Vatican diplomat calls for greater access to technology in developing countries
September 19, 2026
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CWN Editor's Note: A leading Vatican diplomat told members of the UN’s Trade and Development Board that the international community’s moral responsibility to alleviate poverty entails ensuring greater access to technology.
Archbishop Ettore Balestrero, apostolic nuncio and Permanent Observer to the United Nations and other international organizations in Geneva, Switzerland, said on September 14 that poverty is “not merely a lack of income or material resources; it is a condition that limits people’s ability to participate fully in economic, social, cultural, political, and spiritual life.”
“As a matter of justice, the international community has a responsibility to alleviate poverty and confront the structures that perpetuate it,” he continued. “This is particularly evident in an increasingly digitalized economy. Access to technology, connectivity and digital skills is essential for development.”
Archbishop Balestrero added that “existing challenges are further exacerbated by the crippling debt burden, the servicing of which significantly impairs the ability of governments to allocate resources to key social sectors, including education and healthcare. This issue should be addressed by a fairer and more equitable international financial architecture.”
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