African countries eager to close the digital divide need more than cables and data centres. Their populations need the skills to use digital technologies for economic gain, but also the literacy to access public services and to exercise their rights as citizens. The EU’s holistic concept of digital literacy can serve as a model – if the EU is able to translate its policies and principles into a coherent offer.
Geopolitical competition over digital connectivity has been heating up for a while now. African countries have been at the center of bold promises (though not always matched by bold results) by China, the EU and the US with their respective global infrastructure initiatives, from Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to the Global Gateway strategy and the US-led G7 initiative Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment. But cables, satellites and data centres alone won’t close the digital divide if populations don’t have the skills and overall literacy they need to succeed in the digital economy and keep pace with the digital transition overall.