UN agencies are accelerating efforts to bring internet access to millions of refugees in Chad and other host countries, with a goal of connecting 20 million forcibly displaced people by 2030.
The push comes as Chad shelters approximately 1.5 million refugees, predominantly from neighbouring Sudan, where ongoing conflict has forced people across the border.
Three senior officials from UNHCR, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), and the GSMA Mobile for Development Foundation wrapped up a two-day visit to Chad on Friday, touring refugee camps where digital connectivity is being deployed.
“Too many people view refugees as passive victims, but we saw in Chad their drive to connect, to learn and enhance their lives and future prospects,” said Kelly T. Clements, UNHCR Deputy High Commissioner. “Our goal is ambitious – connecting 20 million forcibly displaced people and their hosts by 2030.”
The Connectivity for Refugees initiative, launched in 2023, operates through a public-private partnership now active in Chad, Ethiopia, Uganda, Mauritania, Egypt, and Rwanda. Each program is tailored to local needs, identifying communities requiring expanded internet access.
In Chad’s isolated eastern region near the Sudan border, mobile operators Airtel Chad and Moov have upgraded infrastructure. Four connected centres are being established in the Djabal, Farchana, Idrimi and Oure Cassoni settlements to serve as learning hubs for refugees and host communities.
The centres provide access to online education, financial services, and healthcare information. Emergency.LU, a Luxembourg-funded public-private partnership, is deploying satellite connectivity across several locations.
UNHCR is seeking at least $20 million in core funding and $200 million in direct investment to scale up the effort. The agency is working to expand infrastructure and remove regulatory barriers that prevent displaced people from accessing individual internet connections.
“In Chad, we witnessed first-hand how connectivity can restore dignity and hope for displaced people and host communities,” said ITU Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin. “The Connectivity for Refugees initiative opens doors to digital opportunity in places where connection to the Internet is a lifeline, not a luxury.”
Chad’s government has integrated refugee connectivity needs into its national development plan, Tchad Connexion 2030, which aims for broader digital inclusion across the country.
ITU’s Partner2Connect Digital Coalition has mobilised commitments from over 70 governments and organisations to develop connectivity solutions for refugees. The agency’s Disaster Connectivity Map provides data to guide interventions in crisis regions.
UNHCR is also engaging development institutions, including the World Bank and International Finance Corporation to allocate portions of large-scale digital infrastructure projects to refugee-hosting areas.
