IEEE Internet Initiative Wraps Up Five-year Effort

New Connectivity Coalition and others will continue to work toward Internet inclusion

By Deepak Maheneshwari

PCI was a very active player in 3i – the IEEE Internet Initiative and we played a pivotal role in transitioning the Working Groups formed during our 3i Internet Inclusion Advancing Solutions bi-yearly series of meetings held from 2016 – 2018. Highlights were the creation of the Coalition for Digital Intelligence with the OECD, IEEE, World Economic Forum and the DQ Institute, and conference with the InterAmerican Development Bank in DC jointly organized by the World Economic Forum and IEEE.

We transitioned the 3i Internet Inclusion section over to the IEEE Smart Village recognizing the important of having electrical power and Internet connectivity developed together for global communities which lacked both. The 2019 Chair of the IEEE Humanitarian Activities Committee Kartik Kulkarni has identified the opportunity for the IEEE to apply the IEEE Standards development expertise to Social Impact projects, where currently 150 different social impact platforms vie to attract investor interest, but investors are seeking standards of measurement for social impact. Mei Lin Fung was named Liaison to the IEEE Humanitarian Activities Committee for the Standards Association exploring how socio-technical-financial standards can be developed for Social Return on Investment and assessment of progress and compliance to the UN Sustainable Development Goals. For PCI, the 3i initiative brought us in contact with a wide spectrum of multi-lateral organizations and professional organizations working in communities around the world increase social and economic opportunity by building on local assets and strengths.

Read the article “IEEE Internet Initiative Wraps Up Five-year Effort” by Deepak Maheneshwari here.

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