Assessing the digital divide and its impact on e-diplomacy in sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract

The widespread adoption of digital technologies globally has brought to light a significant disparity in access and utilisation, commonly called the digital divide. This issue of unequal access to digital technologies and the internet has far-reaching implications for sub-Saharan Africa, where limited connectivity, high costs, subpar service quality, and low levels of digital literacy contribute to the region's entrapment in this divide.

This digital divide goes beyond technological constraints and creates significant barriers to effective communication and collaboration with other nations and global stakeholders in digital policy. The absence of a coherent digital geopolitical approach and digital sovereignty compounds this challenge, limiting sub-Saharan African nations' ability to participate meaningfully in international discussions and decision-making processes increasingly shifting to the digital domain.

Additionally, it's worth noting that there is a scarcity of scholarly work that thoroughly explores the dynamic interaction between the digital divide and sub-Saharan Africa's preparedness for e-diplomacy. This deficiency in research not only hampers a thorough grasp of the issue but also obstructs the identification of effective remedies to bolster the region's diplomatic capacity in the digital era.