UN and partners expand connectivity for refugees initiative in Chad

By:  Nana Appiah Acquaye

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) are intensifying efforts to connect forcibly displaced people and host communities in Chad, aiming to reach 20 million people across refugee-hosting countries by 2030.

The Connectivity for Refugees (CfR) initiative, launched in 2023 during the Global Refugee Forum, brings together public and private partners to provide affordable and accessible digital services in refugee settlements. During a two-day joint visit to Chad, ITU Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin, GSMA Mobile for Development Foundation President John Giusti, and UNHCR Deputy High Commissioner Kelly T. Clements observed the transformative impact of digital access on Sudanese refugees and local communities.

Connectivity enables access to education, financial services, and healthcare, fostering greater self-reliance and stability. In Chad, home to around 1.5 million refugees, local mobile operators Airtel Chad and Moov have upgraded infrastructure in eastern regions. Emergency.LU, a Luxembourg-funded public-private partnership, is providing high-performance satellite connectivity. Four connected centres are being established in Djabal, Farchana, Idrimi, and Oure Cassoni settlements to serve as learning hubs for refugees and host communities.

The partners are working to strengthen regulatory frameworks and infrastructure to scale the initiative. UNHCR and ITU are seeking at least $20 million in core support and $200 million in direct investment to expand connectivity solutions. Development actors, including the World Bank and IFC, are being engaged to integrate refugee-hosting areas into larger digital infrastructure projects.

“Connectivity can restore dignity and hope for displaced people and host communities,” said Bogdan-Martin. “It opens doors to digital opportunity in places where Internet access is a lifeline, not a luxury.”

Clements added, “Our goal is ambitious, but we are delivering results that will help create resilient, inclusive communities. Refugees are not passive – they are eager to connect, learn, and build their future.”

The CfR initiative is part of a broader effort to bridge the digital divide, with ITU and GSMA coordinating solutions that integrate refugees into national and regional digital ecosystems, ensuring no one is left behind in the push for global connectivity.