At the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) 2025 in Norway, a pivotal session hosted by the APNIC Foundation gathered global experts to address widening digital funding gaps in the developing world.

The discussion spotlighted the shrinking resources for internet development just as 32% of the world's population remains unconnected, mainly in the Global South.

Neeti Biyani, from the APNIC Foundation, opened the discussion by framing the urgency of transforming digital development into a vehicle for broader socioeconomic outcomes. 'We need to shift our mindset from infrastructure delivery to meaningful transformation,' she said, highlighting the need for collaboration beyond traditional donor-recipient models.

Sabhanaz Rashid Diya, Executive Director at the Tech Global Institute, warned of an 'unhealthy tension between digital development and human rights,' particularly as governments impose internet shutdowns while touting digital progress. 'We're not only leaving people unconnected, we're actively disconnecting them,' she said. Diya also called for communities to take greater ownership of digital transformation, moving beyond imposed solutions from the Global North.

Raj Singh, CEO of the APNIC Foundation, expressed concern over the persistent duplication of efforts in digital development. 'We keep talking about collaboration, but the reality is, there's very little of it,' he observed. Singh called for a shift from capacity-building to capability-building and from output-based to outcome-based funding. 'Without structural change and a supportive ecosystem, we're just repeating old mistakes,' he added.

Remy Friedmann of the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs stressed that digital inclusion must be treated as a cross-sectoral development priority, not a standalone infrastructure issue. 'Meaningful internet access is not a luxury-it's fundamental for economic participation and resilience,' he said.

GIZ's Franz von Weizsacker highlighted the challenges of maintaining development momentum amid declining official development assistance (ODA) and restrictive investment climates. He raised concerns about monopolised satellite infrastructure and the need for open ecosystems. 'Without proper regulation and procurement capacity, many countries won't benefit from connectivity, even if the cables are laid,' he noted.

Speaking remotely, ICANN board director Maarten Botterman emphasised the need for local ownership and multistakeholder collaboration. 'We can't just push digital transformation down people's throats. Local communities need to know what to ask for and be part of shaping it,' he said.

The session also heard from audience members, including Molly Pugh-Jones from the Digital Health and Rights Project, who highlighted challenges in tracking donor investments and called for transparency in digital development funding. A Norwegian entrepreneur expressed frustration with market access barriers, reflecting a broader distrust of private sector actors in development contexts.

Participants agreed that digital development must become a collective effort driven by cooperation, accountability, and locally defined priorities. 'We've solved harder problems before-think polio eradication,' Diya concluded. 'It's time we applied the same collaborative ambition to digital inclusion.'

Track all key moments from the Internet Governance Forum 2025 on our dedicated IGF page.