Luxembourg,in collaboration with the Emergency Telecommunications Cluster (ETC), has launched a critical initiative to address the information and technology gap in Africa’s conflict-prone Sahel region.
Through the project, over 3,650 users, including host communities, refugees, and youth aged 18 to 34, are receiving access to vital digital services, training, and resources.
Burkina Faso and Niger are the first countries to benefit from the ETC project, which is focused on delivering tailored ICT solutions to enhance access to lifesaving information, global connectivity, and digital skills development.
ETC, a global network of organizations dedicated to providing shared communication services during humanitarian emergencies, has been a long-term partner of Luxembourg in this effort. Together, they aim to bridge the significant disparities in ICT access experienced by the region’s vulnerable communities.
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In the Central Sahel region, where over 40% of the population lives below the poverty line, limited access to essential social services—including digital technology—exacerbates existing challenges.
This is particularly critical in a context marked by increasing climate vulnerability, chronic food insecurity, and escalating violence.
“Not being able to access information and connect to the rest of the world is leaving communities in the Sahel vulnerable and trapped in a perpetual cycle of poverty,” the ETC stated, highlighting the urgency of its work.