZTE commits to building accessible, affordable, and sustainable infrastructure for developing countries
Whole-stack thinking for digital commitments - Commitments must address the entire technology stack—power, data centres, devices, connectivity, and skills—rather than a single layer, as connectivity alone does not deliver impact without complementary infrastructure and services
Execution capacity as the binding constraint - The critical challenge is not the size of financial commitments but ensuring that recipient countries have the institutional capacity to execute and absorb the funds effectively
AI readiness over AI ambition - Funding alone is insufficient; many organisations need advisory support, technical assistance, skills development, cybersecurity frameworks, governance structures, data partnerships, and help integrating AI into real operational processes before they can benefit from investment
Ndiaye recommended that the primary structural response should be the creation of a centralised centre within the Ministry to concentrate all fundraising and implement digital projects, with strong government political will as the foundational prerequisite . By contrast, Chen (ZTE) argued that the most valuable investment is in an open, collaborative ecosystem connecting all actors across the value chain, with countries retaining flexibility and choice . Sharrock (Microsoft) similarly emphasised designing commitments to be open to partnership from day one and building replicable templates rather than centralised, bespoke structures . These represent meaningfully different governance philosophies: centralised state-led coordination versus open, distributed multi-stakeholder ecosystems.
Government political will as prerequisite - Strong government commitment is the primary prerequisite for effective digital financing, followed by the creation of a centralised fundraising body within the Ministry to consolidate and implement digital projects
Open collaborative ecosystem as the most valuable investment - ZTE's approach centres on building an open, interoperable ecosystem connecting operators, developers, device manufacturers, and vertical industries, allowing countries to start small and scale incrementally, underpinned by a $450 million AI ecosystem partnership pledge to Partners to Connect over three years
Designing pledges for partnership and replicability - Digital investment commitments must be structured for partnership from the outset, designed to crowd in investment through de-risking, and built as replicable templates rather than bespoke projects so they can be scaled across markets and co-financed by other investors
Wong celebrated the Partners to Connect initiative surpassing its $100 billion target as a demonstration of collective commitment , framing it as a milestone. However, Sharrock had earlier cautioned that even Microsoft's $50 billion global commitment 'doesn't even begin to address' the $2.6 trillion financing gap , and warned that shared platforms risk becoming 'mere accounting mechanisms for infrastructure' unless accompanied by transparency and common outcome metrics . Collins reinforced the concern from a different angle, noting that despite dramatic growth in digital investment, it remains concentrated in a small number of developing countries, risking an intelligence divide . This creates a tension between celebratory framing of pledge milestones and sober assessments of their adequacy.
Transparency and common outcome metrics - Shared platforms risk becoming mere accounting mechanisms unless complemented by transparency and common outcome metrics that aggregate pledges into a visible pipeline, enabling target countries to plan and attracting additional development and private capital
Surpassing the $100 billion Partners to Connect target - The cumulative pledges announced during the session, including ADB's $20 billion commitment entered as a Partners to Connect pledge, have pushed the total beyond the $100 billion target set a few years ago, demonstrating the power of collective commitment
Concentration of digital investment in few countries - Despite six-fold growth in digital services investment and an 80% increase in data centre investment in 2025, these flows remain concentrated in a small number of developing countries, making coordinated action essential to prevent an intelligence divide
It was unexpected that Sharrock, as a Microsoft representative who is himself a founding partner of Partners to Connect and who announced new pledges during the session , would simultaneously caution that shared platforms like Partners to Connect risk becoming 'mere accounting mechanisms for infrastructure' . Wong, as moderator and ITU representative, celebrated the $100 billion milestone enthusiastically , while Sharrock's closing remark implicitly questioned whether the milestone translates into real-world impact without transparency and common outcome metrics . This internal tension within the Partners to Connect community-between celebrating pledge volumes and questioning their real-world impact-was an unexpected note of self-criticism from a key private sector partner.
It was unexpected that Sharrock would openly acknowledge that Microsoft's $50 billion global commitment 'doesn't even begin to address' the $2.6 trillion financing gap , given that the session was partly structured around celebrating large private sector pledges. This candid admission sat in tension with the celebratory tone around the Partners to Connect milestone and with the announcement of Microsoft's own $18 billion Australia pledge . Collins further complicated the picture by noting that despite dramatic investment growth, it remains concentrated in a small number of developing countries , implicitly questioning whether the volume of pledges is reaching those who need it most. This unexpected frankness about the inadequacy of current efforts relative to the scale of the challenge was a notable undercurrent in an otherwise optimistic session.
It was unexpected that Ndiaye, representing a government Universal Service Fund, would identify strong government political will as 'what has been missing so far' in Senegal's digital financing efforts-essentially a self-critical admission from a government representative. Meanwhile, Zaballos (ADB) identified execution capacity and institutional readiness as the binding constraint , framing it as a systemic challenge across recipient countries rather than a political one. The two diagnoses-political will versus institutional capacity-are related but distinct, and neither was challenged or reconciled during the session. This created an unexpected divergence between a government actor pointing to political failures and an MDB actor pointing to technical-institutional failures as the root cause of the same problem.
The discussion was broadly collaborative and consensus-oriented, with all speakers aligned on the overarching goal of closing the digital divide and the necessity of multi-stakeholder partnership. However, meaningful disagreements emerged on four main dimensions: (1) what the single top investment priority should be, with Chen (ZTE) prioritising AI infrastructure , Sharrock (Microsoft) insisting on whole-stack thinking , and Zaballos (ADB) and Kubas (EBRD) arguing that execution capacity and AI readiness are the binding constraints ; (2) whether financing mechanisms should be centralised (Ndiaye's Ministry-led body ) or open and distributed (Chen's ecosystem approach , Sharrock's replicable templates ); (3) whether current pledge volumes and shared platforms represent genuine progress or risk becoming accounting exercises without transparency and outcome metrics (Sharrock versus Wong ); and (4) whether political will (Ndiaye ) or institutional capacity (Zaballos ) is the primary missing ingredient in recipient countries. The most unexpected tension was Sharrock's simultaneous celebration of Microsoft's pledges and candid acknowledgement that even $50 billion 'doesn't even begin to address' the $2.6 trillion gap , alongside his warning that shared platforms risk becoming mere accounting mechanisms .
All speakers agreed that partnership between government, private sector, and multilateral institutions is essential and that no single actor can close the digital financing gap alone. Gungubele stated that without partnership between government and the private sector co-funding projects, progress will never be made . Sharrock argued that commitments must be designed for partnership from day one . Chen described ZTE's ecosystem approach as connecting all actors across the value chain . Kubas called for coordination among IFIs, ITU, and tech partners including co-investment . Zaballos similarly emphasised working together across MDBs and the private sector toward a common goal . However, they disagreed on the specific structure of that partnership: Ndiaye favoured a centralised Ministry-led body , Chen favoured open distributed ecosystems , Sharrock favoured replicable templates anchored to shared platforms , and Kubas and Zaballos emphasised complementary MDB coordination [197-200, 216].
Public-private partnership as essential model - Without partnership between government and the private sector, with particular focus on connecting schools regardless of socioeconomic status, digital development goals cannot be achieved Designing pledges for partnership and replicability - Digital investment commitments must be structured for partnership from the outset, designed to crowd in investment through de-risking, and built as replicable templates rather than bespoke projects so they can be scaled across markets and co-financed by other investors Open collaborative ecosystem as the most valuable investment - ZTE's approach centres on building an open, interoperable ecosystem connecting operators, developers, device manufacturers, and vertical industries, allowing countries to start small and scale incrementally, underpinned by a $450 million AI ecosystem partnership pledge to Partners to Connect over three years Complementarity and coordination among MDBs and partners - MDBs have different mandates and sectoral angles that make them complementary; greater coordination between IFIs, ITU, and tech partners—including co-investment—is essential, as illustrated by EBRD's partnership with Microsoft for SME support in Kenya ADB's Asia-Pacific Digital Highway and key challenge areas - ADB's $20 billion Asia-Pacific Digital Highway aims to expand connectivity to 650 million people, with the biggest challenges being harmonisation of regulatory frameworks, strengthening institutional capacity, cybersecurity and interoperability, digital public infrastructure, digital skills as an equaliser, and innovative financial models
All private sector and MDB speakers agreed that interoperability and open standards are important, and that cybersecurity is a critical component of digital infrastructure investment. Chen emphasised interoperable solutions that give developing countries choice and flexibility . Zaballos identified interoperability as 'super relevant' to ensure data is used properly across government and listed cybersecurity as a key area . Kubas noted that cybersecurity and cyber resilience are increasingly important parts of EBRD's business . However, they disagreed on whether interoperability is primarily a technical ecosystem design issue (Chen's view ), a regulatory harmonisation issue (Zaballos's view ), or a governance and data management issue (Kubas's view ). These represent different entry points to the same goal.
Open collaborative ecosystem as the most valuable investment - ZTE's approach centres on building an open, interoperable ecosystem connecting operators, developers, device manufacturers, and vertical industries, allowing countries to start small and scale incrementally, underpinned by a $450 million AI ecosystem partnership pledge to Partners to Connect over three years Whole-stack thinking for digital commitments - Commitments must address the entire technology stack—power, data centres, devices, connectivity, and skills—rather than a single layer, as connectivity alone does not deliver impact without complementary infrastructure and services ADB's Asia-Pacific Digital Highway and key challenge areas - ADB's $20 billion Asia-Pacific Digital Highway aims to expand connectivity to 650 million people, with the biggest challenges being harmonisation of regulatory frameworks, strengthening institutional capacity, cybersecurity and interoperability, digital public infrastructure, digital skills as an equaliser, and innovative financial models EBRD's Digital Approach 2.0 and impact-driven investment - EBRD's newly adopted Digital Approach 2.0 frames digitalisation, AI, and cybersecurity as core to delivering impact across 40+ economies, with digital investment growing 30% year on year, focusing on productivity, competitiveness, and cyber resilience for businesses rather than technology for its own sake
Gungubele, Ndiaye, and Chen all agreed that affordability of devices is a critical barrier to digital inclusion and that entry-level device programmes are an important intervention. Gungubele noted that affordability measures for entry-level smartphones had already improved smartphone sales . Ndiaye mentioned a project with GSMA for affordable entry-level devices, shared with South Africa and other African countries . Chen committed ZTE to building accessible and affordable infrastructure for developing countries . However, they approached the solution differently: Gungubele framed it as a government policy intervention , Ndiaye as a multi-partner project with GSMA , and Chen as a private sector infrastructure commitment . The role of government regulation versus market-driven solutions in achieving affordability was not explicitly resolved.
Digital inclusion projects - Senegal is implementing digital inclusion initiatives including equipment provision, agent training, multimedia centres for schools and disability centres, affordable entry-level devices in partnership with GSMA, and a Digital Educ training programme Broadband expansion and affordability measures - South Africa's multi-pronged digital policy approach including spectrum management, infrastructure sharing, way leaves regulation, and entry-level smartphone affordability initiatives to connect 5.8 million households AI infrastructure as the top priority - AI infrastructure encompassing energy, computing power, and communications together represents the most critical investment priority, and ZTE commits to building accessible, affordable, and sustainable infrastructure for developing countries
Sharrock, Zaballos, and Kubas all agreed that innovative financial models and coordination mechanisms are needed to scale digital investment beyond current levels. Sharrock advocated anchoring pledges to shared platforms like Partners to Connect and the DII Catalyzer to generate common metrics and a shared pipeline . Zaballos called for innovative financial models such as digital bonds as a priority and recommended thinking 'out of the box' . Kubas emphasised MDB complementarity and co-investment . However, Sharrock focused on transparency and outcome metrics within existing platforms , Zaballos on entirely new financial instruments , and Kubas on advisory and technical assistance alongside financing . These represent different diagnoses of what is missing from current mechanisms.
Anchoring pledges to shared platforms - Linking commitments to shared platforms such as GIGA, Partners to Connect, the DII Catalyzer, and Connecting Humanity Action Blueprint enables common metrics, a shared pipeline, and greater scalability of private sector investment Innovative financial models as a priority - The quantum of funding is less important than how it is deployed; innovative financial models such as digital bonds and tokenisation-linked instruments are essential to bridge the financing gap, as demonstrated by ADB's launch of the first digital bond Complementarity and coordination among MDBs and partners - MDBs have different mandates and sectoral angles that make them complementary; greater coordination between IFIs, ITU, and tech partners—including co-investment—is essential, as illustrated by EBRD's partnership with Microsoft for SME support in Kenya
- Partnership between government, private sector, and multilateral development banks is the foundational requirement for closing the digital investment gap; no single actor can address the scale of the challenge alone.
- Strong political will from governments is the primary prerequisite for effective digital financing, followed by the creation of centralised fundraising bodies within ministries to consolidate and implement digital projects (Ndeye Fatou Ndiaye).
- National strategies must be multi-pronged, addressing spectrum management, infrastructure sharing, regulatory reform, and affordability simultaneously, as demonstrated by South Africa's approach to connecting 5.8 million households (Mondli Gungubele).
- Universal Service Funds, when well-governed and backed by diverse funding sources including World Bank financing and national programmes, can serve as effective vehicles for mobilising investment in underserved areas, as shown by Senegal's New Deal Technology programme targeting over 1 billion CFA francs over 10 years (Ndeye Fatou Ndiaye).
- Satellite connectivity, including Senegal's plan for 5,000 satellite kits and Microsoft's joint pledge with SpaceX Starlink for 450+ rural hubs in Kenya, is emerging as a critical tool for reaching schools, health centres, and remote communities.
- Open, interoperable ecosystems that connect operators, developers, device manufacturers, and vertical industries allow developing countries to start small, scale incrementally, and retain agency over their digital infrastructure, as articulated by ZTE's $450 million AI ecosystem partnership pledge (Zhiping Chen).
- AI infrastructure—encompassing energy, computing power, and communications together—is the most critical investment priority for developing countries' participation in the AI economy.
- Whole-stack thinking is essential: commitments that address only one layer of the technology stack (connectivity, power, devices, skills, or cybersecurity) will not deliver sustained impact; all layers must be considered together (Christopher Sharrock).
- Digital investment pledges must be designed for partnership and replicability from the outset, structured to crowd in investment through de-risking, and built as templates rather than bespoke projects so they can be scaled and co-financed across markets (Christopher Sharrock).
- Anchoring pledges to shared platforms such as GIGA, Partners to Connect, the DII Catalyzer, and the Connecting Humanity Action Blueprint enables common metrics, a shared pipeline, and greater scalability of private and development finance (Christopher Sharrock).
- The cumulative pledges announced during the session pushed the Partners to Connect total beyond the $100 billion target, demonstrating the power of collective commitment and the value of shared accountability platforms (Alex Wong).
- Funding alone is insufficient; many organisations and governments need advisory support, technical assistance, skills development, cybersecurity frameworks, governance structures, and help integrating AI into real operational processes before they can effectively absorb investment (Jacek Kubas).
- The critical binding constraint for MDB financing is not the size of financial commitments but the institutional capacity of recipient countries to execute and absorb funds effectively (Antonio Garcia Zaballos).
- Innovative financial models—such as digital bonds, tokenisation-linked instruments, and blended finance structures—are essential to bridge the financing gap beyond what traditional loans and grants can provide (Antonio Garcia Zaballos).
- Despite six-fold growth in digital services investment and an 80% increase in data centre investment in 2025, these flows remain concentrated in a small number of developing countries, risking an 'intelligence divide' if coordinated action is not taken (Nan Li Collins).
- Transparency and common outcome metrics are needed to prevent shared platforms from becoming mere accounting mechanisms, and to aggregate pledges into a visible pipeline that enables target countries to plan and attracts additional capital (Christopher Sharrock).
- Digital skills development is a cross-cutting priority that must accompany infrastructure investment to ensure AI and digital transformation act as equalisers rather than amplifiers of inequality across societies (Antonio Garcia Zaballos).
- Cybersecurity and digital resilience are increasingly central to MDB digital investment strategies, with EBRD reporting significant growth in its cybersecurity practice and ADB identifying it as one of four key priority areas in the Asia-Pacific Digital Highway (Jacek Kubas, Antonio Garcia Zaballos).
“The true measure of the AI era will not be how fast the front runners move, but how many can move forward together. An open, collaborative ecosystem — connecting operators, developers, device manufacturers, and vertical industries — allows countries to start small, scale grandly, and always retain the ability to evolve.”
“The figure of $20 billion or $10 billion or whatever is the amount of money is anecdotal. The important thing is what we are going to spend that money on.”
“Many clients have AI ambition before they have AI readiness, and funding alone is simply not enough. Many organisations need advisory work and technical assistance to access skills, cybersecurity support, governance frameworks, data partnerships, and help integrating AI into real operational processes.”
“If pledges can become templates — either for other markets, other partners, or other partnerships — or if they can be taken up by other investors to co-finance and then scale, then we're going to get out of that old trap of having one-off investments and actually have something that can get some momentum. Transparency and common outcome metrics would allow us to aggregate pledges into something more like a visible pipeline that could attract more financing.”
“Without partnership between government and the private sector, co-funding these projects, it will never get anywhere — and especially with a particular focus on schools, irrespective of their socioeconomic status.”
“The first priority is a strong will from the government — that is what has been missing so far. And the second point is to create a centre within the Ministry so that the collection of funds is carried out and all fundraising is concentrated to implement these projects.”
How can the South African government's 8.2 billion funding commitment be effectively translated into tangible benefits for poor communities, and what mechanisms will ensure accountability and delivery?
The Deputy Minister referenced the 8.2 billion issue as a pending government consideration that could unlock benefits already being observed, but left open how this would be operationalised and monitored, making it a critical area for follow-up.
What are the specific outcomes and lessons learned from Senegal's participation in the GIGA initiative, and how have these informed the broader national digital strategy?
The question was posed to Madame Fatou but the translation system failed, meaning a full and clear answer was never properly conveyed to the audience. A follow-up is needed to capture Senegal's detailed experience with GIGA and its integration into national planning.
How can Universal Service Funds be structured or reformed to more effectively mobilise investment and partnerships for digital access in developing countries?
This was the central question posed to Madame Fatou, and while she provided a partial answer, the translation difficulties meant the full response was not accessible to all participants. A clearer, documented answer is needed for policy guidance.
What role should Ministries of Finance play in centralising fundraising and coordinating the implementation of digital development projects?
Madame Fatou identified the creation of a centralised fundraising centre within the Ministry of Finance as a priority, but the idea was not fully explored in terms of governance structure, accountability, or replicability in other developing country contexts.
How can Partner to Connect pledges and similar commitments be structured with common outcome metrics and transparency mechanisms to function as a visible investment pipeline rather than mere accounting exercises?
Chris Sharrock explicitly raised the risk that shared platforms like Partner to Connect could become accounting mechanisms rather than catalysts for action, and called for transparency and common metrics. This requires further research into what those metrics should look like and how they could be standardised.
How can blended financing models be designed from the outset to crowd in private capital and de-risk investments in digital infrastructure in low- and middle-income countries?
Sharrock outlined the principles of blended financing but acknowledged the complexity of designing such structures for partnership. Further research is needed on which specific blended finance instruments work best in different country contexts.
How can digital infrastructure pledges and projects be deliberately designed to be replicable across different markets and scalable through co-financing, rather than remaining bespoke one-off investments?
Sharrock identified replicability as a key design principle but did not elaborate on the specific frameworks or conditions that enable this. This is an important area for further research to avoid fragmentation of investment efforts.
What conditions—regulatory, financial, and ecosystem-related—most reliably enable digital infrastructure projects to succeed over time in EBRD's operating regions?
This was the direct question posed to Jacek Kubas, and while he touched on governance, skills, and cybersecurity, a more detailed evidence-based analysis of success conditions across EBRD's 40-plus economies would be valuable for other development actors.
How can multilateral development banks coordinate more effectively with each other and with the private sector to avoid duplication and maximise complementarity in digital investment?
Both MDB representatives acknowledged the importance of coordination but did not detail concrete mechanisms for achieving it. This is a significant gap given the scale of investment needed and the risk of fragmented efforts.
What innovative financial models, such as digital bonds or special purpose vehicles, could be developed to bridge the funding gap for digital transformation in developing countries?
Antonio referenced the ADB's first digital bond as a novel instrument and called for thinking outside the box on financial models, but the discussion did not explore the design, risks, or replicability of such instruments in sufficient depth.
How can the Asia-Pacific Digital Highway's $20 billion ambition be turned into reality, particularly given challenges around regulatory harmonisation and institutional capacity in recipient countries?
Antonio acknowledged that the funding figure itself is less important than how it is spent and whether countries have the institutional capacity to execute projects. Further research is needed on capacity-building approaches that can accompany large-scale financing commitments.
How can AI be used as an equaliser across different societies, and what digital skills frameworks are needed to ensure that AI development does not deepen existing inequalities?
Antonio raised the question of AI as a potential equaliser but also flagged the risk of an 'intelligence divide'. This requires further research into curriculum design, workforce transition strategies, and inclusive AI governance frameworks.
How can organisations move from AI ambition to AI readiness, particularly in terms of advisory support, technical assistance, cybersecurity, and governance frameworks?
Jacek highlighted that many clients have AI ambitions without the underlying readiness, and that funding alone is insufficient. Further research is needed on what a comprehensive AI readiness support package should include and how MDBs can deliver it at scale.
How can digital infrastructure investment, including data centres, be aligned with green and sustainability criteria to ensure environmental responsibility alongside development goals?
Jacek noted that EBRD is a green bank and that sustainability is central to its DNA, raising the question of how data centre investment—which is energy-intensive—can be reconciled with climate commitments. This is an underexplored tension that warrants further research.
How can the concentration of data centre and digital infrastructure investment in a small number of developing countries be addressed to prevent a new form of digital inequality?
Nan Li Collins highlighted that while global investment in digital services and data centres has grown dramatically, it remains concentrated in a few developing countries. Further research is needed on policy and financing tools to distribute this investment more equitably.
What role should Sovereign Wealth Funds play in financing AI and digital infrastructure in developing countries, and how can they be brought into partnership frameworks like Partner to Connect?
Nan Li Collins mentioned that the next meeting in Doha would bring Sovereign Wealth Funds into the discussion, with the QIA CEO involved. This signals an emerging area that requires further exploration in terms of governance, risk appetite, and alignment with development goals.
How can open and interoperable AI ecosystems be designed to give developing countries genuine agency and flexibility, rather than creating new forms of technological dependency?
Summer Chen argued for open, collaborative ecosystems as the most valuable investment, but the discussion did not explore the specific standards, governance mechanisms, or policy frameworks needed to ensure interoperability in practice across diverse national contexts.
How can entry-level smartphone affordability initiatives, such as those referenced by South Africa and Senegal in partnership with GSMA, be scaled and replicated across other developing countries?
Both South Africa and Senegal referenced initiatives to make entry-level smartphones more affordable, and Madame Fatou noted this was a shared project with other African countries. Further research is needed on the financing models, supply chain arrangements, and policy conditions that make such programmes viable at scale.