Co-Develop: Digital Public Infrastructure for an Equitable Recovery

Digital systems that accomplish basic, society-wide functions played a critical role in the response to the Covid-19 pandemic, enabling both public health and social protection measures. The pandemic has shown the value of these systems, but it has also revealed how they are non-existent or weak in far too many places.

As we build back better, we have an unprecedented opportunity to build digital public infrastructure that promotes inclusion, human rights, and progress toward global goals. This report outlines an agenda for international cooperation on digital public infrastructure to guide future investments and expansion of this critical tool.

6 Key Areas for International Cooperation on Digital Public Infrastructure

1. A vision for digital public infrastructure as a whole, backed by practice, research, and evaluation.
2. A global commons based on digital public goods.
3. Safeguards for inclusion, trust, competition, security, and privacy.
4. Tools that use data in digital public infrastructure for public value and private empowerment.
5. Private and public capacity, particularly in implementing countries.
6. Silo-busting, built-for-purpose coordinating, funding, and financing.

For further reading, read this World Economic Forum blog co-authored by Kevin O’Neil, Director of Innovation at The Rockefeller Foundation, on the 4 Reasons You Should Care About Digital Public Infrastructure.