The UN has been urged to ensure that broadband is made a central focus of any plans for a post-2015 development agenda.

In an open letter to the UN secretary general's high-level panel of eminent persons on the agenda, the Broadband Commission for Digital Development (BCDD) described the technology as an important development accelerator and "engine of progress".

According to the BCDD, a "sizeable body" of evidence suggests that broadband connectivity, services and applications can empower citizens, reduce poverty and allow countries to get involved in the global digital economy.

Other benefits include its contribution to the free flow of ideas and information, as well as its ability to help people access knowledge, the organisation explained.

"To realise the full benefits of digital inclusion for all, disadvantaged citizens of the world must be able to participate in and enjoy the same opportunities as those who are today empowered by broadband," the BCDD added.

Among the stated goals of the post-2015 development agenda are the eradication of poverty and hunger, the reduction of child mortality and the improvement of maternal health.

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