VIENNA, AUSTRIA / EuroWire / – The OPEC Fund for International Development has committed US$1.5 billion through 2030 to support digital transformation in developing countries. The financing will back digital infrastructure, systems, capabilities and applications across partner countries. The OPEC Fund announced the Digital Transformation Action Plan at its 2026 Development Forum in Vienna.
The plan places digital transformation among the institution’s main cross-cutting priorities, alongside climate action and food security. It aims to help partner countries expand connectivity and use technology in core services. The OPEC Fund said the program will support countries at different stages of digital development.
The action plan rests on two pillars. Digital Foundations will support infrastructure needed to move, process and store data, including connectivity networks and digital systems. Digital Use will promote digital tools in finance, health, education, agriculture and public administration. The structure gives the program a clear focus on both access and application.
Digital access priorities
The OPEC Fund said it will use sovereign financing, private sector financing, technical assistance and knowledge-sharing to deliver the plan. The funding mix covers public projects and private investment needs. The institution said partnerships will also play a role in implementation, including cooperation with governments, development finance institutions and technology partners.
Global connectivity gaps remain large. The International Telecommunication Union estimates that about 6 billion people used the internet in 2025, while 2.2 billion people remained offline. Many offline users live in low and middle income countries. Those gaps affect access to digital public services, online education, financial tools and health information.
Forum advances financing
The digital plan formed part of wider outcomes from the OPEC Fund Development Forum. Financing agreements signed at the forum, plus new loans and initiatives approved in the second quarter of 2026, are expected to exceed US$2.8 billion. The financing covers economic reform, climate resilience, social protection, transport connectivity, trade finance, small businesses and critical infrastructure.
The forum also produced new cooperation agreements with the Digital Cooperation Organization, Gavi, the Islamic Organization for Food Security, the Middle East Green Initiative Secretariat and Saudi Eksab. The OPEC Fund also launched a climate finance compact with the Government of Barbados in its role linked to the Climate Vulnerable Forum and V20 Finance Ministers. The developments marked a broader financing package tied to the institution’s 50th anniversary year.