At G20 summit, UN chief urges universal connectivity to boost development.

With the right national policies, digital technology can give "an unprecedented boost to sustainable development", particularly for the poorest countries, the UN chief told the G20 Summit in Bali, Indonesia, on Wednesday.

"This calls for more connectivity; and less digital fragmentation. More bridges across digital divides; and fewer barriers. Greater autonomy for ordinary people; less abuse and disinformation", Secretary-General Antonio Guterres underscored during a session devoted to the theme of Digital Transformation.

From the suppression of free speech to malicious interference across borders, and the online targeting of women, he spelt out that "without guidance and guardrails", digital technology has "huge potential for harm".

To counter this, he proposed that during the UN Summit of the Future, in September 2024, governments should endorse a Global Digital Compact for an "open, free, inclusive and secure digital future for all" - with input from technology companies, civil society, academia and others.

Firmly anchored in human rights as "the only coherent approach for a technology that affects every aspect of our lives", the UN chief elaborated on the three areas outlined in the Digital Compact.

First, he explained that universal connectivity means reaching the three billion people who still have no access to the internet, the majority of whom live in the Global South.

We must close the digital divide by promoting digital literacy and giving access to the digital world to women and girls, migrants, rural and indigenous people.

Secondly, Guterres reminded that a human-centred digital space begins with the protection of free speech...