UNCTAD
Posted by KatrinVerclas on Feb 07, 2008
Mobile phones help to decrease the gap between rich and poor nations, and spur economic development, says a UN Report.
In its annual Information Economy Report, UNCTAD, the UN Conference on Trade and Development says that mobile phone subscribers have tripled in developing countries over the last five years, and now make up 58 percent of mobile subscribers worldwide.
"In Africa, where the increase in terms of the number of mobile phone subscribers and penetration has been greatest, this technology can improve the economic life of the population as a whole," the report said.
But while UNCTAD said the revolution in information and communication technology was spreading to the developing world, more had to be done to make sure poorer countries benefited from the opportunities in growth and development.
Africa has seen the greatest rise in mobile use subscriptions have quadrupled since 2001, and last year they hit 200 million - an average of more than 20 cell phones for every 100 people.
