Context
- Recently, the World Economic Forum (WEF) has announced the launch of an EDISON Alliance.
- EDISON stands for Essential Digital Infrastructure and Services Network.
About EDISON Alliance
- It is an international organisation for public-private partnership and WEF will serve as the secretariat and platform for the EDISON Alliance.
- A wider group of ‘Champions Leaders’ will advise and support the Alliance, the WEF said while announcing the launch.
- Alliance aims to work towards ensuring global and equitable access to the digital economy.
- Its prime goal is to ensure an unprecedented level of cross-sectoral collaboration between the technology industry and other critical sectors of the economy, according to the WEF.
Need of the Alliance
- Access to digital technologies has enabled many to work, learn and live during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- However, the pandemic has exposed and exacerbated existing gaps and inequalities almost half of the global population.
- Some 3.6 billion people, remain offline and broadband services are too expensive for 50 per cent of the population in developed countries, the WEF said.
- These hampers access to health, education and economic inclusion.