RAYMOND, Maine — In the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), only 41% of the population has mobile phone services, and 3% of the population has internet services. However, internet penetration and access are critical for the reduction of poverty. Improving access to the internet and mobile services has benefitted the DRC government and population, improving quality of life, income, and regional financial statuses.
Rural Poverty in the DRC
Advancing technology access in the DRC is crucial for improving the nation’s job opportunities and decreasing poverty rates. The DRC is one of the poorest countries in the world, with a 62% poverty rate. One in six Congolese citizens lives on less than $2.15 per day.
Decades of poor government leadership and lacking investments in infrastructure development have driven the poverty rate up. In the latter portion of the 20th century, DRC former President Mobotu Sese Soku used all international aid and the opportunities the Cold War presented to get rich but did not spread the wealth amongst his constituents.
His corruption left the DRC’s government and economy in shambles, and even though economic reconstruction has gone well, the urban areas are seeing economic improvements faster than the rural regions.
Around 53% of the DRC is strictly rural and lives in agricultural or mining communities. The rural mining workers work in environments akin to “slavery.” The DRC is one of the world’s leading providers of cobalt, an in-demand mineral in technology production, with China as one of its dominant buyers.
Necessary Improvements for Technology in the DRC
Many statistics are difficult to obtain due to the unconnected nature of the DRC, but what statistics are available paint a clear picture of the DRC’s need for technology. Advancing technology access in the DRC could be critical for improving the standard of life, decreasing poverty rates and helping Congolese citizens to reach their full potential.
The 2020 Capital Human Index ranks the DRC at 164 out of 174, according to the World Bank. Such a low ranking indicates that the next generations of Congolese citizens could have poor education, health, and economic prospects.
To move higher up on the Index, it could be critical to bring technology access to all of the DRC as technology is necessary for decreasing poverty rates and reaching the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
SDGs are internationally recognized goals for decreasing poverty rates and raising health and education standards all of which connect to the goal of achieving peace and prosperity. SDGs have a “must-meet” date of 2030, which is rapidly approaching.
Information and connective technology (ICTs) provide the tools necessary to connect communities regionally and internationally in times of crisis. ICTs can help achieve all the U.N.’s SDGs. As the DRC is one of the world’s least-developed nations, it should make progress toward achieving those goals and spreading technology nationwide.
One of the most significant barriers to breaking the poverty cycle and moving higher up on the Index is the lack of technology that inhibits the growth of education systems in rural areas and the technology necessary to take on health challenges nationwide. The DRC has made legislative changes to bring technology nationwide, showing economic improvements and a decrease in poverty.
Recent Advancements in DRC Technology Access and Its Benefits
In 2019, the DRC’s poverty rate was higher, ranking 179 out of 189 on the Human Development Index. Since the introduction of technology, the economic benefits are transforming the DRC’s economy and the Congolese can feel it nationwide. Advancing technology access in the DRC is challenging as the government has complete control of internet access. Since the DRC has recognized the benefit of spreading technology and the internet at reasonable prices, increased presence could encourage more Congolese internet presence and penetration while bringing the government plenty of economic benefits.
Since the expansion of technology in the DRC, there have been new levels of government taxation to ease the economic burdens off the average citizen and the GDP could increase by a minimum of 2.5% with an improved broadband connectivity of a scant 10%, according to the World Bank. The increases enable the government to improve government spending on poverty reduction and economic policies that can tackle socio-economic troubles. Between 2020 and 2021, the DRC had 9 million new internet users nationwide, revealing the upwards trend in government internet earnings and growing opportunities for the rural and urban areas alike.
The Future
In 2019, Facebook, alongside Internet Society, launched a new Internet Exchange Point (IXP) in the DRC. This could encourage technology companies and start-ups to remain in the DRC as the IXPs can improve both internet speeds and access. Facebook’s operations are providing jobs with tech training and support in all DRC areas. The new tech businesses and presence in the DRC could expand tech access and bring it to regions previously left in the metaphorical technical dark ages.
Expanded technology access could bring new government revenue and job opportunities and help the DRC move to meet the SDGs.
– Clara Mulvihill
Photo: Flickr