The Government of Kosovo (GoK) has received an International Development Association (IDA) credit in the amount of €20,700,000 (US $ 25 million equivalent) from the World Bank to implement the Kosovo Digital Economy (KODE) Project from 2019 until 2023. The KODE Project will achieve its development objective through two main sets of activities: (1) expanding access of Kosovars to high-speed and better quality digital infrastructure and (2) support Kosovars to take advantage of regional and global Digital Economy opportunities, especially for income generation, usage of services, and learning, thus triggering the growth of a Digital Economy in Kosovo.
The Electronic Communication Sector Policy – Digital Agenda for Kosova 2013–2020 (Policy) is a document approved by the Government of Kosovo in 2013 with contributions of EU experts. It has been drafted bearing in mind that information and communications technology (ICT) development is a dynamic and rapidly changing process in numerous areas of public and State activities, and successful involvement of the public sector in the promotion of the positive and minimization of the negative effects of this process would be a significant contribution to the sustainable development of an information society.
The purpose of the Policy is to define the priorities, objectives and tasks of ICT development in order to maximize the social and economic advantages provided by those technologies. Within the Policy document it has been formulated Course of actions provided in the form of the Table which includes objectives, assessment criteria, responsible institutions, and timeframes for implementation of activities.
The KODE Project will finance the critical fundamentals needed for digital transformation and Policy fulfillment. It will provide high speed broadband infrastructure and support access to labor markets, new sources of knowledge, and public services to households and institutions in selected underserved rural areas. At the national level, the Project will train and connect youth to online employment opportunities and improve access to knowledge sources, including to better reaching and collaborations opportunities to High Educational Institutions (HEIs).
Project Development Objectives
The Project Development Objectives are to improve access to better quality and high‐speed broadband services in project areas and to online knowledge sources, services and labor markets among citizens, and public and academic institutions.
To achieve these Project Development Objectives the proposed project consists of three components:
- Digital Inclusion
- Digital Work and Empowerment
- Project Implementation Support
Project Beneficiaries
The Project is expected to benefit in the Project areas: (a) inhabitants through access to high‐ speed broadband internet and the digital awareness initiative; (b) healthcare institutions, and primary and secondary schools. The Project is expected to benefit on the national level: (c) mobile network operators and their customers through higher‐quality mobile services; (d) under/unemployed youth through access to the online work program; (e) students, researchers, and staff of High Educational Institutions through access to the internet GÉANT network.
The Project may indirectly benefit other individuals, public institutions, and firms. For example, by integrating the product and process innovations of direct Project beneficiaries (e.g. high‐speed broadband users, GÉANT users, etc.) into their own economic activities or leveraging them to generate new innovations, being employed by individuals/firms/public institutions.
Key results
Progress made under the proposed project will be monitored according to these key project performance indicators (see Annex C for detailed outline):
- People provided with access to the internet;
- Public institutions with accessto high‐speed internet through the Project;
- Beneficiariesof improved High Educational Institutions access to high‐speed broadband through the Project (of which female);
- Beneficiaries of Component 2 who report being employed.
