APAC To Contribute Highly Towards Digitalization

Accelerated digitization across sectors and industries, which was hastened by the pandemic is now partly a result of the altered economic environment, is anticipated to continue in 2022.

FREMONT, CA: The Omicron variation has impacted sections of the world during the third phase of the pandemic, sending warnings that the COVID-19 pandemic is far from over. Accelerated digitization across sectors and industries, which was raised by the pandemic, is anticipated to continue in 2022. Apart from the pandemic, the climate catastrophe and numerous conflicts continue to wreak havoc on the Asia-Pacific region and the rest of the world, resulting in economic hardship and poverty, as well as increasing inequities and prejudice. Digital advancement has both exacerbated and alleviated these problems.

According to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), Internet use grew at its fastest rate in a decade between 2019 and 2021 in Asia-Pacific, with the biggest growth in mobile-broadband subscriptions among all regions at 10.5 percent. However, a yearly comparison shows that development peaked during the first year of the pandemic, then reverted to pre-pandemic levels in 2021. With an increasing digitisation, nations are embracing digital-first initiatives – such as the deployment of digital vaccine registration, certification, and verification. Therefore, it is more vital than ever to scale up the efforts to reach the 40 percent of Asia-population Pacific's who are still not online.

Access and price, literacy and abilities, relevance of online products and services, security and trust, and sociocultural norms are all barriers to use. A substantial portion of the 40 percent who are still unconnected is due to the fact that they are the most difficult to reach. Low-income communities, rural and distant locations, and historically disenfranchised groups, such as women and girls, ethnic minorities, and persons with disabilities are disproportionately represented among those who do not use the Internet. They risk losing out on incomes and learning opportunities, as well as putting their health at danger, by being unable to access internet services such as health care and vaccines. Further, those lacking digital access to vaccine certificates may be denied access to important services as a result of the digitalization of vaccine certificates.