Emerging economies should bridge the digital gap before it's too late

What's needed is a shared national vision for digital change and coordination between governments, companies and civil society

Over the past 25 years, developing nations have made huge gains in the fight against poverty. But continued progress is hardly inevitable. Indeed, if such countries don’t rethink their approach to rapid digital transformation now, the gap that separates them from developed countries could well become unbridgeable.

The good news is that technology isn’t only a threat. The digital revolution presents poorer nations with a huge opportunity to fast-track their economic development, deliver better public services, and create an inclusive economy and society. For these countries, there hasn’t been a moment as fraught with possibility since the postwar manufacturing boom that