Digital Transformation in the Global South: Transatlantic principles for value-based cooperation
Benedikt Erforth, Deutsches Institut für Entwicklungspolitik (DIE)
Overview
The USA and the European Union (EU) are characterised by different approaches to digital development cooperation - yet there are also many similarities. Particularly in view of China's increasing influence as an actor on digital infrastructures and regulatory models in the Global South, these commonalities between the US and the EU need to be elaborated to a greater extent. In addition, fundamental principles as well as priorities for transatlantic cooperation in the area of digital transformation must be identified.
Two teams of digital development policy experts from Germany and the USA will each write a short study based on this background. Together with its cooperation partner, the German Development Institute (DIE), the IZT is writing one of the two papers, which examines the perspective of the European side. The paper analyses the EU's current approaches and activities in the field of digital development cooperation and outlines the needs of partner countries in the Global South, especially in Africa. Additionally, it proposes options and guidelines for a value-based transatlantic and global cooperation in the field of digital infrastructure and connectivity in the Global South. The results of the short study will be presented in an online event and discussed with the participating experts from development cooperation, politics and civil society.
