U.S. Initiatives in Digital Policy Capacity Building

Line of Effort 1: Support and Expand Digital Policy, Legal, and Regulatory Capacity Building Efforts

For digital infrastructure to reach and effectively serve the public, countries need to have the appropriate legal and regulatory frameworks. It is not enough to promote secure, resilient technology infrastructure; an effective regulatory framework that is transparent, flexible, and technology neutral must be in place to ensure meaningful connectivity. Thus, U.S. foreign assistance focuses on developing and strengthening relevant legislative and regulatory frameworks as well as building local technical capacity and addressing workforce issues.

The Department of State will continue to provide partners the expertise and training they need to develop and govern secure, rights-respecting digital ecosystems. Through technical assistance, ICT and telecom policy capacity building, and training grants, DCCP has facilitated pro-competitive legal and regulatory reforms. For example, Promoting American Approaches to ICT Policy and Regulation (ProICT), another DCCP activity led by the Department of State and USAID, has helped clear the way for new entrants into 5G markets and provided technical advisory support for a 5G spectrum auction.

The Department of State, USAID, NTIA, and FCC, working with industry and the private sector, will continue to provide training programs and technical assistance to developing country officials involved in managing spectrum, deploying wireless and satellite technologies, and acquiring cloud services.