Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent steps he has taken to promote communications technology for development purposes.

DFID recognises that mobile phones can be a cost-effective, large-scale channel for delivering a range of services and socio-economic benefits. Indeed, mobile coverage is expanding dramatically with 5.1 billion mobile subscribers in 2018. In July 2019, DFID’s Mobile for Development programme was extended. This is a multisectoral partnership with the global mobile industry (via the Global System for Mobile Communications Association) that unlocks and scales mobile-enabled innovations to deliver against the Sustainable Development Goal targets. To date it has impacted the lives of over 20 million people – over 70% of whom are women – and has leveraged over £250m of additional (mostly private sector) funding.

In partnership with mobile network operators, this programme delivers impact in key areas including digital inclusion for women and people with disabilities, expanding connectivity, mobile-enabled smart cities, water, sanitation and energy, and mobile-based tools for climate resilience. It has a cross-cutting agenda on inclusion and has developed tools to improve digital literacy that are being adopted by national regulators.

The programme will achieve its aims through a combination of research and analysis, catalytic funding for innovation and targeted advocacy within the mobile and technology industry.