The Role of ICT in Advancing Growth in Least Developed Countries: Trends, Challenges and Opportunities, 2011

An evaluation of the progress least developed countries (LDCs) have made since deploying information and communication technologies (ICTs) in the past 10 years. The economic vulnerability of LDCs impedes their ability to reach international development goals, such as the Millennium Development Goals. ICTs help facilitate sustainable development in LDCs by boosting economic growth. ICT uptake in LDCs for mobile cellular services and Internet subscriptions has tripled in the past 10 years. Mobile communications and mobile broadband Internet services are a key technology in closing the digital divide and while access to them has grown, the challenge of making them universally affordable still remains. This report shows positive progress through case studies in Botswana, Cape Verde, Maldives, and the Pacific Islands. It concludes by discussing the implications of both exogenous and endogenous approaches to information and communication technology for development (ICTD).