The EU needs to increase spending on technology to keep up with the US and China, who are becoming the world's tech superpowers.
The EU is currently falling behind in mobile data usage and telecom infrastructure, which could lead to security risks and hinder its economy.
The EU needs to invest in communication infrastructure and further innovations to remain relevant in the digital world.
The
COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of technology, telecommunications, and internet infrastructure.
The article highlights how digital progress can have a positive impact on people's lives, particularly in developing countries.
In
Afghanistan, telecommunication companies have provided women with jobs, and internet access has allowed girls to continue their online classes.
In Uganda, internet connectivity helped create jobs and income-earning opportunities through a collaboration between the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and e-commerce firm Jumia.
In Nigeria, a web-based mobile e-health platform called SORMAS helped to almost triple the number of people covered by healthcare services.
In Malawi and Kenya, a web-based early warning system monitors weather hazards, saving lives and crops.
The article also mentions how Russia's aggression against Ukraine has shown the importance of 21st-century communication and how Europe has reacted with unprecedented solidarity to the footage of Russian war crimes from Ukraine.
The article concludes that in a world where digital progress is increasingly important, the EU should invest in digital infrastructure to improve education and work opportunities, as well as project its soft power outside the bloc.