It is only when the lights go out during a storm, or when roads and trucks continue to bring food and sustenance to our doorsteps during lockdowns that we tend to appreciate the value of our world’s infrastructure. Yet digital public infrastructure, the underlying network of digital platforms that allow governments to provide vital public services to citizens — from cash transfers to online education to e-health — is being overlooked.
Digital public infrastructure is open, accessible, and inclusive by default — allowing other countries to reuse and replicate. Like electricity grids bringing power and light to homes, hospitals, and schools, an inclusive digital public infrastructure can provide new flows and benefits that are accessible to everyone.
Without major investment in these vital building blocks of our digital society, many countries risk being left behind, unable to reap the benefits of our new digital world.