Regional digital infrastructures can help developing countries become more regionally integrated, diversified, sustainable and inclusive.
The key question this paper addresses is how national governments of a regional grouping can act collectively to finance regional digital infrastructures.
The paper suggests that sub-regional development banks in particular could provide long-term finance and play a coordination role where needed. However, their financing capacity is limited, when contrasted with the scale of needs.
A way forward is to inject more capital into these banks and create funds for regional digital infrastructure.
An articulation between development banks and such funds could thus form what might be termed a financial model for regional digital development, something similar to what the European Union has already in place for the development of a European digital economy.
