The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) said on Friday that in cooperation with the United Arab Emirates' sovereign investment fund, Mubadala, they have successfully completed a project to eliminate "digital inequality" in Russia's rural areas, which has already provided internet access to 3.2 million people
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 21st February, 2020) The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) said on Friday that in cooperation with the United Arab Emirates' sovereign investment fund, Mubadala, they have successfully completed a project to eliminate "digital inequality" in Russia's rural areas, which has already provided internet access to 3.2 million people.
The two funds have been running the project, which provides modern communication services to rural settlements with a population of 250 to 500 people, in partnership with Russian communications giant Rostelecom since late 2014. Over the project's lifetime, 11,100 access points have been created across 83 of Russia's 85 regions.
"The project has already resulted in significant positive effects for the lives of over 3.2 million people in those regions," the RDIF said.
RDIF CEO Kirill Dmitriev called the project a successful example of focusing infrastructure investments to digitalize the whole country, which is in line with Russia's national goals and strategic objectives.
The project was financed by money from foreign investors and Russia's National Wealth Fund, he said.
