Nepal at ITU World Telecom Policy Forum: Calls for Climate-Resilient Telecom Infrastructure & Bridging Digital Divide

Nepal has urged the international community to expand technical and financial cooperation to protect telecommunications infrastructure from climate-induced disasters, narrow the growing digital divide, and ensure equitable access to emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and 5G.

Presenting Nepal’s National Policy Statement at the ongoing International Telecommunication Union (ITU) World Telecommunication Policy Forum (PP-26) in Doha, Minister for Information and Communications Dr. Bikram Timilsina emphasized that developing and Least Developed Countries (LDCs) require targeted technical assistance, technology transfer, and concessional financing so they are not left behind in the global digital transformation.

Bridging the Emerging AI and 5G Divide

While global digital transformation has unlocked new economic opportunities, Minister Dr. Timilsina warned that unequal access to computing power, skilled human resources, capital investment, and advanced technologies puts developing nations at risk of falling further behind.

“Alongside existing inequalities in basic digital access, a new form of digital divide is emerging based on access to next-generation technologies like AI and 5G,” Dr. Timilsina stated, adding that global collaboration is indispensable to ensure the benefits of digital progress reach every nation and community equally.

Nepal’s Digital Connectivity Milestones

Highlighting Nepal’s significant strides in expanding digital connectivity, the Minister shared key national infrastructure milestones:

Mobile & Broadband Penetration: Mobile voice service penetration has surpassed 100% relative to the population, while fiber broadband penetration has reached 53.4%.

National Information Highway: Over 20,000 kilometers of optical fiber—predominantly using 24-core or higher-capacity cables—have been laid across the country, supported by the Rural Telecommunication Development Fund (RTDF) to connect remote areas.

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Public Institution Connectivity: More than 24,500 government offices, schools, and health institutions have been connected to high-speed broadband.

5G Rollout: Alongside ongoing 4G expansion, preparations are underway to launch 5G services starting from major urban centers.

Despite this progress, Dr. Timilsina noted that rugged terrain, scattered settlements, limited resources, and high infrastructure deployment costs remain major hurdles to achieving universal digital access across Nepal.

Climate Disasters and Telecom Resilience

Drawing international attention to the severe threat climate change poses to communication networks, Minister Dr. Timilsina cited the flash floods of August 2026 in Nepal. The disaster damaged major fiber-optic backbones and disrupted 198 mobile Base Transceiver Stations (BTS), severely hampering rescue operations, relief distribution, and emergency communications.

Although technical teams successfully restored over 90% of the disrupted services within three days, the Minister stressed that the incident underscored the urgent need for disaster-resilient telecommunications infrastructure and reliable emergency communication systems.

Cybersecurity, Digital Skills, and ITU’s 2028–2031 Roadmap

With the rapid expansion of digital services, Nepal is also prioritizing measures to combat rising online fraud, strengthen cybersecurity frameworks, close the digital skills gap, and promote eco-friendly telecom infrastructure.

Calling on the ITU and its member states for targeted support—including concessional loans, grants, capacity building, and regulatory reform assistance Dr. Timilsina urged the ITU to meaningfully incorporate the voices and needs of LDCs and developing countries while shaping its 2028–2031 strategic and financial priorities.

Concluding his address, the Minister reaffirmed Nepal’s commitment to collaborating with global partners to build an inclusive digital future where no nation is left behind due to its geography.

For more: Nepal ITU World Telecom Policy Forum Calls Climate