On January 19, 2026, at the CFCA premises, the Latvian launch oof the initiative “Digital Connectivity for Central Asia” took place. The initiative involves several European Union development cooperation agencies – eGov Academy representing Estonia, CPMA representing Lithuania, HAUS representing Finland, and CFCA representing Latvia. The initiative is led by the French development cooperation agency Expertise France. It should be noted that the initiative is part of the European “Global Gateway” mission, with the primary funding provided by the European Union. The initiative aims to develop satellite solutions and ensure digital connectivity for Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan.
The initiative has four components, two of which also has Latvia involved, which is also leading the second component. These are:
- Promote the development and use of ICT connectivity through the development of policies and regulations;
- Improve transparent and inclusive access to connectivity services, with particular focus on rural areas, gender equality, and marginalized groups;
- Promote the use of satellite-enabled technologies to foster local digital innovations;
- Build cybersecurity capacity and awareness, and establish comprehensive cybersecurity frameworks.
It is expected that over the four years since the project’s launch, EU cooperation with Central Asia will be strengthened through joint development of the above-mentioned areas. The launch event was organized by CFCA as the leading Latvian partner, and attended by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as a supporter, Riga Technical University and the Latvian IT Cluster as project implementers.
