Keynote by Minister of International Development at the Internet Governance Forum 2025

(Check against delivery)

Digital exclusion is not only a challenge in developing countries. Around 600.000 Norwegians are not digital or have very low digital competencies.  However, the challenges are much greater in developing countries. This means that digitalization is increasing inequalities, when it could, indeed, increase equality.

Despite considerable progress, and even though 92% of our planet has Internet coverage, approximately one-third of the world’s population is still not using the Internet. The largest challenge is not internet coverage, but the many other barriers to participating in the digital economy. We have to talk about meaningful connectivity.  We need comprehensive measures that address both coverage and usage barriers, such as infrastructure gaps, policy and regulatory uncertainty, inequalities (such as across gender, race, age, disability status and rural communities), limited affordability of devices and services, and low levels of digital literacy.

Meaningful connectivity is particularly a challenge in low-income countries. This is driven by factors, such as gaps in core infrastructure, policies and regulations. Even where coverage exists, barriers remain - intersectional inequalities as across gender, race, age, disability status, and rural communities. Furthermore, limited affordability of devices and services, low levels of education and digital literacy, and insufficient local content and local languages continue to hinder widespread Internet usage.

Concerns about online health, safety, security, and trust may also prevent further adoption of digital services. and point to the risk, harm, or negative experiences that can occur online, especially for women and children.

Meaningful connectivity is about basic human rights, including the right to information and freedom of expression.

I would like to highlight the importance of Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) in closing the digital divide. DPI is a priority in Norwegian development co-operation, and I have several examples of success stories related to this. DPI is a foundational enabler of state capability and public service delivery.

DPI can encourage competition, foster innovation and fiscal resilience, and contribute towards the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Its impact depends on context-specific design, effective governance, and sustained institutional capacity, tailored to national priorities.

DPI can generate spillover effects across society, institutions, and markets/businesses. Safe DPI can shape systems, public trust, and reduce digital gaps and promote inclusive economic and social development.

Finally, I would highlight the importance of open-source digital solutions, including open-source DPIs, like Norway’s Altinn for government to people and business interaction. This means solutions that are interoperable, sharable, safe and scalable. Solutions that hinder expensive development costs and vendor lock-down for countries. Digital ID is an essential part of DPI as it opens up for a wide range of government services for citizens and businesses and protects the users. Norway supports a digital ID solution, developed in Inda that is now being rolled out in 26 countries.  

I am looking forward to an enlightening discussion and sharing views and experiences here today.

Thank you!