With the help of the World Bank, citizens of about 1000 villages will enjoy high-speed internet
By Nika Gamtsemlidze
Monday, August 31
The World Bank Executive Board has allocated Euro 35.7 million ($ 40 million) in funding for the Log-in Georgia project, which aims to connect Georgia's rural population, businesses, and public institutions with high-quality, accessible broadband internet and digital services.
According to the World Bank, the Log-in Georgia project will support the National Broadband Internet Development Strategy. The project will help connect up to 1,000 villages, including highland settlements, with high quality and affordable high-speed internet service. The number of beneficiaries will be about half a million citizens.
"The World Bank supports Georgia's goal of using digital technology to increase its economic competitiveness and thus create better jobs and opportunities for its citizens," said Sebastian Molineus, World Bank Regional Director for the South Caucasus.
According to him, the Log-in Georgia project will help Georgia overcome economic dualism to provide the rural population and enterprises operating in the regions with access to the opportunities enjoyed by the urban population. This can be achieved by investing in the growth of digital connectivity across regions of the country and promoting the development of digital services.
"This will accelerate Georgia's economic development, further strengthen its position as an innovative hub and an investment-attractive country, and also ensure sustainable recovery amid the COVID-19 pandemic,” added Molineus.
The Log-in Georgia project consists of three components:
- Increasing access to affordable broadband internet
- Promoting the use of broadband-enabled digital services
- Project implementation support
Natia Turnava, the Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia noted that the project will enable more than half a million people who are living in around 1000 villages to have access to a very high-quality environment, which will give them the ability to work from their own homes.
The project will help improve access to broadband services through policies and regulatory reforms to enable rural ISPs to provide competitive, high-quality Internet service at a low cost. At the same time, special measures will be taken in the target settlements to facilitate the use of the Internet and digital services by women, ethnic and social minorities, and people with disabilities.
According to the World Bank, the project will be implemented by the non-entrepreneurial, non-commercial legal entity Open Net over five years, with the support of the Communications Commission, and under the oversight of the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia.
The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans and grants to the governments of poorer countries to pursue capital projects. It comprises two institutions- the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and the International Development Association.
